Laminar-turbulent Transition Model Research Articles

Numerical investigation of conventional and modified Savonius wind turbines

The performance of a Savonius wind turbine with constant cross-sections is examined by means of quasi 2D flow predictions executed in ANSYS CFX. Simulations were performed in a way that allows comparison with wind tunnel data presented in a related paper, where two designs were simulated: the Classical and so-called Bach-type Savonius rotor. Comparison revealed the importance of applying a laminar–turbulent transition model. Additionally, turbine design with an Elliptical blade shape was modelled. Such a shape has not been examined before with the use of CFD. All mentioned designs were analysed at different values of tip speed ratio. The paper presents a systematic analysis of the obtained coefficients of power, coefficients of torque and torque variation with the angle of incidence. The most characteristic flow structures are identified and compared. Finally, the wake is observed and examined by means of FFT analysis of pressure fluctuations at the point located downstream of the rotor.

A modular RANS approach for modelling laminar–turbulent transition in turbomachinery flows

In this study we propose a laminar–turbulent transition model, which considers the effects of the various instability modes that exist in turbomachinery flows. This model is based on a K–ω–γ three-equation eddy-viscosity concept with K representing the fluctuating kinetic energy, ω the specific dissipation rate and γ the intermittency factor. As usual, the local mechanics by which the freestream disturbances penetrate into the laminar boundary layer, namely convection and viscous diffusion, are described by the transport equations. However, as a novel feature, the non-local effects due to pressure diffusion are additionally represented by an elliptic formulation. Such an approach allows the present model to respond accurately to freestream turbulence intensity properly and to predict both long and short bubble lengths well. The success in its application to a 3-D cascade indicates that the mixed-mode transition scenario indeed benefits from such a modular prediction approach, which embodies current conceptual understanding of the transition process.

The influence of Chine nose shapes on a slender body flight vehicle at high angles of attack

The flow characteristics of asymmetric vortices and the side force of a slender body flight vehicle with chine nose at high angles of attack have been studied using a three-dimensional upwind Navier–Stokes method with the k– ω turbulence model and a simple laminar–turbulent transition model. Asymmetrically changing turbulent viscosities that arise from asymmetric laminar–turbulent transition conditions cause asymmetric cross-flow vortex structures and side forces at higher angles of attack. However, certain type of edges may cause fixed flow separations on these edges. In this study, the chine nose shape with chine edge on its both sides is considered for the method to reduce side force. The asymmetric flow control capacity of chine nose shapes at high angles of attack is studied.

Predicting Separation and Transitional Flow in Turbine Blades at Low Reynolds Numbers—Part I: Development of Prediction Methodology

There is an increasing interest in design methods and performance prediction for aircraft engine turbines operating at low Reynolds numbers. In this regime, boundary layer separation may be more likely to occur in the turbine flow passages. For accurate computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions of the flow, correct modeling of laminar-turbulent boundary layer transition is essential to capture the details of the flow. To investigate possible improvements in model fidelity, CFD models were created for the flow over two low pressure turbine blade designs. A new three-equation eddy-viscosity type turbulent transitional flow model, originally developed by Walters and Leylek (2004, “A New Model for Boundary Layer Transition Using a Single Point RANS Approach,” ASME J. Turbomach., 126(1), pp. 193–202), was employed for the current Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) CFD calculations. Previous studies demonstrated the ability of this model to accurately predict separation and boundary layer transition characteristics of low Reynolds number flows. The present research tested the capability of CFD with the Walters and Leylek turbulent transitional flow model to predict the boundary layer behavior and performance of two different turbine cascade configurations. Flows over low pressure turbine (LPT) blade airfoils with different blade loading characteristics were simulated over a Reynolds number range of 15,000–100,000 and predictions were compared with experimental cascade results. Part I of this paper discusses the prediction methodology that was developed and its validation using a lightly loaded LPT blade airfoil design. The turbulent transitional flow model sensitivity to turbulent flow parameters was investigated and showed a strong dependence on freestream turbulence intensity with a second-order effect of turbulent length scale. Focusing on the calculation of the total pressure loss coefficients to judge performance, the CFD simulation incorporating Walters and Leylek’s turbulent transitional flow model produced adequate prediction of the Reynolds number performance for the lightly loaded LPT blade cascade geometry. Significant improvements in performance were shown over predictions of conventional RANS turbulence models. Historically, these models cannot adequately predict boundary layer transition.

Aerodynamic Design and Numerical Investigation on Overall Performance of a Microradial Turbine With Millimeter-Scale

For millimeter-scale microturbines, the principal challenge is to achieve a design scheme to meet the aerothermodynamics, geometry restriction, structural strength, and component functionality requirements while in consideration of the applicable materials, realizable manufacturing, and installation technology. This paper mainly presents numerical investigations on the aerothermodynamic design, geometrical design, and overall performance prediction of a millimeter-scale radial turbine with a rotor diameter of 10 mm. Four kinds of turbine rotor profiles were designed, and they were compared with one another in order to select the suitable profile for the microradial turbine. The leaving velocity loss in microgas turbines was found to be a large source of inefficiency. The approach of refining the geometric structure of rotor blades and the profile of diffuser were adopted to reduce the exit Mach number, thus improving the total-static efficiency. Different from general gas turbines, microgas turbines are operated in low Reynolds numbers (104–105), which has significant effect on flow separation, heat transfer, and laminar to turbulent flow transition. Based on the selected rotor profile, several microgas turbine configurations with different tip clearances of 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, and 0.3 mm, two different isothermal wall conditions, and two laminar-turbulent transition models were investigated to understand the particular influences of low Reynolds numbers. These influences on the overall performance of the microgas turbine were analyzed in detail. The results indicate that these configurations should be included and emphasized during the design process of the millimeter-scale microradial turbines.

Transitional separation bubbles and unsteady aspects of aerofoil stall

AbstractA time-accurate solution method for the coupled potential flow and integral boundary-layer equations is used to study aerofoils near stall, where laboratory experiments have shown high-amplitude low-frequency oscillations. The laminar-turbulent transition model incorporates an absolute instability formulation, which allows the transition process in separation bubbles to be sustained in the absence of upstream disturbances, in agreement with recent direct numerical simulations. The method is demonstrated to capture large scale flow oscillations with Strouhal numbers and amplitudes comparable to experiments. The success of this particular physical model suggests that bubble bursting is primarily due to a potential-flow/boundary-layer interaction effect, in which relatively simple models of boundary layer transition and turbulence suffice to describe the key phenomena.

Low Reynolds number turbulent flows around a dynamically shaped airfoil

A computational investigation for flows surrounding a dynamically shaped airfoil, at a chord Reynolds number of 78,800, is conducted along with a parallel experimental effort. A piezo-actuated flap on the upper surface of a fixed airfoil is adopted for active control. The actuation frequency focused on is 500 Hz. The computational framework consists of a multi-block, moving grid technique, the e n -based laminar–turbulent transition model, the two-equation turbulence closure, and a pressure-based flow solver. The moving grid technique, which handles the geometric variations in time, employs the transfinite interpolation scheme with a spring network approach. Comparing the experimental and computational results for pressure and velocity fields, implications of the detailed flap geometry, the flapping amplitude, turbulence modeling, and grid distributions on the flow structure are assessed. The effect of the flap movement on the separation location and vortex dynamics is also investigated.