arXiv subjects

Adrian Sescu

Publications and source records attributed to Adrian Sescu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Gauging Centrifugal Instabilities in Compressible Free-Shear Layers Via Nonlinear Boundary Region Equations

Curved free shear layers emerge in many engineering problems involving complex flow geometries, such as the flow over a backward facing step, flows with wall injection in a boundary layer, the flow inside side-dump combustors, or wakes generated by vertical axis wind turbines, among others. Previous studies involving centrifugal instabilities have mainly focused on wall-flows where Taylor instabilities between two rotating concentric cylinders or G\"{o}rtler vortices in boundary layers, resulting from the imbalance between the centrifugal forces and the radial pressure gradients, are generated. Curved free shear layer flows, however, have not received sufficient attention, especially in the nonlinear regime. The present work investigates the development of centrifugal instabilities evolving in a curved free shear layer flow in the nonlinear compressible regime. The compressible Navier-Stokes equations are reduced to the nonlinear boundary region equations (BRE) in a high Reynolds number asymptotic framework wherein the streamwise wavelengths of the disturbances are assumed to be much larger than the spanwise and wall-normal counterparts. We study the effect of the freestream Mach number $\boldsymbol{M_\infty}$, the shear layer thickness $\boldsymbol{\delta}$, the amplitude of the incoming disturbance $\boldsymbol{A}$, and the relative velocity difference across the shear layer $\boldsymbol{\Delta V}$ on the development of these centrifugal instabilities.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2022

A Lagrange multiplier-based optimal control technique for streak attenuation in high-speed boundary layers

High-amplitude free stream turbulence and surface roughness elements can excite a laminar boundary layer flow sufficiently to cause streamwise oriented vortices to develop. These vortices resemble elongated streaks having alternate spanwise variations of the streamwise velocity. Downstream, the vortices `wobble' through an inviscid secondary instability mechanism and, ultimately, transition to turbulence. We formulate an optimal control algorithm to suppress the growth rate of the streamwise vortex system. Considering a high Reynolds number asymptotic framework, we reduce the full compressible Navier-Stokes equations to the nonlinear compressible boundary region equations (NCBRE). We then implement the method of Lagrange multipliers via an appropriate transformation of the original constrained optimization problem into an unconstrained form to obtain the disturbance equations in the form of the adjoint compressible boundary region equations (ACBRE) and corresponding optimality conditions. Numerical solutions of the ACBRE approach for high-supersonic and hypersonic flows reveal a significant reduction in the kinetic energy and wall shear stress for all considered configurations. We present contour plots to demonstrate the qualitative effect of increased control iterations. Our results indicate that the primary vortex instabilities gradually flatten in the spanwise direction thanks to the ACBRE algorithm.

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arXiv2022

Investigation of G\"{o}rtler vortices in high-speed boundary layers via an efficient numerical solution to the non-linear boundary region equations

Streamwise vortices and the associated streaks evolve in boundary layers over flat or concave surfaces due to disturbances initiated upstream or triggered by the wall surface. Following the transient growth phase, the fully-developed vortex structures become susceptible to inviscid secondary instabilities resulting in early transition to turbulence via `bursting' processes. In high-speed boundary layers, more complications arise due to compressibility and thermal effects, which become more significant for higher Mach numbers. In this paper, we study G\"{o}rtler vortices developing in high-speed boundary layers using the boundary region equations (BRE) formalism, which we solve using an efficient numerical algorithm. Streaks are excited using a small transpiration velocity at the wall. Our BRE-based algorithm is found to be superior to direct numerical simulation (DNS) and ad-hoc nonlinear parabolized stability equation (PSE) models. BRE solutions are less computationally costly than a full DNS and have a more rigorous theoretical foundation than PSE-based models. For example, the full development of a G\"{o}rtler vortex system in high-speed boundary layers can be predicted in a matter of minutes using a single processor via the BRE approach. This substantial reduction in calculation time is one of the major achievements of this work. We show, among other things, that it allows investigation into feedback control in reasonable total computational times. We investigate the development of the G\"{o}rtler vortex system via the BRE solution with feedback control parametrically at various freestream Mach numbers $M_\infty$ and spanwise separations $\lambda$ of the inflow disturbances.

