Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “turbulence model”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 145 records · Page 8

Numerical turbulence modeling

The underlying bases and developments in two techniques of detailed turbulence modeling are described where the flow is treated in the Eulerian sense, and one technique where the Lagrangian motions of vortices are followed. First, a technique is described for solving the single-point statistically averaged conservation equations. The Reynolds stresses that appear in these equations are evaluated by solving supplemental differential equations which contain terms that are modeled. A sequence of increasingly complex, but also increasingly general, modeling equations is described and computations based on these equations are compared with experimental data. The hierarchy of models described terminates with equations for the individual components of the Reynolds stress tensor. The second Eulerian technique approach to turbulence modeling is the direct numerical simulation of turbulent fields. In this approach, all three dimensional eddies between a predetermined range of sizes are computed in time within a specified volume of flow. Present day computers require a tradeoff between the size of the volume that can be considered and the degree of resolution of the turbulent eddies. Techniques of modeling the smallest eddies are described that permit enlarging the volume, or Reynolds number, that can be considered.

Rubesin, M. W.↗

Evaluation of Full Reynolds Stress Turbulence Models in FUN3D for Axisymmetric Jet Flow

Two full seven-equation turbulence models have been implemented into the FUN3D code to evaluate their ability to improve the computation of challenging flows encountered in aerospace propulsion, including mixing flows. These models are the SSG/LRR and Wilcox full second-moment Reynolds stress models. They solve equations for the six components of the Reynolds stress and a seventh equation for the mixing length. Two standard eddy viscosity models are also evaluated for comparison, the Spalart-Allmaras (SA) one-equation model and the Menter Shear Stress Transport (SST-V) two-equation turbulence model. Flow through an axisymmetric reference nozzle is examined at three flow conditions: subsonic unheated, subsonic heated, and near sonic unheated. Centerline profiles of velocity and turbulent kinetic energy and radial profiles of velocity, turbulent kinetic energy and turbulent stresses are examined. characteristics, no significant changes in the downstream flow behavior compared to the baseline case are observed. Furthermore, the total power consumed by the fans for different incoming flow conditions also remain marginally the same. It is hoped that the results, albeit obtained at very low speeds. would serve as a database for this technologically interesting flow field that has not been explored adequately before.

computational fluid dynamics↗

Numerical techniques for the solution of the compressible Navier-Stokes equations and implementation of turbulence models

The time-splitting explicit numerical method of MacCormack is applied to separated turbulent boundary layer flow problems. Modifications of this basic method are developed to counter difficulties associated with complicated geometry and severe numerical resolution requirements of turbulence model equations. The accuracy of solutions is investigated by comparison with exact solutions for several simple cases. Procedures are developed for modifying the basic method to improve the accuracy. Numerical solutions of high-Reynolds-number separated flows over an airfoil and shock-separated flows over a flat plate are obtained. A simple mixing length model of turbulence is used for the transonic flow past an airfoil. A nonorthogonal mesh of arbitrary configuration facilitates the description of the flow field. For the simpler geometry associated with the flat plate, a rectangular mesh is used, and solutions are obtained based on a two-equation differential model of turbulence.

Baldwin, B. S.↗

Effect of Turbulence Modeling on Hovering Rotor Flows

The effect of turbulence models in the off-body grids on the accuracy of solutions for rotor flows in hover has been investigated. Results from the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes and Laminar Off-Body models are compared. Advection of turbulent eddy viscosity has been studied to find the mechanism leading to inaccurate solutions. A coaxial rotor result is also included.

Hovering Rotor↗

Implementation of a two-equation k-omega turbulence model in NPARC

The implementation of a two-equation k-omega turbulence model into the NPARC flow solver is described. Motivation for the selection of this model is given, major code modifications are outlined, new imputs to the code are described, and results are presented for several validation cases: an incompressible flow over a smooth flat plate, a subsonic diffuser flow, and a shock-induced separated flow. Comparison of results with the k-epsilon model indicate that the k-omega model predicts simple flows equally well whereas, for adverse pressure gradient flows, the k-omega model outperforms the other turbulence models in NPARC.

