A comparative study of subgrid scale models in homogeneous isotropic turbulence

Recently, a number of studies have indicated that Large Eddy Simulation (LES) models are fairly insensitive to the adopted Subgrid Scale (SGS) models. In order to study this and to gain further insight into LES, simulations of forced and decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence have been performed for Taylor Re numbers between 35 and 248 using various SGS models, representative of the contemporary state of the art. The predictive capability of the LES concept is analyzed by comparison with DNS data and with results obtained from a theoretical model of the energy spectrum. The resolved flow is examined by visualizing the morphology and by analyzing the distribution of resolved enstrophy, rate of strain, stretching, SGS kinetic energy, and viscosity. Furthermore, the correlation between eigenvalues of the resolved rate of strain tensor and the vorticity is investigated. Although the gross features of the flow appear independent of the SGS model, pronounced differences between the models become apparent when the SGS kinetic energy and the interscale energy transfer are investigated.