Turbulence Modelling of Mixing Layers under Anisotropic Strain

Abstract: The development of turbulent mixing layers can be altered by the application of anisotropic strain rates, potentially arising from radial motion in convergent geometry or movement through non-uniform geometry. Previous closure models and calibrations of compressible turbulence models tend to focus on incompressible flows or isotropic strain cases, which is in contrast to many real flow conditions. The treatment of bulk compression under anisotropic strain is investigated using the K-L turbulence model, a two-equation Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) model that is commonly used for simulating interfacial instabilities. One-dimensional simulations of shock-induced turbulent mixing layers under applied axial or transverse strain rates are performed using three different closures for the bulk compression of the turbulent length scale. The default closure method using the mean isotropic strain rate is able to reasonably predict the integral width and turbulent kinetic energy of the mixing layer under the applied strain rates. However, the K-L model's performance is improved with the transverse strain closure, while the axial strain closure worsens the model. The effects of this new closure are investigated for the buoyancy-drag model, showing that a three-equation model which evolves the integral width and turbulent length scale separately is most effective for modelling anisotropic strain. Through the equivalence of two-equation RANS models, the modification of the bulk compression closure for the turbulent length scale also suggests an alteration to the K-$\epsilon$ and K-$\omega$ models.