George Ilhwan Park

An improved dynamic non-equilibrium wall-model for large eddy simulation

A non-equilibrium wall-model based on unsteady 3D Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations has been implemented in an unstructured mesh environment. The method is similar to that of the wall-model for structured mesh described by Wang and Moin [Phys. Fluids 14, 2043–2051 (2002)], but is supplemented by a new dynamic eddy viscosity/conductivity model that corrects the effect of the resolved Reynolds stress (resolved turbulent heat flux) on the skin friction (wall heat flux). This correction is crucial in predicting the correct level of the skin friction. Unlike earlier models, this eddy viscosity/conductivity model does not have a stress-matching procedure or a tunable free parameter, and it shows consistent performance over a wide range of Reynolds numbers. The wall-model is validated against canonical (attached) transitional and fully turbulent flows at moderate to very high Reynolds numbers: a turbulent channel flow at Reτ = 2000, an H-type transitional boundary layer up to Reθ = 3300, and a hig...

Boundary layer turbulence in transitional and developed states

Using the recent direct numerical simulations by Wu and Moin [“Transitional and turbulent boundary layer with heat transfer,” Phys. Fluids 22, 85 (2010)] of a flat-plate boundary layer with a passively heated wall, statistical properties of the turbulence in transition at Reθ ≈ 300, from individual turbulent spots, and at Reθ ≈ 500, where the spots merge (distributions of the mean velocity, Reynolds stresses, kinetic energy production, and dissipation rates, enstrophy and its components) have been compared to these statistical properties for the developed boundary layer turbulence at Reθ = 1840. When the distributions in the transitional regions are conditionally averaged so as to exclude locations and times when the flow is not turbulent, they closely resemble the distributions in the developed turbulent state at the higher Reynolds number, especially in the buffer layer. Skin friction coefficients, determined in this conditional manner at the two Reynolds numbers in the transitional flow are, of course,...

Numerical aspects and implementation of a two-layer zonal wall model for LES of compressible turbulent flows on unstructured meshes

This paper focuses on numerical and practical aspects associated with a parallel implementation of a two-layer zonal wall model for large-eddy simulation (LES) of compressible wall-bounded turbulent flows on unstructured meshes. A zonal wall model based on the solution of unsteady three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations on a separate near-wall grid is implemented in an unstructured, cell-centered finite-volume LES solver. The main challenge in its implementation is to couple two parallel, unstructured flow solvers for efficient boundary data communication and simultaneous time integrations. A coupling strategy with good load balancing and low processors underutilization is identified. Face mapping and interpolation procedures at the coupling interface are explained in detail. The method of manufactured solution is used for verifying the correct implementation of solver coupling, and parallel performance of the combined wall-modeled LES (WMLES) solver is investigated. The method has successfully been applied to several attached and separated flows, including a transitional flow over a flat plate and a separated flow over an airfoil at an angle of attack.

Constant-energetics physical-space forcing methods for improved convergence to homogeneous-isotropic turbulence with application to particle-laden flows

This study investigates control-based forcing methods for incompressible homogeneous-isotropic turbulence forced linearly in physical space which result in constant turbulent kinetic energy, constant turbulent dissipation (also constant enstrophy), or a combination of the two based on a least-squares error minimization. The methods consist of proportional controllers embedded in the forcing coefficients. During the transient, the controllers adjust the forcing coefficients such that the controlled quantity achieves very early a minimal relative error with respect to its target stationary value. Comparisons of these forcing methods are made with the non-controlled approaches of Rosales and Meneveau [“Linear forcing in numerical simulations of isotropic turbulence: Physical space implementations and convergence properties,” Phys. Fluids 17, 095106 (2005)] and Carroll and Blanquart [“A proposed modification to Lundgren’s physical space velocity forcing method for isotropic turbulence,” Phys. Fluids 25, 105114 (2013)], using direct numerical simulations (DNS) and large-eddy simulations(LES). The results indicate that the proposed constant-energetics forcing methods shorten the transient period from a user-defined artificial flow field to Navier-Stokes turbulence while maintaining steadier statistics. Additionally, the proposed method of constant kinetic-energy forcing behaves more robustly in coarse LES when initial conditions are employed that favor the occurrence of subgrid-scale backscatter, whereas the other approaches fail to provide physical turbulent flow fields. For illustration, the proposed forcing methods are applied to dilute particle-laden homogeneous-isotropic turbulent flows; the results serve to highlight the influences of the forcing strategies on the disperse-phase statistics.

Wall-Modeling in Complex Turbulent Flows

Resolution of wall layer turbulent structures in large eddy simulation of high Reynolds number flows of aeronautical interest requires inordinate computational resources. LES with wall models is therefore employed in engineering applications. We report on recent advances at the Center for Turbulence Research (CTR) in the development of wall boundary conditions for complex turbulent flows computed on unstructured grids. We begin by describing a novel application of wall modeled LES to a high lift airfoil system. This flow field is very complex involving boundary layers, free shear flows, separation and laminar/turbulence transition. We then describe a non-equilibrium model that requires the solution of the full 3D RANS equations in the near wall region. This model is successfully applied to a spatially evolving transitional and a high Reynolds number flat plate boundary layer. Finally we describe a new approach to LES using differential filters. An important byproduct of this approach is the derivation of slip velocity boundary conditions for wall modeled LES. This methodology is successfully applied to flow over NACA4412 airfoil at near stall conditions.