A New k- $\varepsilon$ Model for Prediction of Transitional Boundary-Layer Under Zero-Pressure Gradient

Abstract

A modified model is proposed for calculation of transitional boundary layer flows. In order to develop the eddy viscosity model for the problem, the flow is divided into three regions; namely, pre-transition region, transition region and fully turbulent region. The pre-transition eddy-viscosity is formulated by extending the mixing length concept. In the transition region, the eddy-viscosity model employs two length scales, i.e., pre-transition length scale and turbulent length scale pertaining to the regions upstream and the downstream, respectively, and a universal model of stream-wise intermittency variation is used as a function bridging the pre-transition region and the fully turbulent region. The proposed model is applied to calculate three benchmark cases of the transitional boundary layer flows with different free-stream turbulent intensity (1%∼6%) under zero-pressure gradient. It was found that the profiles of mean velocity and turbulent intensity, local maximum of velocity fluctuations, their locations as well as the stream-wise variation of integral properties such as skin friction, shape factor and maximum velocity fluctuations are very satisfactorily predicted throughout the flow regions.