Scalar imaging velocimetry measurements of the velocity gradient tensor field in turbulent flows. I. Assessment of errors

Lester K. Su, Werner J.A. Dahm

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

44 Scopus citations

Abstract

The consept of flow field velocimetry based on scalar imaging measurements [Phys. Fluids A 4, 2191 (1992)] is here formulated in terms of an integral minimization implementation, where the velocity field u(x,t) is found by minimizing weighted residuals of the conserved scalar transport equation, along with the continuity condition and a smoothness condition. We apply this technique to direct numerical simulation (DNS) data for the limiting case of turbulent mixing of a Sc= 1 passive scalar field. The spatial velocity fields u(x,t) thus obtained demonstrate good correlation with the exact DNS fields, as do the statistics of the velocity and the velocity gradient fields. The results from this integral minimization implementation also show significant improvement over those from the direct inversion technique reported earlier. These results are shown to be largely insensitive to noise at levels characteristic of current fully resolved scalar field measurements.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1869-1882
Number of pages14
JournalPhysics of Fluids
Volume8
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1996
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Computational Mechanics
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes

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