Subgrid models for mass and thermal diffusion in turbulent mixing

We propose a new method for the large eddy simulation (LES) of turbulent mixing flows. The method yields convergent probability distribution functions (PDFs) for temperature and concentration and a chemical reaction rate when applied to reshocked Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) unstable flows. Because such a mesh convergence is an unusual and perhaps original capability for LES of RM flows, we review previous validation studies of the principal components of the algorithm. The components are (i) a front tracking code, FronTier, to control numerical mass diffusion and (ii) dynamic subgrid scale (SGS) models to compensate for unresolved scales in the LES. We also review the relevant code comparison studies. We compare our results to a simple model based on 1D diffusion, taking place in the geometry defined statistically by the interface (the 50% isoconcentration surface between the two fluids). Several conclusions important to physics could be drawn from our study. We model chemical reactions with no closure approximations beyond those in the LES of the fluid variables itself, and as with dynamic SGS models, these closures contain no adjustable parameters. The chemical reaction rate is specified by the joint PDF for temperature and concentration. We observe a bimodal distribution for the PDF and we observe significant dependence on fluid transport parameters.