turbo-RANS: Straightforward and Efficient Bayesian Optimization of Turbulence Model Coefficients

TL;DR

This paper introduces turbo-RANS, a Bayesian optimization framework for calibrating turbulence model coefficients in RANS simulations, improving accuracy across various flow cases with an open-source implementation.

Contribution

It presents the first open-source Bayesian optimization method for turbulence model calibration, with a flexible objective function and broad software compatibility.

Findings

Enhanced turbulence model predictions for airfoil lift coefficient

Improved velocity and turbulent kinetic energy fields in separated flows

Accurate wall pressure distribution in converging-diverging channels

Abstract

Industrial simulations of turbulent flows often rely on Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) turbulence models, which contain numerous closure coefficients that need to be calibrated. In this work, we address this issue by proposing a semi-automated calibration of these coefficients using a new framework (referred to as turbo-RANS) based on Bayesian optimization. We introduce the generalized error and default coefficient preference (GEDCP) objective function, which can be used with integral, sparse, or dense reference data for the purpose of calibrating RANS turbulence closure model coefficients. Then, we describe a Bayesian optimization-based algorithm for conducting the calibration of these model coefficients. An in-depth hyperparameter tuning study is conducted to recommend efficient settings for the turbo-RANS optimization procedure. We demonstrate that the performance of the $k$-$\omega$ shear stress transport (SST) and Generalized $k$-$\omega$ (GEKO) turbulence models can be efficiently improved via turbo-RANS, for three example cases: predicting the lift coefficient of an airfoil; predicting the velocity and turbulent kinetic energy fields for a separated flow; and, predicting the wall pressure coefficient distribution for flow through a converging-diverging channel. This work is the first to propose and provide an open-source black-box calibration procedure for turbulence model coefficients based on Bayesian optimization. We propose a data-flexible objective function for the calibration target. Our open-source implementation of the turbo-RANS framework includes OpenFOAM, Ansys Fluent, STAR-CCM+, and solver-agnostic templates for user application.