Development of CFD code evaluation criteria and a procedure for assessing predictive capability and performance

Abstract

Careful validation of computational fluid dynamic (CFD) codes is essential if they are to be used as engineering design tools. Validation must be carried out in a systematic manner to ensure that all code aspects as they apply to the application of interest are understood and, to the greatest extent possible, quantified. A study is being conducted in which a general code validation procedure is defined and demonstrated. A four phase validation procedure is defined in which a series of validation test cases are computed and compared with available analytical solutions and test data. The procedure is demonstrated using the REACT CFD code to compute validation cases for each of the four phases. For phase four, the application of interest, the Space Shuttle Main Engine high pressure fuel turbopump impeller flow field, is computed.