Variational method in the statistical theory of turbulence

✍ Scribed by C.K. Zoltani; S. Kovesi-Domokos; G. Domokos

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 960 KB
• Volume: 105
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0167-2789
• DOI: 10.1016/s0167-2789(97)83391-x

✦ Synopsis

Variational principles are introduced in the statistical theory of turbulence. With the help of those, the various correlation functions are determined by extremizing certain functionals. As an illustration of the method, some sample calculations of mean flow profiles and two-point correlation functions of cylindrically symmetric free jets are carried out, both in a single-phase flow and a non-reactive two-phase one. A Rayleigh-Ritz method is used for the determination of the correlation functions. A judicious choice of the trial functions leads to the determination of the correlation functions with a modest amount of computation. The results are in reasonable agreement with experimental data.