Large-Eddy Simulation of Turbulent Flow in a Pipe at Extreme Reynolds Numbers

Large-eddy simulations (LES) of turbulent flow in a smooth-wall pipe at Reynolds numbers based on the pipe Radius R and wall friction velocity in the range Reτ = 2,000−2,000,000 are discussed. Using a Reynolds number based on D and the bulk-flow velocity, then corresponding values are ReD = 91,800 − 165,000,000. For the LES, the spectral-element code SEM-TEX was used combined with the stretched-vortex subgrid-scale model and a wall model. Calculated friction factors are found to be in reasonable agreement with super-pipe measure-ments. An estimate of the Kármán constant κ is made using a least-square fit to the friction-factor verses ReD results obtained from the LES, giving κ = 0.43