Yoder, Dennis A.↗

Turbulence modeling of free shear layers for high-performance aircraft

The High Performance Aircraft (HPA) Grand Challenge of the High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) program involves the computation of the flow over a high performance aircraft. A variety of free shear layers, including mixing layers over cavities, impinging jets, blown flaps, and exhaust plumes, may be encountered in such flowfields. Since these free shear layers are usually turbulent, appropriate turbulence models must be utilized in computations in order to accurately simulate these flow features. The HPCC program is relying heavily on parallel computers. A Navier-Stokes solver (POVERFLOW) utilizing the Baldwin-Lomax algebraic turbulence model was developed and tested on a 128-node Intel iPSC/860. Algebraic turbulence models run very fast, and give good results for many flowfields. For complex flowfields such as those mentioned above, however, they are often inadequate. It was therefore deemed that a two-equation turbulence model will be required for the HPA computations. The k-epsilon two-equation turbulence model was implemented on the Intel iPSC/860. Both the Chien low-Reynolds-number model and a generalized wall-function formulation were included.

Sondak, Douglas L.↗

Uncertainty Quantification of Turbulence Model Closure Coefficients for Transonic Wall-Bounded Flows

The goal of this work was to quantify the uncertainty and sensitivity of commonly used turbulence models in Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes codes due to uncertainty in the values of closure coefficients for transonic, wall-bounded flows and to rank the contribution of each coefficient to uncertainty in various output flow quantities of interest. Specifically, uncertainty quantification of turbulence model closure coefficients was performed for transonic flow over an axisymmetric bump at zero degrees angle of attack and the RAE 2822 transonic airfoil at a lift coefficient of 0.744. Three turbulence models were considered: the Spalart-Allmaras Model, Wilcox (2006) k-w Model, and the Menter Shear-Stress Trans- port Model. The FUN3D code developed by NASA Langley Research Center was used as the flow solver. The uncertainty quantification analysis employed stochastic expansions based on non-intrusive polynomial chaos as an efficient means of uncertainty propagation. Several integrated and point-quantities are considered as uncertain outputs for both CFD problems. All closure coefficients were treated as epistemic uncertain variables represented with intervals. Sobol indices were used to rank the relative contributions of each closure coefficient to the total uncertainty in the output quantities of interest. This study identified a number of closure coefficients for each turbulence model for which more information will reduce the amount of uncertainty in the output significantly for transonic, wall-bounded flows.

Schaefer, John↗

Turbulence models for gas turbine combustors

This viewgraph presentation covers gas turbine combustor flow physics, turbulence model investigations, turbulent combustion modeling, and present status and future needs.

Brankovic, Andreja↗

Turbulence Model Comparisons and Reynolds Number Effects Over a High-Speed Aircraft at Transonic Speeds

This paper gives the results of a grid study, a turbulence model study, and a Reynolds number effect study for transonic flows over a high-speed aircraft using the thin-layer, upwind, Navier-Stokes CFL3D code. The four turbulence models evaluated are the algebraic Baldwin-Lomax model with the Degani-Schiff modifications, the one-equation Baldwin-Barth model, the one-equation Spalart-Allmaras model, and Menter's two-equation Shear-Stress-Transport (SST) model. The flow conditions, which correspond to tests performed in the NASA Langley National Transonic Facility (NTF), are a Mach number of 0.90 and a Reynolds number of 30 million based on chord for a range of angle-of-attacks (1 degree to 10 degrees). For the Reynolds number effect study, Reynolds numbers of 10 and 80 million based on chord were also evaluated. Computed forces and surface pressures compare reasonably well with the experimental data for all four of the turbulence models. The Baldwin-Lomax model with the Degani-Schiff modifications and the one-equation Baldwin-Barth model show the best agreement with experiment overall. The Reynolds number effects are evaluated using the Baldwin-Lomax with the Degani-Schiff modifications and the Baldwin-Barth turbulence models. Five angles-of-attack were evaluated for the Reynolds number effect study at three different Reynolds numbers. More work is needed to determine the ability of CFL3D to accurately predict Reynolds number effects.