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arXiv2021

Triple Hill's Vortex Synthetic Eddy Method

The generation of initial or inflow synthetic turbulent velocity or scalar fields reproducing statistical characteristics of realistic turbulence is still a challenge. The synthetic eddy method, previously introduced in the context of inflow conditions for large eddy simulations, is based on the assumption that turbulence can be regarded as a superposition of coherent structures. In this paper, a new type of synthetic eddy method is proposed, where the fundamental eddy is constructed by superposing three Hill's vortices, with their axes orthogonal to each other. A distribution of Hill's vortices is used to synthesize an anisotropic turbulent velocity field that satisfies the incompressibility condition and match a given Reynolds stress tensor. The amplitudes of the three vortices that form the fundamental eddy are calculated from known Reynolds stress profiles through a transformation from the physical reference frame to the principal-axis reference frame. In this way, divergence-free anisotropic turbulent velocity fields are obtained that can reproduce a given Reynolds stress tensor. The model was tested on both isotropic and anisotropic turbulent velocity fields, in the framework of grid turbulence decay and turbulent channel flow, respectively. The transition from artificial to realistic turbulence in the proximity to the inflow boundary was found to be small in all test cases that were considered.

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arXiv2021

Numerical Investigation of a Rectangular Jet Exhausting over a Flat Plate with Periodic Surface Deformations at the Trailing Edge

In an attempt to reduce jet noise, blended wing concept vehicle utilizes rectangular jet exhaust ports exiting from above the wing ahead of the trailing edge. In this study, we take another look at the rectangular exhaust port configuration with some notional modifications to the geometry of the trailing edge to determine if the emitted noise levels due to jet interactions can be reduced with respect to a baseline configuration. We consider various horizontal and vertical offsets of the jet exit with respect to a flat plate standing in for the aft wing surface. We then introduce a series of sinusoidal deformations to the trailing edge of the plate of varying amplitude and wave number. Our results show that the emitted sound levels due to the jet--surface interactions can be significantly altered by the proposed geometry modifications. While sound levels remained fairly consistent over many configurations, there were some that showed both increased and decreased sound levels in specific directions. We present results here for the simulated configurations which showed the greatest decrease in overall sound levels with respect to the baseline. These results provide strong indications that such geometry modifications can potentially be tailored to optimize for further reductions in sound levels.

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arXiv2020

Investigation of wakes generated by fractal plates in the compressible flow regime using large-eddy simulations

We investigate flows interacting with a square and a fractal shape multi-scale structures in the compressible regime for Mach numbers at subsonic and supersonic upstream conditions using large-eddy-simulations (LES). We also aim at identifying similarities and differences that these interactions have with corresponding interactions in the canonical incompressible flow problem. To account for the geometrical complexity associated with the fractal structures, we apply an immersed boundary method to model the no-slip boundary condition at the solid surfaces, with adequate mesh resolution in the vicinity of the small fractal features. We validate the numerical results through extensive comparisons with experimental wind tunnel measurements at a low Mach number. Similar to the incompressible flow case results, we find a break-up of the flow structures by the fractal plate and an increase in turbulent mixing in the downstream direction. As the Mach number increases, we observe noticeable wake meandering and higher spread rate of the wake in the lateral direction perpendicular to the streamwise-spanwise plane. Although not significant, we quantify the difference between the square and the fractal plates using two-point velocity correlations across the Mach number range. The wakes generated by the fractal plate in the compressible regime showed lower turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and energy spectra levels compared to those of the square case. Moreover, results in terms of the near-field pressure spectra seem to indicate that the fractal plate has the potential to reduce the aerodynamic noise.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2019

Effect of non-parallel mean flow on the acoustic spectrum of heated supersonic jets: explanation of `jet quietening'

