Comparative study of turbulence models in predicting turbulent pipe flow. I - Algebraic stress and k-epsilon models

Abstract

Developing turbulent pipe flow in a smooth circular pipe with a length of about 80 diameters is simulated at Reynolds numbers of 10,000, 38,000, 90,000 and 380,000, using seven different turbulence models. The governing equations are solved in their fully elliptic forms. The predictions for the velocity, turbulence kinetic energy, dissipation rate and Reynolds stress fields are compared to available experimental data and the relative performance of the models is assessed. This paper is Part II of a two-part study, in which a total of eleven turbulence models are compared.