Numerical investigation of turbulent channel flow

Abstract

Fully developed turbulent channel flow has been simulated numerically at Reynolds number 13800, based on centre-line velocity and channel half-width. The large-scale flow field has been obtained by directly integrating the filtered, three-dimensional, time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations. The small-scale field motions were simulated through an eddy-viscosity model. The calculations were carried out on the ILLIACIV computer with up to 516096 grid points. The computed flow field was used to study the statistical properties of the flow as well as its time-dependent features. The agreement of the computed mean-velocity profile, turbulence statistics, and detailed flow structures with experimental data is good. The resolvable portion of the statistical correlations appearing in the Reynolds-stress equations are calculated. Particular attention is given to the examination of the flow structure in the vicinity of the wall.