Improving a Two-Equation Turbulence Model for Canopy Flows Using Large-Eddy Simulation

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

Silva Lopes, AS (Author) FEUP; Palma, JMLM (Author) FEUP; Viana Lopes, JV (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Boundary-Layer Meteorology

Vol. 149

Pages: 231-257

ISSN: 0006-8314

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 19 Citations

Scopus - 22 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Biological sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-006-6E7

DOI: 10.1007/s10546-013-9850-x

Abstract (EN): Large-eddy simulations of the neutrally-stratified flow over an extended homogeneous forest were used to calibrate a canopy model for the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RaNS) method with the turbulence model. It was found that, when modelling the forest as a porous medium, the canopy drag dissipates the turbulent kinetic energy (acts as a sink term). The proposed model was then tested in more complex flows: a finite length forest and a forested hill. In the finite length forest, the destruction of the turbulent kinetic energy by the canopy was overestimated near the edge, for a length approximately twice the tree height. In the forested hill, the model was less accurate inside the recirculation zone and overestimated the turbulent kinetic energy, due to an incorrect prediction of the production term. Nevertheless, the canopy model presented here provided consistent results in both a priori and a posteriori tests and improved the accuracy of RaNS simulations with the model.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 27