Publications

DSMC simulations of turbulent flows at moderate Reynolds numbers

Gallis, Michail A.; Torczynski, J.R.; Bitter, Neal B.; Koehler, Timothy P.; Moore, Stan G.; Plimpton, Steven J.; Papadakis, G.

The Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method has been used for more than 50 years to simulate rarefied gases. The advent of modern supercomputers has brought higher-density near-continuum flows within range. This in turn has revived the debate as to whether the Boltzmann equation, which assumes molecular chaos, can be used to simulate continuum flows when they become turbulent. In an effort to settle this debate, two canonical turbulent flows are examined, and the results are compared to available continuum theoretical and numerical results for the Navier-Stokes equations.