MACROSCOPIC TURBULENCE MODEL ADJUSTMENT FOR A POROUS MEDIUM MODELED AS AN INFINITE ARRAY OF TRANSVERSALLY-DISPLACED ELLIPTIC RODS

Abstract

Through the volumetric averaging of the microscopic transport equations for the turbulent
kinetic energy, k, and its dissipation rate, , a macroscopic model was proposed for flow in
porous media (Pedras and de Lemos, IJHMT 44 (6) 2001). As an outcome of the volume
averaging process, additional terms appeared in the equations for k and . These terms
were here adjusted assuming the porous structure to be modeled as an infinity array of
transversal elliptic rods. Such an adjustment was obtained by numerically solving the
microscopic flow governing equations, using a low and high Reynolds formulation, in the
periodic cell composing the infinite medium. Different porosity and aspect ratios were
investigated. The adjusted model was compared against others types of rods found in the
literature, showing similar results.