An improved method for estimating the dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy using structure functions evaluated from the motion of finite-sized neutrally buoyant particles

Statistical relations used for estimating the dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) in isotropic turbulence from inertial subrange Lagrangian temporal and spatial structure functions are extended here to case more realistic spectra that include low-frequency low-wavenumber ranges. It is shown using traditional based only on substantially underestimates dissipation. The improved better constrained by experimental data which evaluated, enabling accurate estimates. concept illustrated laboratory water tank experiments generated an oscillating cylinder, where evaluated three independent ways: calculated motion neutrally buoyant finite-sized particles. An additional correction applied take into account filtering effect particles due their finite size. found that, these particular experiments, TKE scales well with dimensionally consistent quantities built amplitude oscillation cylinder period its motion, constant proportionality this scaling relation determined method proposed here. Although under consideration quite anisotropic, adopted theoretical framework, assumes turbulence, seems be applicable as long statistics averaged over main flow directions.