The Symmetry Group of the Non-Isothermal Navier–Stokes Equations and Turbulence Modelling

Abstract

In this work, the non-isothermal Navier–Stokes equations are studied from the group theory point of view. The symmetry group of the equations is presented and discussed. Some standard turbulence models are analyzed with the symmetries of the equations. A class of turbulence models which preserve the physical properties contained in the symmetry group is built. The proposed turbulence models are applied to an illustrative example of natural convection in a differentially heated cavity, and the results are presented.

Keywords

• symmetry
• invariance
• turbulence
• large-eddy simulation
• convection