3D Simulation of Flow in a Vortex Cell Using RANS and Hybrid RANS-LES Turbulence Models

Author(s):  
Tausif Jamal ◽  
D. Keith Walters ◽  
Varun Chitta

A vortex cell is a cylindrical aerodynamic cavity that traps separated vortices to prevent the formation of large-scale vortex shedding. Due to the presence of complex vortical structures, regions with varying turbulent intensities, and rotation-curvature effects on turbulent structure; the flow inside a vortex cell is a valuable test case for newly proposed turbulence models and numerical schemes. In the present study, numerical simulations were carried using a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) turbulence model and two hybrid RANS/large-eddy-simulation (LES) models. The computational domain consists of a cylindrical cavity with an incoming transitional boundary layer and a Reynolds number of 9.4 × 104 based on the diameter of the cavity. Results indicate that the RANS model provides general information about the flow characteristics, while the hybrid RANS-LES models predict the flow characteristics with more accuracy but suffer inaccuracies due to the details of the RANS to LES transition. Most significantly, the dynamic hybrid RANS-LES (DHRL) model in combination with a low-dissipation numerical scheme overpredicts the turbulent mixing in the vortex cell and fails to provide an accurate representation of the physics of the trapped vortex. It is concluded that the hybrid RANS-LES models used in this study need further work to be able to fully and accurately predict the flow in a vortex cell.

Author(s):  
Tausif Jamal ◽  
D. Keith Walters

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) prediction of high Reynolds number flow over a 3D axisymmetric hill presents a unique set of challenges for turbulence models. The flow on the leeward side of the hill is characterized by the presence of complex vortical structures, unsteady wakes, and regions of boundary layer separation. As a result, traditional eddy-viscosity Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) models have been found to perform poorly. Recent studies have focused on the use of Large Eddy Simulation (LES) and hybrid RANS-LES (HRL) methods to improve accuracy. In this study, the capability of a dynamic hybrid RANS-LES (DHRL) model to resolve the flow over a 3D axisymmetric hill is investigated and compared to numerical results using a traditional RANS model and a conventional hybrid RANS-LES model, and to experimental data. Results show that the RANS model fails to accurately predict the mean flow features in the wake region, which is in agreement with prior studies. The conventional HRL model provides better prediction of the flow characteristics but suffers from grid sensitivity and delayed transition to LES mode. The DHRL method provides the best agreement with experimental data overall and shows least sensitivity to grid resolution. Results also highlight the importance of using a low dissipation flux formulation for flow simulations in which a portion of the turbulence spectrum is resolved, including hybrid RANS-LES.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 264
Author(s):  
Shanti Bhushan ◽  
Oumnia El Fajri ◽  
Graham Hubbard ◽  
Bradley Chambers ◽  
Christopher Kees

This study evaluates the capability of Navier–Stokes solvers in predicting forward and backward plunging breaking, including assessment of the effect of grid resolution, turbulence model, and VoF, CLSVoF interface models on predictions. For this purpose, 2D simulations are performed for four test cases: dam break, solitary wave run up on a slope, flow over a submerged bump, and solitary wave over a submerged rectangular obstacle. Plunging wave breaking involves high wave crest, plunger formation, and splash up, followed by second plunger, and chaotic water motions. Coarser grids reasonably predict the wave breaking features, but finer grids are required for accurate prediction of the splash up events. However, instabilities are triggered at the air–water interface (primarily for the air flow) on very fine grids, which induces surface peel-off or kinks and roll-up of the plunger tips. Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) turbulence models result in high eddy-viscosity in the air–water region which decays the fluid momentum and adversely affects the predictions. Both VoF and CLSVoF methods predict the large-scale plunging breaking characteristics well; however, they vary in the prediction of the finer details. The CLSVoF solver predicts the splash-up event and secondary plunger better than the VoF solver; however, the latter predicts the plunger shape better than the former for the solitary wave run-up on a slope case.


