Validation of an LES Model to Predict Flow Past Freshwater Mussels

摘要

Conservation of native freshwater mussels is important to maintain a healthy river ecological system. In the present study, a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) numerical model developed to investigate flow, local scour mechanisms, and mass exchange processes (e.g., nutrient transport) around clusters of mussels under a variety of relevant flow conditions is validated. The validation of the flow hydrodynamics reported in the present study is based on comparison with data collected from a detailed Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) laboratory study conducted for similar flow and mussel geometries as part of the present investigation. Results show LES is able to accurately predict the formation, location and strength of the horseshoe vortex forming at the base of the mussels. By comparison RANS cannot capture the formation of this vortex. This is important because these coherent structures control the local scour processes around the partially buried mussels.