Large-eddy simulation of turbulent flow and dispersion over a complex urban street canyon

Turbulent flow and dispersion characteristics over a complex urban street canyon are investigated by large-eddy simulation using a modified version of the Fire Dynamics Simulator. Two kinds of subgrid scale (SGS) models, the constant coefficient Smagorinsky model and the Vreman model, are assessed....

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Published inEnvironmental fluid mechanics (Dordrecht, Netherlands : 2001) Vol. 14; no. 6; pp. 1381 - 1403
Main Authors Moon, Kiyoung, Hwang, Jeong-Min, Kim, Byung-Gu, Lee, Changhoon, Choi, Jung-il
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.12.2014
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects
Buildings
Classical Mechanics
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Environmental Physics
Fluid mechanics
High rise buildings
Hydrogeology
Hydrology/Water Resources
Oceanography
Original Article
Simulation
Turbulence
Turbulent flow
Urban areas
Wind
Pollutant dispersion
Turbulent flow
Urban street canyon
Tall building
Subgrid scale model
Large-eddy simulation
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Summary:Turbulent flow and dispersion characteristics over a complex urban street canyon are investigated by large-eddy simulation using a modified version of the Fire Dynamics Simulator. Two kinds of subgrid scale (SGS) models, the constant coefficient Smagorinsky model and the Vreman model, are assessed. Turbulent statistics, particularly turbulent stresses and wake patterns, are compared between the two SGS models for three different wind directions. We found that while the role of the SGS model is small on average, the local or instantaneous contribution to total stress near the surface or edge of the buildings is not negligible. By yielding a smaller eddy viscosity near solid surfaces, the Vreman model appears to be more appropriate for the simulation of a flow in a complex urban street canyon. Depending on wind direction, wind fields, turbulence statistics, and dispersion patterns show very different characteristics. Particularly, tall buildings near the street canyon predominantly generate turbulence, leading to homogenization of the mean flow inside the street canyon. Furthermore, the release position of pollutants sensitively determines subsequent dispersion characteristics.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:1567-7419
1573-1510
DOI:10.1007/s10652-013-9331-2