On the Interface Positioning in a Zonal Detached Eddy Simulation (ZDES) of a Spatially Developing Flat Plate Turbulent Boundary Layer

Abstract

Hybrid RANS/LES methods may be used as Wall-Modeled Large Eddy Simulations to predict wall-bounded turbulent dynamics at a computational cost compatible with complex applications. The present study investigates the sensitivity to the RANS/LES interface position in one such method, the mode III of the ZDES technique (see Deck, Theor Comput Fluid Dyn 26(6):523–550, 2012 [2]). A canonical spatially developing flat plate boundary layer is simulated over a wide range of Reynolds numbers \(3{,}150\,\le \,Re_\theta \,\le \,14{,}000\) at a low Mach number enabling comparisons with the incompressible case. The method is assessed on relatively coarse meshes and is compared to a Wall-Resolved Large Eddy Simulation together with experimental data. The influence of the interface position on skin friction prediction and the ratio of the resolved to modeled turbulent friction is discussed in the framework of the FIK identity (Fukagata, K., Iwamoto, K., Kasagi, N.: Contribution of Reynolds stress distribution to the skin friction in wall-bounded flows. Phys. Fluids 14, L73 (2002) [7]). The mean velocity and Reynolds stresses profiles are analyzed, including spectral analysis of the streamwise velocity and Reynolds shear stress.