Author(s):  
Domenico Borello ◽  
Giovanni Delibra ◽  
Franco Rispoli

In this paper we present an innovative Partially Averaged Navier Stokes (PANS) approach for the simulation of turbomachinery flows. The elliptic relaxation k-ε-ζ-f model was used as baseline Unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (URANS) model for the derivation of the PANS formulation. The well established T-FlowS unstructured finite volume in-house code was used for the computations. A preliminary assessment of the developed formulation was carried out on a 2D hill flow that represents a very demanding test case for turbulence models. The turbomachinery flow here investigated reproduces the experimental campaign carried out at Virginia Tech on a linear compressor cascade with tip leakage. Their measurements were used for comparisons with numerical results. The predictive capabilities of the model were assessed through the analysis of the flow field. Then an investigation of the blade passage, where experiments were not available, was carried out to detect the main loss sources.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 13206
Author(s):  
Luis Rodriguez-Lucas ◽  
Chen Ning ◽  
Marcelo Fajardo-Pruna ◽  
Yugui Yang

This paper presents a new concept called the urban vortex system (UVS). The UVS couples a vortex generator (V.G.) that produces updraft by artificial vortex and a vortex stability zone (VSZ) consisting of an assembly of four buildings acting as a chimney. Through this system, a stable, upward vortex flow can be generated. The Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulation was carried out to investigate the flow field in the UVS. The Renormalized Group (RNG) k–ε turbulent model was selected to solve the complex turbulent flow. Validation of the numerical results was achieved by making a comparison with the large-size experimental model. The results reported that a steady-state vortex could be formed when a vapor-air mixture at 2 m/s and 450 K enters the vortex generator. This vortex presented a maximum negative central pressure of −6.81 Pa and a maximum velocity of 5.47 (m/s). Finally, the similarity method found four dimensionless parameters, which allowed all the flow characteristics to be transported on a large scale. The proposed large-scale UVS application is predicted to be capable, with have a maximum power of 2 M.W., a specific work of 3 kJ/kg, buildings 200-m high, and the ability to generate winds of 6.1 m/s (20 km/h) at 200 m up to winds of 1.5 m/s (5 km/h) at 400 m. These winds would cause the rupture of the gas capsule of the heat island phenomenon. Therefore, the city would balance its temperature with that of the surrounding rural areas.


Author(s):  
Andrew P. S. Wheeler ◽  
Richard D. Sandberg

In this paper we use direct numerical simulation to investigate the unsteady flow over a model turbine blade-tip at engine scale Reynolds and Mach numbers. The DNS is performed with a new in-house multi-block structured compressible Navier-Stokes solver purposely developed for exploiting high-performance computing systems. The particular case of a transonic tip flow is studied since previous work has suggested compressibility has an important influence on the turbulent nature of the separation bubble at the inlet to the gap and subsequent flow reattachment. The effects of free-stream turbulence, cross-flow and pressure-side boundary-layer on the tip flow aerodynamics and heat transfer are investigated. For ‘clean’ in-flow cases we find that even at engine scale Reynolds numbers the tip flow is intermittent in nature (neither laminar nor fully turbulent). The breakdown to turbulence occurs through the development of spanwise modes with wavelengths around 25% of the gap height. Cross-flows of 25% of the streamwise gap exit velocity are found to increase the stability of the tip flow, and to significantly reduce the turbulence production in the separation bubble. This is predicted through in-house linear stability analysis, and confirmed by the DNS. For the case when the inlet flow has free-stream turbulence, viscous dissipation and the rapid acceleration of the flow at the inlet to the tip-gap causes significant distortion of the vorticity field and reductions of turbulence intensity as the flow enters the tip gap. This means that only very high turbulence levels at the inlet to the computational domain significantly affect the tip heat transfer. The DNS results are compared with RANS predictions using the Spalart-Allmaras and k–ω SST turbulence models. The RANS and DNS predictions give similar qualitative features for the tip flow, but the size and shape of the inlet separation bubble and shock positions differ noticeably. The RANS predictions are particularly insensitive to free-stream turbulence.


