11R46. Large Eddy Simulation for Incompressible Flows: An Introduction. Scientific Computation Series. - P Sagaut (DSNA/ETRI, ONERA, 29 av Div Leclerc, Chatillon, 92320, France). Springer-Verlag, New York. 2001. 319 pp. ISBN 3-540-67890-5. $59.95.
Reviewed by Yu-Tai Lee (David Taylor Model Basin, 9500 MacArther Blvd, W Bethesda MD 20817).
Although the emergence of the large eddy simulation (LES) began in the sixties, real practical industrial applications did not grow until recently. This recent growth in adapting LES in industrial applications results from the advancement of the parallel computing power, demand of flowfield information pertaining to detailed turbulence structure, and development of broadened finite-difference solution methods in physical space. This book emerges out of this steady growth and is a leading endeavor in presenting the subject area exclusively and methodically.
The author has done a remarkable job in collecting and categorizing various ongoing modeling techniques into a systematical presentation as given in the book. Following the introduction of the concept of resolved and modeled energy spectra in solutions from Reynolds Averaged Numerical Simulation (RANS), unsteady RANS, and LES, the author presents existing mathematical filters for homogeneous and inhomogeneous turbulence and their applications to the Navier Stokes equations. He then proceeds to describe the isotropic and anisotropic subgrid scale models with the functional and structural modeling. The functional modeling models the action of the subgrid terms, and the structural modeling models the subgrid stress terms directly. Practical implementation issues such as boundary conditions, filter usage, error examination, and validation are discussed in the later part of the book. Several brief computational examples with simple geometrical configurations and in an order of increasing complexity are given in the last chapter to demonstrate solution differences between LES and RANS.
This book has a good source of references for further detailed investigation and a good subject index section. However, it would certainly enhance readers’ understanding if more pictorial presentations had been used, particularly in areas of introducing various modeling concepts and mathematical interpretation. Comparison of computational CPU requirements among RANS, Very Large Eddy Simulation, LES, and Direct Numerical Simulation should be addressed for readers’ benefit. In addition, an example in Chapter 11 with more detailed description of the relationship between modeling techniques mentioned in the earlier chapters and its solution would be helpful. How to extract information from LES results is also essential in a practical application and should be addressed in the book.
Turbulence is still one of the most difficult topics in fluid mechanics. Most practical industrial applications with even modest complexity of geometrical configurations require numerical simulations with various levels of complex turbulence modelings. The author takes on a tremendous difficult task of dealing with LES exclusively and did well in conveying the concept of LES.
This book will serve as a good reference book for graduate students and researchers pursuing LES. Large Eddy Simulation for Incompressible Flows: An Introduction provides a good summary description of all topics even though the mathematical presentation of the subject used is a bit overwhelming as an introduction book.
