Is turbulent mixing a self convolution process ?

Antoine Venaille (1) , Joël Sommeria (1)

1 LEGI - Laboratoire des Écoulements Géophysiques et Industriels [Grenoble]

Experimental results for the evolution of the probability distribution function (PDF) of a scalar mixed by a turbulence flow in a channel are presented. The sequence of PDF from an initial skewed distribution to a sharp Gaussian is found to be non universal. The route toward homogeneization depends on the ratio between the cross sections of the dye injector and the channel. In link with this observation, advantages, shortcomings and applicability of models for the PDF evolution based on a self-convolution mechanisms are discussed.

Mots clés: turbulent mixing; scalar distribution

Domaines: Mécanique des fluides [physics.class-ph]; Mécanique des fluides [physics.class-ph]

Antoine Venaille, Joël Sommeria. Is turbulent mixing a self convolution process ?. Physical Review Letters, 2008, 100 (23), pp.234506. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.234506⟩. ⟨hal-00267750⟩