Turbulent kinetic energy balance in the wake of a self-propelled body

✍ Scribed by T. Faure; G. Robert

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 569 KB
• Volume: 21
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0723-4864
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00190677

✦ Synopsis

An experimental study of the turbulent wake of a self-propelled body in a wind tunnel is reported. A significant difference is formed between the turbulent kinetic energy balance in a wake with drag and in the wake of a self-propelled body: the production term is very small in comparison with the other terms of the turbulent kinetic energy balance, and this result seems to be typical of self-propulsion. The axial evolution of the wake radius and turbulent kinetic energy profiles are described. Sufficiently far downstream from the body, a self-similar profile is found. Particular attention is devoted to the turbulent kinetic energy balance; all the terms in the energy balance are evaluated experimentally.

List of symbols

D diameter of the body L axial length scale l radial length scale R radius of the body r radial coordinate r* radius of the wake U mean axial velocity scale 0 defect velocity U~ freestream velocity u fluctuating velocity scale x axial coordinate e dissipation rate rl = rlr ~ radial relative direction 0 azimuthal coordinate v kinematic viscosity p density