Reynolds number influence on preferential concentration of heavy particles in turbulent flows

Abstract

We present a study of the preferential concentration and clustering in homogeneous and isotropic turbulence. Using Voronoï diagrams, we have formerly quantified preferential concentration as a function of the Stokes number in moderate turbulence conditions up to Reynolds number based on Taylor microscale of the order of Rλ ∼ 120. Using an active grid recently implemented in our windtunnel, we investigate in the present study, the effect of Reynolds number on particles clustering, in the range R λ ∼ 200 - 400.