Noise measurements of heated axisymmetric jets at fixed supersonic acoustic Mach number indicate that the acoustic spectrum reduces when the temperature ratio increases. The `spectral quietening' effect has been observed both experimentally and computationally using Large Eddy Simulations (LES). It was explained by Afsar {\it et al}. (M. Z. Afsar and M. E. Goldstein $\&$ A. M. Fagan AIAAJ., Vol. 49, p. 2522, 2011) through the cancellation introduced by enthalpy flux/momentum flux coupling term using the generalized acoustic analogy formulation. But the parallel flow assumption is known to give inaccurate predictions at high jet speeds. In this paper we therefore extend the non-parallel flow asymptotic theory of Goldstein {\it et al}. (M. E. Goldstein, A. Sescu $\&$ M. Z. Afsar, J. Fluid Mech., Vol. 695, p. 199, 2012) for the vector Green's function of the adjoint linearized Euler equations (ALEE) in the analogy. Using a steady Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) calculation for the jet mean flow, we find that the coupling term propagator is positive-definite and asymptotically sub-dominant at low frequencies corresponding to the peak jet noise when non-parallel flow effects are taken into account and self-consistent approximations for the turbulence structure are made. The validity of the non-parallel flow-based acoustic analogy model is assessed at various observation angles by computing the overall sound pressure level (OASPL) and use this to suggest a more rational explanation of the quietening effect. In general, our noise predictions are in very good agreement with acoustic data beyond the peak frequency.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2019

Large eddy simulation study of the humidity variation in the shadow of a large wind farm

Numerous studies have shown that wind turbine wakes within a large wind farm bring about changes to both the dynamics and thermodynamics of the atmospheric boundary layers (ABL). Previously, we investigated the relative humidity budget within a wind farm via field measurements in the near-wake region and large eddy simulations (LES). The effect of the compounding wakes within a large wind farm on the relative humidity was also investigated by LES. In this study, we investigate how the areas of relative humidity variation, that was observed in the near-wake, develop downstream in the shadow region of a large wind farm. To this end, LES of a wind farm consisting of 8x6 wind turbines with periodic boundary condition in the lateral direction (inferring an infinitely wide farm) interacting with a stable ABL is carried out. Two wind farm layouts, aligned and staggered, are considered in the analysis and the results from both configurations are compared to each other. It is observed that a decrease of relative humidity underneath the hub height and an increase above the hub height build up within the wind farm, and are maintained in the downstream of the farm for long distances. The staggered farm layout is more effective in keeping a more elongated region of low relative humidity underneath the hub, when compared to the aligned layout.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2019

Modeling and prediction of the peak radiated sound in sub-sonic axisymmetric air jets using acoustic analogy based asymptotic analysis

This paper uses asymptotic analysis within the generalized acoustic analogy formulation (Goldstein. J. Fluid Mech 488, pp. 315-333, 2003) to develop a noise prediction model for the peak sound of axisymmetric round jets at subsonic acoustic Mach numbers ($Ma$). The analogy shows that the exact formula for the acoustic pressure is given by a convolution product of a propagator tensor (determined by the vector Green's function of the adjoint linearized Euler equations for a given jet mean flow) and a generalized source term representing the jet turbulence field. Using a low frequency/small spread rate asymptotic expansion of the propagator, mean flow non-parallelism enters the lowest order Green's function solution via the streamwise component of the mean flow advection vector in a hyperbolic partial differential equation (PDE). We then address the predictive capability of the solution to this PDE when used in the analogy through first-of-its-kind numerical calculations when an experimentally-verified model of the turbulence source structure is used together with Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes solutions for the jet mean flow. Our noise predictions show a reasonable level of accuracy in the peak noise direction at $Ma=0.9$, for Strouhal number up to about $0.6$, and at $Ma=0.5$ using modified source coefficients. Possible reasons for this are discussed. Moreover, the prediction range can be extended beyond unity Strouhal number by using an approximate composite asymptotic formula for the vector Green's function that reduces to the locally parallel flow limit at high frequencies.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2019

