Tripping and laminar--turbulent transition: Implementation in RANS--EVM

TL;DR

This paper explores the implementation of numerical tripping in RANS turbulence models using the turbulence-injection method, demonstrating improved simulation accuracy for flow transition scenarios across various test cases.

Contribution

It introduces and evaluates a turbulence-injection method for implementing tripping in RANS models, enhancing the simulation of flow transition.

Findings

Successful tripping at target locations in various test cases

Simulation results align well with DNS, LES, and experimental data

Reduced transition region improves simulation reliability

Abstract

Fundamental fluid--mechanics studies and many engineering developments are based on tripped cases. Therefore, it is essential for CFD simulations to replicate the same forced transition in spite of the availability of advanced transition modelling. In the last decade, both direct and large--eddy simulations (DNS and LES) include tripping methods in an effort to avoid the need for modeling the complex mechanisms associated with the natural transition process, which we would like to bring over to Reynolds--averaged Navier--Stokes (RANS) turbulence models. This paper investigates the necessity and applications of numerical tripping, despite of the developments in numerical modeling of natural transition. The second goal of this paper is to assess a technique to implement tripping in eddy-viscosity models (EVM) for RANS. A recent approach of turbulence generation, denoted as turbulence-injection method (kI), is evaluated and investigated through different test cases ranging from a turbulent boundary layer on a flat plate to the three dimensional(3D) flow over a wing section. The desired tripping is achieved at the target location and the simulation results compare favorably with the reference results (DNS, LES and measured data). With the application of the model, the challenging transition region can be minimized in a simulation, and consequently more reliable results are obtained.