An alternative formulation of the governing equations of a dynamical system, called the multi-scale localized perturbation method, is introduced and derived for the purpose of solving complex geophysical flow problems. Simulation variables are decomposed into background and perturbation components, then assumptions are made about the evolution of these components within the context of an environmental flow in order to close the system. Once closed, the original governing equations become a set of one-way coupled governing equations called the "delta form" of the governing equations for short, with one equation describing the evolution of the background component and the other describing the evolution of the perturbation component. One-way interaction which arises due to non-linearity in the original differential equations appears in this second equation, allowing the background fields to influence the evolution of a perturbation. Several solution methods for this system of equations are then proposed. Advantages of the delta form include the ability to specify a complex, temporally- and spatially-varying background field separate from a perturbation introduced into the system, including those created by natural or man-made sources, which enhances visualization of the perturbation as it evolves in time and space. The delta form is also shown to be a tool which can be used to simplify simulation setup. Implementation of the delta form of the incompressible URANS equations with turbulence model and scalar transport within OpenFOAM is then documented, followed by verification cases. A stratified wake collapse case in a domain containing a background shear layer is then presented, showing how complex internal gravity wave-shear layer interactions are retained and easily observed in spite of the variable decomposition. The multi-scale localized perturbation method shows promise for geophysical flow problems, particularly multi-scale simulation involving the interaction of large-scale natural flows with small-scale flows generated by man-made structures. / Master of Science / Natural flows, such as those in our oceans and atmosphere, are seen everywhere and affect human life and structures to an amazing degree. Study of these complex flows requires special care be taken to ensure that mathematical equations correctly approximate them and that computers are programmed to correctly solve these equations. This is no different for researchers and engineers interested in studying how man-made flows, such as one generated by the wake of a plane, wind turbine, cruise ship, or sewage outflow pipe, interact with natural flows found around the world. These interactions may yield complex phenomena that may not otherwise be observed in the natural flows alone. The natural and artificial flows may also mix together, rendering it difficult to study just one of them. The multi-scale localized perturbation method is devised to aid in the simulation and study of the interactions between these natural and man-made flows. Well-known equations of fluid dynamics are modified so that the natural and man-made flows are separated and tracked independently, which gives researchers a clear view of the current state of a region of air or water all while retaining most, if not all, of the complex physics which may be of interest.
Once the multi-scale localized perturbation method is derived, its mathematical equations are then translated into code for OpenFOAM, an open-source software toolkit designed to simulate fluid flows. This code is then tested by running simulations to provide a sanity check and verify that the new form of the equations of fluid dynamics have been programmed correctly, then another, more complicated simulation is run to showcase the benefits of the multi-scale localized perturbation method. This simulation shows some of the complex fluid phenomena that may be seen in nature, yet through the multi-scale localized perturbation method, it is easy to view where the man-made flows end and where the natural flows begin. The complex interactions between the natural flow and the artificial flow are retained in spite of separating the flow into two parts, and setting up the simulation is simplified by this separation. Potential uses of the multi-scale localized perturbation method include multi-scale simulations, where researchers simulate natural flow over a large area of land or ocean, then use this simulation data for a second, small-scale simulation which covers an area within the large-scale simulation. An example of this would be simulating wind currents across a continent to find a potential location for a wind turbine farm, then zooming in on that location and finding the optimal spacing for wind turbines at this location while using the large-scale simulation data to provide realistic wind conditions at many different heights above the ground. Overall, the multi-scale localized perturbation method has the potential to be a powerful tool for researchers whose interest is flows in the ocean and atmosphere, and how these natural flows interact with flows created by artificial means.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/99889 |
| Date | 01 September 2020 |
| Creators | Higgins, Erik Tracy |
| Contributors | Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, Paterson, Eric G., Pitt, Jonathan, Xiao, Heng |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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