Numerical anisotropy study of a class of compact schemes

We study the numerical anisotropy existent in compact difference schemes as applied to hyperbolic partial differential equations, and propose an approach to reduce this error and to improve the stability restrictions based on a previous analysis applied to explicit schemes. A prefactorization of compact schemes is applied to avoid the inversion of a large matrix when calculating the derivatives at the next time level, and a predictor-corrector time marching scheme is used to update the solution in time. A reduction of the isotropy error is attained for large wave numbers and, most notably, the stability restrictions associated with MacCormack time marching schemes are considerably improved. Compared to conventional compact schemes of similar order of accuracy, the multidimensional schemes employ larger stencils which would presumably demand more processing time, but we show that the new stability restrictions render the multidimensional schemes to be in fact more efficient, while maintaining the same dispersion and dissipation characteristics of the one dimensional schemes.

math.NA↗

arXiv2019

A Generalization of Prefactored Compact Schemes for Advection Equations

A generalized prefactorization of compact schemes aimed at reducing the stencil and improving the computational efficiency is proposed here in the framework of transport equations. By the prefactorization introduced here, the computational load associated with inverting multi-diagonal matrices is avoided, while the order of accuracy is preserved. The prefactorization can be applied to any centered compact difference scheme with arbitrary order of accuracy (results for compact schemes of up to sixteenth order of accuracy are included in the study). One notable restriction is that the proposed schemes can be applied in a predictor-corrector type marching scheme framework. Two test cases, associated with linear and nonlinear advection equations, respectively, are included to show the preservation of the order of accuracy and the increase of the computational efficiency of the prefactored compact schemes.

math.NA↗

arXiv2019

Combined prefactored compact schemes for first- and second-order derivatives: conceptual derivation

The derivation of combined prefactored compact schemes for first and second order derivatives is described here, relying on the Fourier analysis of the original prefactored compact schemes. By this approach, the order of accuracy of the original schemes can be increased from sixth to eight, or from eight to tenth (depending on the order of the original scheme), while the number of grid points in the stencil is kept the same. Here, we only frame the conceptual derivation of the schemes, leading to a closed set of equations for the weights.

math.NA↗

arXiv2019

Numerical Anisotropy in Finite Differencing

Numerical solutions to hyperbolic partial differential equations, involving wave propagations in one direction, are subject to several specific errors, such as numerical dispersion, dissipation or aliasing. In multi-dimensions, where the waves propagate in all directions, there is an additional specific error resulting from the discretization of spatial derivatives along grid lines. Specifically, waves or wave packets in multi-dimensions propagate at different phase or group velocities, respectively, along different directions. A commonly used term for the aforementioned multidimensional discretization error is the numerical anisotropy or isotropy error. In this review, the numerical anisotropy is briefly described in the context of the wave equation in multi-dimensions. Then, several important studies that were focused on optimizations of finite difference schemes with the objective of reducing the numerical anisotropy are discussed.

math.NA↗

arXiv2019

Wakes in stratified atmospheric boundary layer flows: an LES investigation

Large eddy simulations and three-dimensional proper orthogonal decomposition were used to study the interaction between a large stationary and moving bluff body and a high Reynolds number stably-stratified turbulent boundary layer. An immersed boundary method is utilized to take into account the effect of the bluff body on the boundary layer flow and turbulent inflow conditions upstream of the bluff body are imposed by employing a concurrent precursor simulation method both because a pseudo-spectral method is utilized in the horizontal directions. The dominant POD mode type was observed to occur at higher energy levels in the more turbulent wakes. Varying the thermal stratification showed only a slight effect on the turbulent statistics, but a significant effect on the number of dominant POD modes at the highest energy levels.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2018

