The structure of inhomogeneous turbulence in variable density nonpremixed flames (Q1310553)

The small scale coherent structures play an important role for the turbulent mixing and reaction process in a chemical reacting flow. The previous investigation of authors' by DNS is concerned with the small scale coherent structure of the turbulence in a non-premixed reacting flow without chemical energy release (constant density) both in grid and shear turbulent flows. This paper is a continuous investigation into the inhomogeneous turbulent flow field concerning the coherent structure associated with an exothermic nonpremixed reaction, in which the density varies with the temperature. The paper reveals that intermittent vortex structures tend to occur at relatively high enstrophy regions of reaction zone, as sheet or ribbons at moderate levels of vorticity rather than tubes, a feature first observed by \textit{Z. She}, \textit{E. Jackson} and \textit{S. A. Orszag} [Nonlinear world, Proc. 4th Int. Workshop Nonlinear Turbul. Proc. Phys. 1989, 693-713 (1990; Zbl 0751.76040)], due to the diminishing levels of vorticity and the change in the distribution and preferential orientation of the principal strains. The topological feature of the flow with energy release reflects the presence of nonzero velocity divergence; but, as the flow develops, the divergence decreases and the topological feature tends to be similar to that observed in the incompressible turbulence.