The dimensionless kinetic energy dissipation rate C _ { \varepsilon } is estimated from numerical simulations of statistically stationary isotropic box turbulence that is slightly compressible .
The Taylor microscale Reynolds number ( \mathrm { Re } _ { \lambda } ) range is 20 \lesssim \mathrm { Re } _ { \lambda } \lesssim 220 and the statistical stationarity is achieved with a random phase forcing method .
The strong \mathrm { Re } _ { \lambda } dependence of C _ { \varepsilon } abates when \mathrm { Re } _ { \lambda } \approx 100 after which C _ { \varepsilon } slowly approaches \approx 0.5 , a value slightly different to previously reported simulations but in good agreement with experimental results .
If C _ { \varepsilon } is estimated at a specific time step from the time series of the quantities involved it is necessary to account for the time lag between energy injection and energy dissipation .
Also , the resulting value can differ from the ensemble averaged value by up to \pm 30 \% . This may explain the spread in results from previously published estimates of C _ { \varepsilon } .