Experimental Investigation Of Three-dimensional Lid-driven Cavity For High Reynolds Numbers

A lid-driven cavity flow is widely studied as a benchmark problem for the assessment of numerical methods and the validation of computational fluid dynamics. However, the maximum Reynolds number for the lid-driven cavity can only reach 1×10~4 due to the limitations of the laboratory facility and the visualization technology, which can not meet the high speed development of numerical technology. The experimental study on the lid-driven cavity at high Reynolds numbers is necessary. A series of experiments have been conducted in a three-dimensional lid-driven cavity for the high Reynolds numbers between 1×10~5 and 1×10~6. Flow fields, streamlines and velocity profiles were analyzed at various Reynolds numbers. Based on the calculation of dissipation rates, the Smagorinsky constant of the Large Eddy Simulation was obtained. The main results are summarized as follows:(1) Flow fields streamlines and velocity profiles of the symmetry plane were acquired using Particle Image Velocimetry(PIV). The results demonstrate that the field boundary layer become thinner with the increase of Reynolds number.(2) The relationships between the size of Downstream Secondary Eddy(DSE) or Upstream Secondary Eddy(USE) and the Reynolds numbers were analyzed. A extension curve of the size of DSE was obtained based on the experimental results for high Reynolds numbers. It can be seen that the range of secondary eddies decrease with increasing the Reynolds number from 1×10~5 to 1×10~6 and vanish at Reynolds number of 1×10~6.(3) Turbulent dissipation rate was calculated through dimensional analysis method and large eddy PIV method. Through the simultaneous of the two equations, the distribution of Smagorinsky constant was obtained. The Smagorinsky constant first increases from zero from the side walls to the center of the cavity, then is reduced to zero at the center of the secondary eddy.