A Control Forced Concurrent Precursor Method for LES Inflow

With the increased application of large eddy simulation techniques, the generation of realistic turbulence at inflow boundaries is crucial for the accuracy of a simulation. The Control Forced Concurrent Precursor Method (CFCPM) proposed in this work combines an existing concurrent precursor method and a mean flow forcing method with a new extension of the controlled forcing method to impose turbulent inflow boundary conditions primarily, although not exclusively, for domains that require periodic boundary conditions. Turbulent inflow boundary conditions are imposed through a region of body forces added to the momentum equations of the main simulation that transfers the precursor simulation into the main domain. Controlled forcing planes, which come into play as body forces added to the momentum equations on planes perpendicular to the flow, located in the precursor simulation, allow for specific Reynolds stress tensors and mean velocities to be imposed. The mean flow controlled forcing method only modifies the mean velocity profiles, leaving the fluctuating velocity field untouched. The proposed fluctuating flow controlled forcing methods extends the application of the original controlled forcing method to multiple fluctuating velocity components and couples their calculation in order to amplify the existing fluctuations present in the precursor flow field so that prescribed anisotropic Reynolds stress tensors can be reproduced. The new method was tested on high Reynolds number turbulent boundary layer flow over a wall-mounted cube and low Reynolds number turbulent boundary layer flow over a backward-facing step. It was found that the new extension of the controlled forcing method reduced the development time for both test cases considered here when compared to not using controlled forcing and only using the original controlled forcing method.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2018

Effect of Wall Transpiration and Heat Transfer on Nonlinear Görtler Vortices in High-speed Boundary Layers

Görtler vortices in boundary layer flows over concave surfaces are caused by the imbalance between centrifugal effects and radial pressure gradients. Depending on various geometrical and/or freestream flow conditions, vortex breakdown via secondary instabilities leads to early transition to turbulence. It is desirable, therefore, to reduce vortex energy in an attempt to delay the transition from laminar to turbulent flow, and thereby achieve a reduced frictional drag. To this end, we apply a proportional control algorithm aimed at reducing the wall shear stress and the energy of Görtler vortices evolving in high-speed boundary layers. The active control scheme is based on wall transpiration with sensors placed either in the flow or at the wall. In addition, we evaluate the effect of wall cooling and heating on Görtler vortices evolving in high-speed boundary layers, by reducing or increasing the upstream wall temperature. The numerical results are obtained by solving the full Navier-Stokes equations in generalized curvilinear coordinates, using a high-order numerical algorithm. Our results show that the active control based on wall transpiration reduces both the wall shear stress and the energy of the Görtler vortices; the passive control based on wall cooling or heating reduces the wall shear stress, but slightly increases the energy of the vortices in both supersonic and hypersonic regimes.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2018

Assessment of the impact of two-dimensional wall deformations' shape on high-speed boundary layer disturbances

Previous experimental and numerical studies showed that two-dimensional roughness elements can stabilize disturbances inside a hypersonic boundary layer, and eventually delay the transition onset. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the response of disturbances propagating inside a high-speed boundary layer to various two-dimensional surface deformations of different shapes. We perform an assessment of the impact of various two-dimensional surface non-uniformities, such as backward or forward steps, combinations of backward and forward steps, wavy surfaces, surface dips, and surface humps. Disturbances inside a Mach 5.92 flat-plate boundary layer are excited using periodic wall blowing and suction at an upstream location. The numerical tools consist of a high-accurate numerical algorithm solving for the unsteady, compressible form of the Navier-Stokes equations in curvilinear coordinates. Results show that all types of surface non-uniformities are able to reduce the amplitude of boundary layer disturbances to a certain degree. The amount of disturbance energy reduction is related to the type of pressure gradients that are posed by the deformation (adverse or favorable). A possible cause (among others) of the disturbance energy reduction inside the boundary layer is presumed to be the result of a partial deviation of the kinetic energy to the external flow, along the discontinuity that is generated by the wall deformation.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2018

Iterative control of Görtler vortices via local wall deformations

Görtler vortices develop along concave walls as a result of the imbalance between the centrifugal force and radial pressure gradient. In this study, we introduce a simple control strategy aimed at reducing the growth rate of Görtler vortices by locally modifying the surface geometry in spanwise and streamwise directions. Such wall deformations are accounted in the boundary region equations (BRE) by using a Prandtl transform of dependent and independent variables. The vortex energy is then controlled via a classical proportional control algorithm for which either the wall-normal velocity or the wall shear stress serves as the control variable. Our numerical results indicate that the control algorithm is quite effective in minimizing the wall shear stress.

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