Aerodynamics
Three-dimensional Turbulent Flow
RANS equations
U V W
0
x y z
U U U 1 P 1 xx xy xz
U V W
x y z x x y z
V V V 1 P 1 yx yy yz
U V W
x y z y x y z
W W W 1 P 1 zx zy zz
U V W
x y z z x y z
U U j __
ij i ui u j
x j xi
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Three-dimensional Turbulent Flow
Simplified forms of the RANS equations
• Boundary regions
xx yx zx
0
x x x
• Boundary sheets
xx yx zx xz yz zz
0 0
x x x z z z
Boundary sheets
Boundary regions
Boundary regions and sheets for a wing/fuselage ensemble
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Three-dimensional Turbulent Flow
Simplified forms of the RANS equations
• Boundary regions
xx yx zx
0
x x x
U V W
0
x y z
U U U 1 P 1 xy xz
U V W
x y z x y z
V V V 1 P 1 yy yz
U V W
x y z y y z
W W W 1 P 1 zy zz
U V W
x y z z y z
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Three-dimensional Turbulent Flow
Simplified forms of the RANS equations
• Boundary regions
xx yx zx
0
x x x
- Reduced equations
- Diffusion the main flow direction (x) is negligible
- Elliptic character of the equations is retained in
the pressure gradient
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Three-dimensional Turbulent Flow
Simplified forms of the RANS equations
• Boundary sheets
xx yx zx xz yz zz
0 0
x x x z z z
- Parabolized equations (boundary-layer)
U V W
0
x y z
U U U 1 P 1 xy
U V W
x y z x y
W W W 1 P 1 zy
U V W
x y z z y
P P U U
0 ou
y y r
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Three-dimensional Turbulent Flow
Simplified forms of the RANS equations
• Boundary sheets with infinite transversal direction
xx yx zx xz yz zz
0 0
x x x z z z
W 0 ... 0
z
Infinite swept wing with constant chord
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Three-dimensional Turbulent Flow
Simplified forms of the RANS equations
• Boundary sheets with infinite transversal direction
xx yx zx xz yz zz
0 0
x x x z z z
W 0 ... 0
z
U V
0
x y
__
U U 1 P 1 xy 1 P 2U uv
U V 2
x y x y x y y
__
W W 1 zy 2W wv
U V
x y y y 2 y
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Three-dimensional Turbulent Flow
Description of the mean velocity profile
• Equilibrium of radial pressure gradient with
P U U
centrifugal force per unit volume
r r
implies a largest deflection of the streamlines in
the region with less momentum (smallest velocity)
Streamlines
at the outer
Flow
Streamlines “at the “wall streamline”
wall” direction
Outer and limiting Mean velocity profile
streamlines
Twist of the mean velocity profile inside a three-dimensional boundary-layer
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Three-dimensional Turbulent Flow
Description of the mean velocity profile
• y axis is normal to the wall and x axis is aligned
with the outer flow, b is the angle between the
velocity vector and the x direction
W y
tan b y
U y
• Limiting streamline at a distance e from the wall
tan b e n
nW y n w
O e n 1
U y n w
n is the first non-zero derivative of U or W
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Three-dimensional Turbulent Flow
Description of the mean velocity profile
• Limiting streamline at a distance e from the wal
tan b e
n
W y
n
w
O e n 1
U y
n n
w
• For n=1
W e W y w wz
tan b e tan b w
U e U y w wx
• Lines tangent to the wall shear stress
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Three-dimensional Turbulent Flow
Description of the mean velocity profile
Orthogonal components Orthogonal components
for any U, W
with x aligned with U e
Velocity magnitude U Polar representation
and cross-flow angle, b with x aligned with U e
Different representations of a three-dimensional
velocity profile
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Separation and re-attachment
• In two-dimensional flow, the separation
(re-attachment) point corresponds to zero wall
shear-stress
U
w 0 C f 0
y w
• In three-dimensional flow, separation
(re-attachment) is rarely associated with zero
shear-stress at the wall
U W
w wx , wz ,
y w y w
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Separation and re-attachment
• Separation point corresponds to a location
where a (limiting) streamline leaves the surface
• Location where two distinct limiting streamlines
(one from upstream and the other from downstream)
converge and leave the surface as a single
streamline
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Viscous Resistance
Aerodynamics
Separation of three-dimensional (3D) boundary-layers
Converging limiting streamlines
• x axis aligned with the
extermal flow (outside the
boundary-layer). y axis
perpendicular to the wall
• Limiting streamlines are
converging on the surface
(Dz→0)
Resistance and Propulsion - Lecture 5
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Viscous Resistance
Aerodynamics
Separation of three-dimensional (3D) boundary-layers
Converging limiting streamlines
• Outer streamlines increase
distance to the wall, i.e.
