Laminar–Turbulent Transition Prediction on Industrial Computational Fluid Dynamics Applications

Abstract

This paper presents Ansys Fluent laminar–turbulent transition results using the shear stress transport model applied to the workshop cases of the First American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Transition Modeling Prediction Workshop. The key objectives of this workshop were to assess the current state-of-the-art laminar–turbulent transition models in an industrial Computational Fluid Dynamics environment and to determine and document the best practices to simulate laminar–turbulent transition flows. Sensitivity of the shear stress transport model to mesh refinement was established on a zero-pressure-gradient flat plate. Two other cases [a two-dimensional natural laminar flow (NLF) (1)-0416F airfoil, and a scaled Common Research Model (CRM)-NLF aircraft model] were selected as validation cases using a hierarchy of structured and unstructured meshes. Due to the complexity of the geometry and the airflow around the Common Research Model (CRM)- Natural laminar Flow (NLF) aircraft model, mesh adaptation cycles were also conducted to capture the shock, the wake, and the wing-tip vortices produced by the CRM-NLF. The accuracy of the model is evaluated using transition location measurements obtained with temperature-sensitive paint, pressure coefficient distributions at multiple wingspan stations, and aerodynamic coefficients at numerous angles of attack. The outcome of these comparisons will provide guidelines to conduct laminar–turbulent transition simulations with the model on simple and complex aerospace designs.