Simulation of the Turbulent air Flow Over a Circular Cavity with a Variable Opening Angle in an U-Shaped Channel

Abstract

A numerical investigation of the influence of the opening angle of a circular cavity in an U-shaped channel and the Reynolds number of a fluid fl ow in this channel on the local characteristics and turbulence of this fl ow has been performed based on the solution of the Reynolds equations, closed by the old and new Menter shear-stress transfer models and two variants of this model accounting for the curvature of streamlines, with the use of multiblock computational technologies realized in the VP2/3 package. The results of calculations were compared with each other and with experimental data of I. Castro and R. Savelsberg. This comparison has shown that the best agreement between the numerical predictions and experiments is obtained in the case where calculations are performed within the framework of the Leshtsiner–Rody–Isaev approach with correction for the eddy viscosity of the fluid fl ow. It was established that with increase in the Reynolds number and in the opening angle of the cavity the circulation flow in the near-wall layer of the vortex trapped in the cavity intensifies at a practically constant vorticity in the core of the vortex.