Dissipation rate estimation from PIV in zero-mean isotropic turbulence

Measuring the turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate in an enclosed turbulence chamber that produces zero-mean flow is an experimental challenge. Traditional single-point dissipation rate measurement techniques are not applicable to flows with zero-mean velocity. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) affords calculation of the spatial derivative as well as the use of multi-point statistics to determine the dissipation rate. However, there is no consensus in the literature as to the best method to obtain dissipation rates from PIV measurements in such flows. We apply PIV in an enclosed zero-mean turbulent flow chamber and investigate five methods for dissipation rate estimation. We examine the influence of the PIV interrogation cell size on the performance of different dissipation rate estimation methods and evaluate correction factors that account for errors related to measurement uncertainty, finite spatial resolution, and low Reynolds number effects. We find the Re (lambda) corrected, second-order, longitudinal velocity structure function method to be the most robust method to estimate the dissipation rate in our zero-mean, gaseous flow system.