Rivers, Melissa B.↗

Turbulence models and Reynolds analogy for two-dimensional supersonic compression ramp flow

Results of the application of turbulence models and the Reynolds analogy to the Navier-Stokes computations of Mach 2.9 two-dimensional compression ramp flows are presented. The Baldwin-Lomax eddy viscosity model and the kappa-epsilon turbulence transport equations for the turbulent momentum flux modeling in the Navier-Stokes equations are studied. The Reynolds analogy for the turbulent heat flux modeling in the energy equation was also studied. The Navier-Stokes equations and the energy equation were numerically solved for the flow properties. The Reynolds shear stress, the skin friction factor, and the surface heat transfer rate were calculated and compared with their measurements. It was concluded that with a hybrid kappa-epsilon turbulence model for turbulence modeling, the present computations predicted the skin friction factors of the 8 deg and 16 deg compression ramp flows and with the turbulent Prandtl number Pr(sub t) = 0.93 and the ratio of the turbulent thermal and momentum transport coefficients mu(sub q)/mu(sub t) = 2/Prt, the present computations also predicted the surface heat transfer rates beneath the boundary layer flow of the 16 compression ramp.

Wang, Chi R.↗

Turbulence modeling for separated flow

Two projects are described in this report. The first involves assessing turbulence models in separated flow. The second addresses the anomalous behavior of certain turbulence models in stagnation point flow. The primary motivation for developing turbulent transport models is to provide tools for computing non-equilibrium, or complex, turbulent flows. Simple flows can be analyzed using data correlations or algebraic eddy viscosities, but in more complicated flows such as a massively separated boundary layer, a more elaborate level of modeling is required. It is widely believed that at least a two-equation transport model is required in such cases. The transport equations determine the evolution of suitable velocity and time-scales of the turbulence. The present study included assessment of second-moment closures in several separated flows, including sharp edge separation; smooth wall, pressure driven separation; and unsteady vortex shedding. Flows with mean swirl are of interest for their role in enhancing mixing both by turbulent and mean motion. The swirl can have a stabilizing effect on the turbulence. An axi-symmetric extension to the INS-2D computer program was written adding the capability of computing swirling flow. High swirl can produce vortex breakdown on the centerline of the jet and it occurs in various combustors.

Durbin, Paul A.↗

PAB3D: Its History in the Use of Turbulence Models in the Simulation of Jet and Nozzle Flows

This is a review paper for PAB3D s history in the implementation of turbulence models for simulating jet and nozzle flows. We describe different turbulence models used in the simulation of subsonic and supersonic jet and nozzle flows. The time-averaged simulations use modified linear or nonlinear two-equation models to account for supersonic flow as well as high temperature mixing. Two multiscale-type turbulence models are used for unsteady flow simulations. These models require modifications to the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. The first scheme is a hybrid RANS/LES model utilizing the two-equation (k-epsilon) model with a RANS/LES transition function, dependent on grid spacing and the computed turbulence length scale. The second scheme is a modified version of the partially averaged Navier-Stokes (PANS) formulation. All of these models are implemented in the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes code PAB3D. This paper discusses computational methods, code implementation, computed results for a wide range of nozzle configurations at various operating conditions, and comparisons with available experimental data. Very good agreement is shown between the numerical solutions and available experimental data over a wide range of operating conditions.

Abdol-Hamid, Khaled S.↗

Turbulence modeling

In recent years codes that use the Navier-Stokes equations to compute aerodynamic flows have evolved from computing two-dimensional flows around simple airfoils to computing flows around full scale aircraft configurations. Most flows of engineering interest are turbulent and turbulence models are needed for their prediction. Yet, it is known that present turbulence models are adequate only for simple flows and do poorly in complicated flows such as three-dimensional separation, or large-scale unsteadiness. The same progress that allowed the development of these aerodynamic codes, namely the introduction of supercomputers, has allowed us to compute directly turbulent flows, albeit only for simple flows at moderate Reynolds numbers. These direct turbulence simulations provide us with detailed data that experimentalists were not able to measure. This work is motivated by the fact that data exists for developing better turbulence models and by the need for better models to compute flows of engineering interest. The objective is to develop turbulence models for engineering applications. The model categories that show promise for immediate use are on the two-equation level and the Reynolds-stress level.

