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Virginia Tech

Turbulent Simulations of a Buoyant Jet-in-Crossflow

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

A lack of complex analysis for a thermally buoyant jet in a stratified crossflow has motivated the studies presented. A computational approach using the incompressible Navier--Stokes equations (NSE) under the Boussinesq approximation is utilized. Temperature and salinity scalar transport equations are utilized in conjunction with a linear equation of state (EOS) to obtain the density field and thus the buoyancy forcing. Comparing simulation data to experimental data of a point heat source in a stratified environment provides general agreement between the aforementioned computational model and the physics studied. From the literature surveyed, no unified agreement was presented on the selection of turbulence models for the jet--in--crossflow (JICF) problem. For this reason, a comparison is presented for a standard Reynolds--Averaged Navier--Stokes (RANS) and a hybrid Reynolds--Averaged Navier--Stokes/large eddy simulation (HRLES) turbulence model. The mathematical differences are outlined as well as the implications each model has on solving a buoyant jet in stratified crossflow. The RANS model provides a general over prediction of all flow quantities when comparing to the HRLES models. Studies involving the removal of the thermal component inside the jet as well as varying the environmental stratification strength have largely determined that these affects do not alter the near-field in any significant way, at least for a high Reynolds number JICF. The velocity ratio of the jet being the ratio of the jet velocity to the free--stream flow velocity. Deviating from a velocity ratio of one has provided information on the variability of the forcing on the plate the jet exits from, as well as in the integrated energy quantities far downstream of the jet's exit. The departures presented here show that any deviation from the unity value provides an increase in the overall forces seen by the plate. It was also found that the change in the integrated potential and turbulent kinetic energies is proportional to the deviation from a unity velocity ratio.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Aerospace Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Aerospace and Ocean Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2020

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Martin, Christian Tyler
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Paterson, Eric G.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Lowe, K. Todd
  • Pitt, Jonathan

Subjects

dc:subject × 8

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
vt_gsexam:23409
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/96335

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Martin, Christian Tyler. Turbulent Simulations of a Buoyant Jet-in-Crossflow. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/96335