Research Projects

Turbulent multiphase flows are ubiquitous and are characterized by excitation of all accessible length and time scales. In particular, the energy is injected at large scales and is transferred to small scales via nonlinear interactions, while maintaining a constant energy flux. Traditional techniques have used Fourier transform-based tools to investigate energy transfer between different scales. Indeed in recent works, we have also used these methods to investigate global energy transfer mechanisms in a variety of multiphase turbulent flows. However, these methods do not allow us to investigate the crucial question about the correlation between the spatial flow structure and the nonlinear transfer mechanisms. In this proposal, using the techniques developed by Eyink et al. (see detailed proposal), we will derive the local energy budget equations for a variety of multiphase flows. The locality in physical space allows us to explore the correlations between the flow structure and scale-dependent stresses that are responsible for the energy transfer between different scales. We will then use high-resolution datasets generated in previous studies to identify and understand the dominant local energy transfer mechanisms and their relation to flow structures in a variety of complex flows.