Evolution and scaling of a simulated downburst-producing thunderstorm outflow

Christopher Oreskovic,Eric Savory,Juliette Porto,Leigh G. Orf 한국풍공학회 2018 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.26 No.3

For wind engineering applications downbursts are, presently, almost exclusively modeled, both experimentally and numerically, as transient impinging momentum jets (IJ), even though that model contains none of the physics of real events. As a result, there is no connection between the IJ-simulated downburst wind fields and the conditions of formation of the event. The cooling source (CS) model offers a significant improvement since it incorporates the negative buoyancy forcing and baroclinic vorticity generation that occurs in nature. The present work aims at using large-scale numerical simulation of downburst-producing thunderstorms to develop a simpler model that replicates some of the key physics whilst maintaining the relative simplicity of the IJ model. Using an example of such a simulated event it is found that the non-linear scaling of the velocity field, based on the peak potential temperature (and, hence, density) perturbation forcing immediately beneath the storm cloud, produces results for the radial location of the peak radial outflow wind speeds near the ground, the magnitude of that peak and the time at which the peak occurs that match well (typically within 5%) of those produced from a simple axi-symmetric constant-density dense source simulation. The evolution of the downdraft column within the simulated thunderstorm is significantly more complex than in any axi-symmetric model, with a sequence of downdraft winds that strengthen then weaken within a much longer period (>17 minutes) of consistently downwards winds over almost all heights up to at least 2,500 m.

Evolution and scaling of a simulated downburst-producing thunderstorm outflow

Oreskovic, Christopher,Savory, Eric,Porto, Juliette,Orf, Leigh G. Techno-Press 2018 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.26 No.3

For wind engineering applications downbursts are, presently, almost exclusively modeled, both experimentally and numerically, as transient impinging momentum jets (IJ), even though that model contains none of the physics of real events. As a result, there is no connection between the IJ-simulated downburst wind fields and the conditions of formation of the event. The cooling source (CS) model offers a significant improvement since it incorporates the negative buoyancy forcing and baroclinic vorticity generation that occurs in nature. The present work aims at using large-scale numerical simulation of downburst-producing thunderstorms to develop a simpler model that replicates some of the key physics whilst maintaining the relative simplicity of the IJ model. Using an example of such a simulated event it is found that the non-linear scaling of the velocity field, based on the peak potential temperature (and, hence, density) perturbation forcing immediately beneath the storm cloud, produces results for the radial location of the peak radial outflow wind speeds near the ground, the magnitude of that peak and the time at which the peak occurs that match well (typically within 5%) of those produced from a simple axi-symmetric constant-density dense source simulation. The evolution of the downdraft column within the simulated thunderstorm is significantly more complex than in any axi-symmetric model, with a sequence of downdraft winds that strengthen then weaken within a much longer period (>17 minutes) of consistently downwards winds over almost all heights up to at least 2,500 m.

Wind-induced mechanical energy analyses for a super high-rise and long-span transmission tower-line system

Shuang Zhao,Zhitao Yan,Eric Savory,Bin Zhang 한국풍공학회 2022 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.34 No.2

This study aimed to analyze the wind-induced mechanical energy (WME) of a proposed super high-rise and long-span transmission tower-line system (SHLTTS), which, in 2021, is the tallest tower-line system with the longest span. Anew index – the WME, accounting for the wind-induced vibration behavior of the whole system rather than the local part, was first proposed. The occurrence of the maximum WME for a transmission tower, with or without conductors, under synoptic winds, was analyzed, and the corresponding formulae were derived based on stochastic vibration theory. Some calculation data, such as the drag coefficient, dynamic parameters, windshielding areas, mass, calculation point coordinates, mode shape and influence function, derived from wind tunnel testing on reducedscale models and finite element software were used in calculating the maximum WME of the transmission tower under three cases. Then, the influence of conductors, wind speed, gradient wind height and wind yaw angle on WME components and the energy transfer relationship between substructures (transmission tower and conductor) were analyzed. The study showed that the presence of conductors increases the WME of transmission towers and changes the proportion of the mean component (MC), background component (BC) and resonant component (RC) for WME; The RC of WME is more susceptible to the wind speed change. Affected by the gradient wind height, the WME components decrease. With the RC decreasing the fastest and the MC decreasing the slowest; The WME reaches the its maximum value at the wind yaw angle of 30o . Due to the influence of three factors, namely: the long span of the conductors, the gradient wind height and the complex geometrical profile, it is important that the tower-line coupling effect, the potential for fatigue damage and the most unfavorable wind yaw angle should be given particular attention in the wind-resistant design of SHLTTSs.

A numerical study of a confined turbulent wall jet with an external stream

Yan, Zhitao,Zhong, Yongli,Cheng, Xu,McIntyre, Rory P.,Savory, Eric Techno-Press 2018 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.27 No.2

Wall jet flow exists widely in engineering applications, including the simulation of thunderstorm downburst outflows, and has been investigated extensively by both experimental and numerical methods. Most previous studies focused on the scaling laws and self-similarity, while the effect of lip thickness and external stream height on mean velocity has not been examined in detail. The present work is a numerical study, using steady Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) simulations at a Reynolds number of $3.5{\times}10^4$, of a turbulent plane wall jet with an external stream to investigate the influence of the wall jet domain on downstream development of the flow. The comparisons of flow characteristics simulated by the Reynolds stress turbulence model closure (Stress-omega, SWRSM) and experimental results indicate that this model may be considered reasonable for simulating the wall jet. The confined wall jet is further analyzed in a parametric study, with the results compared to the experimental data. The results indicate that the height and the width of the wind tunnel and the lip thickness of the jet nozzle have a great effect on the wall jet development. The top plate of the tunnel does not confine the development of the wall jet within 200b of the nozzle when the height of the tunnel is more than 40b (b is the height of jet nozzle). The features of the centerline flow in the mid plane of the 3D numerical model are close to those of the 2D simulated plane wall jet when the width of the tunnel is more than 20b.

A numerical study of a confined turbulent wall jet with an external stream

Zhitao Yan,Yongli Zhong,Xu Cheng,Rory P. McIntyre,Eric Savory 한국풍공학회 2018 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.27 No.2

Wall jet flow exists widely in engineering applications, including the simulation of thunderstorm downburst outflows, and has been investigated extensively by both experimental and numerical methods. Most previous studies focused on the scaling laws and self-similarity, while the effect of lip thickness and external stream height on mean velocity has not been examined in detail. The present work is a numerical study, using steady Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) simulations at a Reynolds number of 3.5 × 104, of a turbulent plane wall jet with an external stream to investigate the influence of the wall jet domain on downstream development of the flow. The comparisons of flow characteristics simulated by the Reynolds stress turbulence model closure (Stress-omega, SWRSM) and experimental results indicate that this model may be considered reasonable for simulating the wall jet. The confined wall jet is further analyzed in a parametric study, with the results compared to the experimental data. The results indicate that the height and the width of the wind tunnel and the lip thickness of the jet nozzle have a great effect on the wall jet development. The top plate of the tunnel does not confine the development of the wall jet within 200b of the nozzle when the height of the tunnel is more than 40b (b is the height of jet nozzle). The features of the centerline flow in the mid plane of the 3D numerical model are close to those of the 2D simulated plane wall jet when the width of the tunnel is more than 20b.