A one equation explicit algebraic subgrid-scale stress model

Nonlinear Explicit Algebraic Subgrid-scale Stress Models (EASSMs) have shown high potential for Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of challenging turbulent flows on coarse meshes. A simplifying assumption made to enable the purely algebraic nature of the model is that the Subgrid-Scale (SGS) kinetic energy production and dissipation are in balance, i.e., P/ε = 1. In this work, we propose an improved EASSM design that does not involve this precalibration and retains the ratio P/ε as a space and time dependent variable. Our model is based on the partial differential evolution equation for the SGS kinetic energy ksgs and the assumption that the ratio P/ε evolves slower in time than ksgs. Computational results for simple cases of forced isotropic turbulence show that the new model is able to track the evolution of the SGS kinetic energy significantly better than the dynamic and non-dynamic EASSMs of Marstorp et al. (2009). Also the predicted kinetic energy spectra and resolved dissipation evolution are in excellent agreement with reference data from Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS).