LES-based Computation of Evolution of Turbulent Wakes Subjected to Adverse Pressure Gradient

Abstract

Results are presented of scale-resolving computations of mean and turbulent (including the dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy) characteristics of the turbulent wake of a flat plate subjected to adverse pressure gradient (APG). The computations are performed in the framework of a zonal RANS-LES model for two configurations. In the first one, APG is created by a plane symmetric diffuser and in the second one by a system of two pairs of thin liner foils specially designed for this purpose. In the both cases a volumetric synthetic turbulence generator is used for creating turbulent content at the inlet of LES subdomain. High accuracy of results of the simulations is supported by their weak sensitivity to grid-refinement. Obtained detailed data on wakes’ characteristics may be used for validation and improvement of RANS turbulence models as applied to the considered class of flows.