A Reynolds stress model for turbulent flow of homogeneous polymer solutions

Abstract

Using a priori analyses of direct numerical simulation (DNS) data, a Reynolds stress model (RSM) isdeveloped to account for the influence of polymer additives on turbulent flow over a wide range of flowconditions. The Finitely Extensible Nonlinear Elastic-Peterlin (FENE-P) rheological constitutive model isutilized to evaluate the polymer contribution to the stress tensor. Thirteen DNS data sets are used to analyze the budgets of elastic stress-velocity gradient correlations as well as Reynolds stress and dissipationtransport. Closures are developed in the framework of the RSM model for all the required unknown andnon-linear terms. The polymer stresses, velocity profiles, turbulent flow statistics and the percentage offriction drag reduction predicted by the RSM model are in good agreement with present and thoseobtained from independent DNS data over a wide range of rheological and flow parameters.