A numerical study about three-dimensional steady state turbulent channel flows and laminar transient cavity flows with mixed convection heat transfer has been done. The solution of the conservation equations is obtained by means of Finite Element Method and Taylor-Galerkin explicit scheme. Large Eddy Simulation is employed for the treatment of turbulence. For the isothermal case, flows with Re = 3300 were simulated using the Smagorinsky and Dynamical subgrid models. The latter model allowed improving the average velocity profiles as well as turbulence statistics. The transient velocity and temperature fields were compared with results of the literature, leading to a deviation lower than 6%.

Se ha realizado un estudio numérico sobre flujos estacionarios turbulentos, en canales tridimensionales y flujos transitorios laminares en cavidades con transferencia de calor por convección mixta. Las ecuaciones de conservación se resuelven a través del Método de Elementos Finitos utilizando esquema temporal explícito de Taylor-Galerkin. La simulación de Grandes Escalas se emplea para el tratamiento de la turbulencia. Para el caso isotérmico, flujos con Re = 3300 son simulados usando los modelos submalla de Smagorinsky y Dinámico. Este último modelo permitió mejorar los perfiles de velocidad media y las estadísticas de la turbulencia. Los campos transitorios de velocidad y temperatura se compararon con los resultados de la literatura, obteniéndose un desvío inferior a 6%.

The main objectives of this work are the formulation, implementation and applications of a numerical algorithm to simulate turbulent, incompressible, isothermal flows. The transient three-dimensional flow is analyzed using an explicit Taylor-Galerkin scheme and the finite element method with hexahedrical eight-node element. Turbulence is simulated using Large Eddy Simulation. For sub-grid scales two models were implemented, the classical Smagorinsky's model and the dynamic eddy viscosity model. For the second filtration, which is necessary in the dynamic model, a new method was developed based on independent finite elements that involve each node in the original mesh. The implemented scheme is efficient and good results with low additional computational cost were obtained. Results for two classical problems, the driven cavity and the backward facing step are presented. Comments about the model applicability for flows with high Reynolds numbers are also presented.