Advanced simulations have solved a problem in turbulent fluid flow that could lead to more efficient turbines and engines.
Advanced simulations have solved a problem in turbulent fluid flow that could lead to more efficient turbines and engines.
When a fluid, such as water or air, flows fast enough, it will experience turbulence – seemingly random changes in velocity and pressure within the fluid.
Turbulence is extremely difficult to study but is important for many fields of engineering, such as air flow past wind turbines or jet engines. Understanding turbulence better would allow engineers to design more efficient turbine blades, for example, or make more aerodynamic shapes for Formula 1 cars.
However, current engineering models of turbulence often rely upon ‘empirical’ relationships based on previous observations of turbulence to predict what will happen, rather than a full understanding of the underlying physics.
Read more at Imperial College London
Image: This is a turbulent flow simulation displayed on a wraparound screen. (Credit: Thomas Angus / Imperial College London)
