Towards large eddy simulation of isothermal two-phase flows: Governing equations and a priori tests

This article reports on the potential of application of LES in the calculation of turbulent two-phase flows, in the case where each phase is resolved and interfaces remain much larger than the mesh size. In comparison with single-phase flow, successful application of LES to resolve two-phase flow problems should account for the complex interaction between turbulence and interfaces. Non-linear transfers of turbulent energy across the interface have to be accurately modeled. The derivation of the complete filtered two-phase flow governing equations has been formulated to deal with turbulence at the interface in a comprehensive and practical way. Explicit filtering of 2D direct numerical simulations has been employed to evaluate the order of magnitude of the new subgrid contributions. A parametric study on the academic test case of two counter-rotative vortices and a more complex test case of phase inversion in a closed box have been utilized to perform an order of magnitude analysis of different transport mechanisms. Important features of turbulent energy transfer across the interface have been discussed. Analyses of the numerical results have been conducted to derive conclusions on the relative importance of the different subgrid scale contributions, and modeling issues and solutions are provided.