MODELING OF THE REYNOLDS STRESS TRANSPORT-EQUATION

An empirical strategy for improving modeling of the energy dissipation rate epsilon(ij) and the velocity-pressure gradient Pi(ij) terms in t he transport equations for the Reynolds stresses is proposed on the ba sis of available direct numerical simulations of the turbulent boundar y layer and fully developed turbulent channel flow. The dissipation-ra te model takes into account the anisotropy of the dissipation rate not only near the wall but elsewhere in the flow as well. When modeling t he velocity-pressure gradient term, the usual split between pressure-t ransport and redistributive terms is avoided, One consequence of this strategy is the elimination of wall reflection or near wall correction terms. Wall-topography parameters, such as the distance to the wall a nd wall normal vectors, are also absent. Calculations of a turbulent b oundary layer over a smooth wall confirm the potential improvements th at can be achieved with this approach.