Non-local Closure Models for Large Eddy Simulations using the Mori-Zwanzig Formalism

Eric J. Parish, Karthik Duraisamy

Published 2016-11-10Version 1

This work uses the Mori-Zwanzig (M-Z) formalism, a concept originating from non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, as a basis for the development of coarse-grained models of turbulence. The mechanics of the generalized Langevin equation (GLE) are considered and a methodology for approximating the orthogonal (unresolved) dynamics equation is presented. Insight gained from the GLE is used as a starting point for model development. A class of sub-grid models is considered which represent non-local behavior via a finite memory approximation (Stinis, 2012), the length of which is determined using a heuristic that is related to the spectral radius of the Jacobian of the resolved variables. The resulting models are intimately tied to the underlying numerical resolution and are capable of approximating non-Markovian effects. Numerical experiments on the Burgers equation demonstrate that the M-Z based models can accurately predict the temporal evolution of the total kinetic energy and the total dissipation rate at varying mesh resolutions. The trajectory of each resolved mode in phase-space is accurately predicted for cases where the coarse-graining is moderate. LES of homogeneous isotropic turbulence and the Taylor Green Vortex show that the M-Z based models are able to provide excellent predictions, accurately capturing the sub-grid contribution to energy transfer. Lastly, LES of fully-developed channel flow demonstrate the applicability of M-Z based models to non-decaying problems. It is notable that the form of the closure is not imposed by the modeler, but is rather derived from the mathematics of the coarse-graining, highlighting the potential of M-Z-based techniques to define LES closures. A brief discussion comparing the resulting model with more traditional Lagrangian sub-grid closures is provided.