Large eddy simulation of the near to intermediate wake of a heated sphere at Re=10,000

Large eddy simulation is used to numerically simulate flow past a heated sphere at Re=10,000. A second order accurate in space and time, semi-implicit finite difference code is used with the immersed boundary to represent the sphere in a Cartesian domain. Visualizations of the vorticity field and temperature field are provided together with profiles of the temperature and velocity fields at various locations in the wake. The laminar separated shear layer was found to efficiently transport heat from the hot sphere surface to the cold fluid in the wake. The thin separated shear layers are susceptible to Kelvin-Helmholtz instability and the pronounced rollers that subsequently form promote entrainment of both cold freestream fluid and warmer fluid near the back of the sphere. Breakdown of the shear layer into turbulence and subsequent interaction with the recirculation zone results in rapid mixing of the temperature field in the lee of the sphere. The wake dimensions of the velocity field and the temperature field were found to be comparable in the developed flow behind the re-circulating region. Profiles of the mean and fluctuating temperature and velocity in the near wake are provided together with profiles of the Reynolds stresses and thermal fluxes. Similarity was observed for the mean temperature, rms temperature, rms velocity, and the Reynolds stress component ux′ur′, and the thermal fluxes T′ux′ and T′ur′.