Field Inversion Machine Learning for Time-Resolved Unsteady Flows in Airfoil Dynamic Stall

TL;DR

This paper introduces an unsteady field inversion machine learning method that enhances RANS turbulence models to accurately predict time-resolved unsteady flows, demonstrated on dynamic stall over an airfoil.

Contribution

It extends RANS model augmentation to time-resolved unsteady flows using a novel field inversion and neural network approach, enabling accurate dynamic flow predictions.

Findings

Accurately reproduces unsteady flow features like drag, lift, and pressure fields.

Uses only drag time series data for training, yet generalizes well to different pitch rates.

Integrated into open-source DAFoam for broader application.

Abstract

While many existing machine learning studies have focused on augmenting Reynolds averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) turbulence models for steady or time averaged unsteady flows, this paper takes a first step toward extending such augmentation to time resolved unsteady flows. An unsteady field inversion and machine learning (FIML) method is developed, in which a temporally evolving correction field (beta) is incorporated into the production term of a RANS turbulence model. The inverse problem is solved by optimizing the spatial temporal distribution of beta to minimize the regularized prediction errors. The resulting optimized beta field is then used to train a multi layer neural network that learns the time dependent relationship between local flow features and beta. The approach is demonstrated using the unsteady flow over a NACA0012 airfoil undergoing dynamic stall. Results show that the unsteady FIML model, trained using only the time series of drag data at a given pitch rate, can accurately reproduce the spatial temporal evolution of reference drag, lift, pitching moment, surface pressure, and velocity fields at both identical and different pitch rates. The unsteady FIML is integrated into the open source DAFoam framework, enabling a pathway toward developing accurate and generalizable RANS turbulence models for time resolved unsteady flows.