Turbulent Flows

Stephen B. Pope
Cambridge University Press (2000)
Solution to Exercise 10.5
Prepared by: Zhuyin Ren Date: 04/16/03

a:) According to the k − ε model, the specification of turbulent viscosity

is
νT = Cµ k 2 /ε. (1)
So in a simple turbulent shear flow, the shear stress is given by
∂hU i
|huvi| = νT = νT S. (2)
∂y
Substituting Eq. 1 into Eq. 2, we get
|huvi| Sk
= Cµ . (3)
k ε
For simple turbulent shear flow, the production is
∂U
P = |huvi| = |huvi|S. (4)
∂y
Substituting Eq. 3 into Eq. 4, we get
Sk 2 S 2k2
P = Cµ S = Cµ , (5)
ε ε
i.e., !2
P Sk
= Cµ (6)
ε ε
From Eq. 6, we get
!1/2
Sk P
= . (7)
ε Cµ ε
Substituting Eq. 7 into Eq. 3, we get
1/2
|huvi| P

= Cµ1/2 , (8)
k ε
and hence Eq.(10.48) is verified.

1
b:) The Cauchy-Schwartz inequality (Eq.(3.100)) is
−1 ≤ ρ12 ≤ 1, (9)
i.e.,  
 huvi 
 2 1/2 2 1/2  ≤ 1. (10)
 
 hu i hv i 
Substituting Eq. 3 into Eq. 10, we get
k2S
Cµ ≤ hu2 i1/2 hv 2 i1/2 , (11)
ε
i.e.,
hu2 i1/2 hv 2 i1/2 1
Cµ ≤ . (12)
k Sk/ε
For simple shear flow, the k − ε model yields for the normal stresses
hu2 i = hv2 i = hw2 i = 32 k. Thus we obtain
2/3
Cµ ≤= . (13)
Sk/ε
c:) For a general flow, according to the turbulent viscosity hypothesis,
turbulent production P is equal to
P = νT S 2 , (14)
where S is the characteristic mean rate of strain (see Eq. 5.143 and see
page 131 for the definition of S). And furthermore, according to the
specification of νT = Cµ k 2 /ε in the k − ε model, P is given by
!2
Sk
P = Cµ ε , (15)
ε
i.e. !2
P Sk
= Cµ . (16)
ε ε
So Eq.(10.50) also holds for a general flow.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-

NonCommercial-ShareAlike License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/1.0 or send a letter to Cre-
ative Commons, 559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, California 94305, USA.