A numerical investigation of turbulent flows in a spanwise rotating channel

A numerical investigation of fully developed turbulent flow in a spanwise rotating channel is performed to study turbulence characteristics subject to system rotation. The work provides insight into several salient features of the spanwise rotating turbulent channel flows, including the near-wall vortical structures, turbulence energy cascade and redistribution, and vortex stretching. The influence of system rotation on the near-wall vortical structures is investigated based on the vorticity fluctuations and their probability density functions (PDF). The properties of the Lamb vector fluctuation and the corresponding PDF are examined to reveal the effect of rotation on the turbulence energy cascade and production in the rotating channel. The budgets of Reynolds stresses and fluctuating enstrophy are analyzed to elucidate the role of the Coriolis force on turbulence energy redistribution between the streamwise and wall-normal directions and the mechanisms of vortex stretching for the generation of the vorticity fluctuations near the pressure and suction walls. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.