Assessing Stretched-Vortex Subgrid-Scale Models in Finite Volume Methods for Unbounded Turbulent Flows

Abstract

Simulations of complex, compressible, high-Reynolds-number flows require high-fidelity physics and turbulence models to be appropriately coupled with strong numerical regularization methods. Obtaining grid-independent and scheme-independent solutions of these flows when using both explicit turbulence models and additional numerical regularization is especially important for further testing and development of accurate physics models. To this end, the current study investigates the interaction between the stretched-vortex subgrid-scale model and both the fourth-order piecewise parabolic limiter and a fifth-order upwinding interpolation (or hyperviscosity). It is demonstrated that computing the subgrid-scale kinetic energy estimate for the stretched-vortex model at a coarser resolution than the base mesh provides results which are independent of the use of numerical regularization techniques. This is shown to be the case for a temporally-evolving shear-layer, the inviscid Taylor–Green vortex problem, and a decaying, homogeneous turbulent flow.