thickness of stream tube
grows.
• Mass conservation implies
that flow moves away
(separates) from the
surface.
Resistance and Propulsion - Lecture 5
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Separation and re-attachment
• Stream tube of rectangular section with a basis
given by surface area limited by two lines tangent
to the wall shear-stress at a distance l and with
a height h.
Volumetric flow rate is given by
U h
Q U dS w hl 1 h 2 l const.
y 2 2
w
w
1
w2 x w2 z h 2 l const.
2
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Separation and re-attachment
1
w2 x w2 z h 2 l const.
2
• In two-dimensions wz 0 and l =const.,
therefore, the increase of h implies wx 0
and so
U
wx 0 C f 0
y w
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Separation and re-attachment
1
w2 x w2 z h 2 l const.
2
• In three-dimensions h may increase when
w 0 and/or l 0
• Separation occurs when the two components of
the wall shear-stress go to zero and/or two lines
tangent to the wall shear-stress converge
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Separation and re-attachment
• Example with only transverse wall shear-stress
along the separation line
wz
wx 0 tan b w bw
2
w x
Separation Re-attachment
Limiting streamlines in the vicinity of
separation and re-attachment lines
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Select best mathematical model for the flow
• Select computational domain, i.e. the location
of the domain boundaries
- There are flow geometries without “natural”
boundaries
- Choice of boundary location affects (approximate)
boundary conditions
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Select computational domain, i.e. the location
of the domain boundaries
- Narrow domain makes application of the boundary
conditions troublesome
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Select computational domain, i.e. the location
of the domain boundaries
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Unstructured grid
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Structured grid
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Hybrid grid
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Multi-block grid
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• C-O topology
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• O-O topology
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• H-O topology
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Boundary conditions
- Ship surface, inlet, outlet, symmetry planes,
external boundary,...
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Boundary conditions
- Ship surface, inlet, outlet, symmetry planes,
external boundary,...
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Boundary conditions
- Wall
a) Direct application of the no slip condition
Near-wall normal grid line spacing should
satisfy y2 1
Not all turbulence models may be used with
such conditions
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Boundary conditions
- Wall
b) Wall functions
Near-wall normal grid line spacing should
satisfy y2 30 50
“Automatic” or “Enhanced” wall functions
avoid numerical problems when y2 30
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Boundary conditions
- Inlet
Velocity vector and “turbulence quantities”
specified
a) Undisturbed flow
b) Potential flow solution for the same geometry
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Boundary conditions
- Outlet
Specification of the pressure or its normal
derivative
Remaining variables extrapolated from the
interior of the domain
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Boundary conditions
- Symmetry planes
Symmetry conditions applied directly to the
dependent variables
Equations solved at the symmetry plane with
the help of “virtual grid nodes” generated from
the symmetry conditions
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Boundary conditions
- Far field
a) Undisturbed flow
b) Zero normal derivatives
c) Pressure and tangential velocity components
specified from a potential flow calculation
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Examples
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Examples
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Examples
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Examples
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Examples
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Examples
Masters of Mechanical Engineering
Aerodynamics
Viscous Three-dimensional Flow
Numerical solution of the equations
• Examples
Masters of Mechanical Engineering