2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Singh ◽  
P. K. Panigrahi ◽  
G. Biswas

Abstract A numerical study of rib augmented cooling of turbine blades is reported in this paper. The time-dependent velocity field around a pair of symmetrically placed ribs on the walls of a three-dimensional rectangular channel was studied by use of a modified version of Marker-And-Cell algorithm to solve the unsteady incompressible Navier-Stokes and energy equations. The flow structures are presented with the help of instantaneous velocity vector and vorticity fields, FFT and time averaged and rms values of components of velocity. The spanwise averaged Nusselt number is found to increase at the locations of reattachment. The numerical results are compared with available numerical and experimental results. The presence of ribs leads to complex flow fields with regions of flow separation before and after the ribs. Each interruption in the flow field due to the surface mounted rib enables the velocity distribution to be more homogeneous and a new boundary layer starts developing downstream of the rib. The heat transfer is primarily enhanced due to the decrease in the thermal resistance owing to the thinner boundary layers on the interrupted surfaces. Another reason for heat transfer enhancement can be attributed to the mixing induced by large-scale structures present downstream of the separation point.


Author(s):  
Rémy Fransen ◽  
Nicolas Gourdain ◽  
Laurent Y. M. Gicquel

This work focuses on numerical simulations of flows in blade internal cooling system. Large Eddy Simulation (LES) and Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) approaches are compared in a typical blade cooling related problem. The case is a straight rib-roughened channel with high blockage ratio, computed and compared for both a periodic and full spatial domains. The configuration was measured at the Von Karman Institute (VKI) using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) in near gas turbine operating conditions. Results show that RANS models used fail to predict the full evolution of the flow within the channels where massive separation and large scale unsteady features are evidenced. In contrast LES succeeds in reproducing these complex flow motions and both mean and fluctuating components are clearly improved in the channels and in the near wall region. Periodic computations are gauged against the spatial computational domain and results on the heat transfer problem are addressed.


2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Svetlana V. Poroseva

It is accustomed to think that turbulence models based on solving the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations require empirical functions to accurately reproduce the behavior of flow characteristics of interest, particularly near a wall. The current paper analyzes how choosing a model for pressure-strain correlations in second-order closures affects the need for introducing empirical functions in model equations to reproduce the flow behavior near a wall correctly. An axially rotating pipe flow is used as a test flow for the analysis. Results of simulations demonstrate that by using more physics-based models to represent pressure-strain correlations, one can eliminate wall functions associated with such models. The higher the Reynolds number or the strength of imposed rotation on a flow, the less need there is for empirical functions regardless of the choice of a pressure-strain correlation model.


2012 ◽  
Vol 594-597 ◽  
pp. 2676-2679
Author(s):  
Zhe Liu

Although the conventional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) model has been widely applied in the industrial and engineering field, it is worthwhile to study whether these models are suitable to investigate the flow filed varying with the time. With the development of turbulence models, the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) model, detached eddy simulation (DES) and large eddy simulation (LES) compensate the disadvantage of RANS model. This paper mainly presents the theory of standard LES model, LES dynamic model and wall-adapting local eddy-viscosity (WALE) LES model. And the square cylinder is selected as the research target to study the flow characteristics around it at Reynolds number 13,000. The influence of different LES models on the flow field around the square cylinder is compared.


Author(s):  
Georgios N. Lygidakis ◽  
Ioannis K. Nikolos

Nowadays, the research in the aerospace scientific field relies strongly on CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) algorithms, avoiding (initially at least) a large fraction of the extremely time and money consuming experiments in wind tunnels. In this paper such a recently developed academic CFD code, named Galatea, is presented in brief and validated against a benchmark test case. The prediction of compressible fluid flows is succeeded by the relaxation of the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations, along with appropriate turbulence models (k-ε, k-ω and SST), employed on three-dimensional unstructured hybrid grids, composed of prismatic, pyramidical and tetrahedral elements. For the discretization of the computational field a node-centered finite-volume method is implemented, while for improved computational performance Galatea incorporates an agglomeration multigrid methodology and a suitable parallelization strategy. The proposed algorithm is evaluated against the Wing-Body (WB) and the Wing-Body-Nacelles-Pylons (WBNP) DLR-F6 aircraft configurations, demonstrating its capability for a good performance in terms of accuracy and geometric flexibility.


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