Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-nwzlb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-27T15:16:48.969Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Scalar dissipation rate and dissipative anomaly in isotropic turbulence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 May 2005

D. A. DONZIS
Affiliation:
International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Strada Costiera 11, 34014 Trieste, Italy School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
K. R. SREENIVASAN
Affiliation:
International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Strada Costiera 11, 34014 Trieste, Italy Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
P. K. YEUNG
Affiliation:
School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA

Abstract

We examine available data from experiment and recent numerical simulations to explore the supposition that the scalar dissipation rate in turbulence becomes independent of the fluid viscosity when the viscosity is small and of scalar diffusivity when the diffusivity is small. The data are interpreted in the context of semi-empirical spectral theory of Obukhov and Corrsin when the Schmidt number, $\hbox{\it Sc}$, is below unity, and of Batchelor's theory when $\hbox{\it Sc}$ is above unity. Practical limits in terms of the Taylor-microscale Reynolds number, $R_\lambda$, as well as $\hbox{\it Sc}$, are deduced for scalar dissipation to become sensibly independent of molecular properties. In particular, we show that such an asymptotic state is reached if $R_\lambda \hbox{\it Sc}^{1/2}\,{\gg}\,1$ for $\hbox{\it Sc} \,{<}\, 1$, and if $\ln(\hbox{\it Sc})/R_\lambda\,{\ll}\,1$ for $\hbox{\it Sc} \,{>}\,1$.

Type
Papers
Copyright
© 2005 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)