Shih, Tsan-Hsing↗

Turbulence modelling for complex shear flows

The turbulence models available for the prediction of complex turbulent shear layers are reviewed in this paper, concentrating mainly on three-dimensional flows, flows subjected to curvature and body rotation, separated flows, and vortex flows. A critical review of zero-equation, one-equation, two-equation, algebraic Reynolds stress, and full Reynolds stress models are carried out, with a specific emphasis on their applicability to complex flows. It is concluded that algebraic eddy viscosity models and kappa-epsilon/kappa-omega models, with a constant value of coefficients, are not adequate for complex flows. The models which include a description of stresses, either through an algebraic Reynolds stress model or a full Reynolds stress model, are essential for adequate prediction of these flows. It is recommended that systematic experimental investigations be carried out to isolate various complex interactions in order to understand and model the various effects and to carry out an extension of the present models to include complex flows.

Lakshminarayana, B.↗

Multiple-scale turbulence modeling of boundary layer flows for scramjet applications

As part of an investigation into the application of turbulence models to the computation of flows in advanced scramjet combustors, the multiple-scale turbulence model was applied to a variety of flowfield predictions. The model appears to have a potential for improved predictions in a variety of areas relevant to combustor problems. This potential exists because of the partition of the turbulence energy spectrum that is the major feature of the model and which allows the turbulence energy dissipation rate to be out of phase with turbulent energy production. The computations were made using a consistent method of generating experimentally unavailable initial conditions. An appreciable overall improvement in the generality of the predictions is observed, as compared to those of the basic two-equation turbulence model. A Mach number-related correction is found to be necessary to satisfactorily predict the spreading rate of the supersonic jet and mixing layer.

Fabris, G.↗

Evaluation of Full Reynolds Stress Turbulence Models in FUN3D

Full seven-equation Reynolds stress turbulence models are a relatively new and promising tool for todays aerospace technology challenges. This paper uses two stress-omega full Reynolds stress models to evaluate challenging flows including shock-wave boundary layer interactions, separation and mixing layers. The Wilcox and the SSG/LRR full second-moment Reynolds stress models have been implemented into the FUN3D (Fully Unstructured Navier-Stokes Three Dimensional) unstructured Navier-Stokes code and are evaluated for four problems: a transonic two-dimensional diffuser, a supersonic axisymmetric compression corner, a compressible planar shear layer, and a subsonic axisymmetric jet. Simulation results are compared with experimental data and results using the more commonly used Spalart-Allmaras (SA) one-equation and the Menter Shear Stress Transport (SST-V) two-equation turbulence models.

reynolds averaging↗

Transition-Sensitized Turbulence Models for Compressible and Incompressible Flows

During the grant period from January 1,2002 to December 31,2002 work was carried out on three projects to extend the range of applicability of advanced turbulence models. First, a new transition-sensitized turbulence model was tested and refined. Second, the influence of compressibility on the pressure-strain rate correlation was studied. Third, the relationship between time-filtered large eddy simulation (TLES) and Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) modeling was investigated leading to submission of the article. The transition-sensitized turbulence model encompasses the early-stage transition and turbulent flow regimes describing the evolution of the ensemble mean disturbance energy and dissipation rate. It is founded on a consistent mathematical description of the laminar regime with its linear disturbances and the fully turbulent regime with its stochastic fluctuations. The unified description is provided by the ensemble viewpoint.

Thacker, William D.↗

Turbulence modelling for unsteady separated flows

The exact transport equations for turbulent (Reynolds) stresses have left-hand sides representing the 'substantial derivatives' of the Reynolds stresses, i.e., the rates of change of stress with respect to time, as seen by an observer following the mean motion of the fluid. Here the 'mean' is a statistical average for the turbulent motion, distinguished from the ordered unsteadiness on which it is superimposed: for a turbomachine blade or a cyclically-pitching airfoil, the mean is a phase average. Written in coordinates fixed with respect to a solid surface, the substantial derivative appears partly as an Eulerian time derivative at given spatial coordinate position and partly as a spatial derivative. Separation presents two specific problems to a turbulence model: (1) prediction of the flow near separation depends critically on the 'near-wall' part of the turbulence model, and (2) downstream of separation, a boundary layer changes gradually to a mixing layer.

Bradshaw, Peter↗