Selection of turbulence models via multiscaling analysis of an axisymmetric pipe flow and heat transfer

Abstract: To fully evaluate a turbulent flow, Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) is the most accurate method by far and requires considerable computational power and time; not optimum for industry standards. Developing an alternative model, providing results with reasonable accuracy would resolve this issue. Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) modeling has proven its worth in addressing this phenomenon. In this study, we investigated the RANS turbulence models from COMSOL for fully developed single-phase flow in a two-dimensional axisymmetric pipe domain with constant heating at the wall and periodic boundary conditions at the inlet and outlet. Heat transfer in the fluid module has been added to address the heat transfer phenomenon. We evaluated the computed results with existing DNS data to match the accuracy of the RANS models. RANS simulations are conducted for friction Reynolds number, i.e., Re_{\tau}= 180, 314, and 395 with varying Prandtl numbers, i.e., Pr = 0.71, 2, 5, and 7. Multiscaling analyses in the flow's inner, outer, and meso scaling regions are performed for fluid and heat transfer profiles, i.e., mean streamwise velocity, Reynolds shear stress, mean streamwise temperature, and turbulent heat flux, to compare with the DNS data. The investigation reports the scaling analysis's effectiveness and shows that RANS turbulence models can be used to describe such flow with reasonable accuracy.