On the Anisotropy of Axisymmetric Strained Turbulence in the Dissipation Range

Abstract

Partition of the stress dissipation has been studied in an axisymmetric strained flow field to assess the possible existence of local isotropy for turbulence at small scales. This is a simple flow to study because the axes of anisotropy of the Reynolds stresses and of the dissipation tensor are aligned. Using invariant theory, the relationship between the stress and dissipation tensors was derived, satisfying restrictions for the limiting states of turbulence and the assumed behavior for large Reynolds number and small anisotropy. The role of the anisotropy in constraining models for the turbulent dissipation rate and the pressure-strain correlations is discussed. Comparisons of the resulting closure with experimental data for several axisymmetric flows are good within the limitations of the data.