Effect of Turbulent Fluctuations on Mean Flow: Reynolds-Averaging

In a turbulent flow, we can define the mean, steady flow as:

T
1
u ( x, y , z ) = lim ∫ u ( x, y , z , t )dt
T →∞ T
0

This allows us to split the flow properties into a mean and a fluctuating part:

u ( x, y , z , t ) = u ( x, y , z ) + u′( x, y , z, t )
v ( x, y , z , t ) = v ( x, y , z ) + v′( x, y , z, t )
w( x, y , z, t ) = w( x, y , z ) + w′( x, y , z, t )
p ( x, y , z , t ) = p ( x, y , z ) + p′( x, y , z, t )
 
 

mean turbulent
part fluctuating
part

Note: the mean of u ′ is zero:

u − u = u′
T T
1 1
lim
T →∞ T ∫ {u − u }dt = lim
0
T →∞ T ∫
0
u′dt
T
1
lim ∫ udt − u = u′
T 0
T →∞
 

⇒ − u = u′
uN
=0

⇒ u′ = 0 ⇐ mean of fluctuations is zero.

Now, we will develop equations which govern the mean flow and try to develop
some insight into how the fluctuations alter the mean flow equations.

Let’s start with incompressible flow and look at the x − momentum:

x − momentum:

∂u ∂u ∂u ∂u 1 ∂p  ∂ 2u ∂ 2u ∂ 2u 
+u +v +w =− +ν  2 + 2 + 2 
∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z ρ ∂x  ∂x ∂y ∂z 

Let’s look at the “averaging” of this equation in time to develop an equation for
the mean flow.
 Effect of Turbulent Fluctuations on Mean Flow: Reynolds-Averaging

T
1
⇒ lim
T →∞ T ∫ [ x − mom]dt or
0
− 
x mom

time-average
of x-momentum

The first term is:

1 ∂ (u + u′)
T T
1 ∂u
lim ∫ dt = lim ∫ dt
T →∞ T
0
∂t T →∞ T
0
∂t

∂u
But, = 0 thus:
∂t

1 ∂u′ ∂u′
T T
1 ∂u
lim
T →∞ T ∫
0
∂t
dt = lim ∫
T 0→∂t∞
T →∞ T
dt =
∂t

∂u ′
Just as u′ = 0 , we will assume = 0.
∂t
End result:

∂u
=0
∂t

Let’s skip over to the pressure term and look at its average:

∂p ∂p ∂p′ ∂p ∂p ∂p′
= + ⇒ = +
∂x ∂x ∂x ∂x ∂x ∂x
∂p ∂p ∂p′
= +
∂x ∂x ∂x
∂p ∂p ∂p′
= +
∂x ∂x ∂x
But, p ′ = 0 thus:

∂p ∂p
=
∂x ∂x

Similarly,

∂ 2u ∂ 2u ∂ 2u ∂ 2u ∂ 2u ∂ 2u
+ + = + +
∂x 2 ∂y 2 ∂z 2 ∂x 2 ∂y 2 ∂z 2

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 Effect of Turbulent Fluctuations on Mean Flow: Reynolds-Averaging

Combining these into x − mom , we now have:

∂u ∂u ∂u 1 ∂p  ∂ 2u ∂ 2u ∂ 2u 
u +v +w =− +ν  2 + 2 + 2 
∂x

∂y ∂z
 

ρ ∂x  ∂x ∂y ∂z 
must still work this out

Let’s work out the last term:

∂u ∂u ∂u ∂u ∂u ∂u
u +v +w =u +v +w
∂x ∂y ∂z ∂x ∂y ∂z

∂u
That’s the easy part. Now, consider u :
∂x

∂u
Question: What does u equal in terms of u & u′ only?
∂x

∂u
a) u
∂x

∂u′ ∂u
b) u + u′
∂x ∂x

∂u ∂u ′
c) u + u′
∂x ∂x

d) none of the above

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