Compressibility Effects in Free Turbulent Shear Flows

Abstract : A heuristic model of compressibility effects stipulates that the fluctuating pressure-strain correlation acts to reduce the effective turbulent viscosity at the general axial station x in a compressible free shear flow by an amount uniquely dependent upon the rms Mach number fluctuation. Accordingly, the turbulent viscosity is related to the turbulent kinetic energy and the turbulent energy dissipation rate. Numerical predictions are generated for a number of standard test cases involving heterogeneous and non-equilibrium flows. Comparisons between these predictions and the experimental data are made.