Turbulent transonic flow simulation using a pressure-based method

Abstract

In the past, turbulent compressible aerodynamic flow calculations were usually carried out with density-based numerical methods and zero-equation turbulence models. However, pressure-based numerical methods and more advanced turbulence models have been routinely used in industry for many internal flow simulations and for incompressible flow calculations. The application of pressure-based numerical method and advanced turbulence models to the calculations of aerodynamic flows is still not well demonstrated and accepted. In this study, an advanced pressure-based numerical method and a recently proposed near-wall compressible two-equation turbulence model are used to calculate external transonic aerodynamic flows. Several TVD-type schemes are incorporated into the pressure-based method to better capture discontinuities such as shocks. A compressible near-wall two-equation turbulence model is implemented into the numerical scheme to calculate transonic turbulent flows over NACA 0012 and RAI2822 airfoils with and without shocks. Good correlations are obtained with wind tunnel data as well as with results calculated using the Baldwin-Lomax model. Therefore, this study demonstrates that advanced turbulence models capable of handling flows with separation and recirculation could be implemented with ease to a pressure-based method with improved capability to resolve discontinuities to calculate turbulent compressible aerodynamic flows.