Spotlight On... Turbulence
Spotlight On... Turbulence
Spotlight On... Turbulence
On
Turbulence
STAR-CCM+ v11.06
Turbulence Modeling Overview
For most engineering analyses, users wish to predict the mean (averaged) flow field
Notable exceptions are aero-acoustics and combustion
These require different flow decomposition (filter)
However, accounting fluctuations about this mean (or filtered) flow is key to calculate:
Loss, drag, heat transfer, acoustics, mixing, and other flow characteristics of interest
Effect of these fluctuations is included via a model
This is turbulence modeling
In CFD, turbulence models provide a means of accounting for the effects of the
turbulent fluctuations.
The definition of this mean flow state and its fluctuations is the basis of
turbulence modeling.
Energy
Containing Inertial
Eddies Sub-range
log E(k)
Dissipating
Eddies
log k (wavenumber)
() = () + ()
Energy Containing
Eddies Inertial Sub-
log E(k)
range
Dissipating
Resolved Eddies
Modeled
Without DNS for Industrial CFD problems we must use turbulence modeling to
close the Navier-Stokes equations
Summary
A one-equation model
Widely used in aerospace industry
Advantages
Generally simple, economical, robust on good meshes
Valid in the near-wall region
Good predictions for attached flow
Disadvantages
Under-predicts separation
Insufficient scales for some combustion/Lagrangian models (e.g., EBU)
Cannot simulate turbulence decay
Summary
Two equation model
Widely used in aerospace, Formula 1, and turbomachinery industries
Advantages
Performs well for swirling flows (for a two equation model)
Does not require damping functions for resolving sublayer
Performs well for adverse pressure gradients
Disadvantages
Sensitive to inlet/freestream turbulence boundary conditions although modifications to the
original Wilcox model have reduced this sensitivity
Can over-predict separation
Summary
Two equation model
Formulated by blending k-Omega near the wall with a transformed k-Epsilon model in the
bulk flow to avoid sensitivity to freestream conditions
Widely used in aerospace, Formula 1, and turbomachinery industries
Advantages
Performs well for swirling flows (for a two equation model)
Does not require damping functions (or a two-layer treatment) for resolving sublayer
Performs well in adverse pressure gradients
Disadvantages
Over-predicts separation
Sensitive to mesh refinement.
Improved accuracy
Particularly for anisotropic flows
Correctly predicts secondary flows in square ducts
Unlike Boussinesq models
Base SST
Summary
Two equation model
The original general purpose complete model for industry
Advantages
Robust industry standard model
Insensitive to inflow conditions
Disadvantages
Poor accuracy for many classes of problem, including those with swirling and
separated flows
Near wall treatment necessary (low-Re damping or two-layer)
Many variants and modifications available
Results influenced by the wall function implementation
Summary
Two equation model
Developed by Shih at NASA Lewis
Ensures normal stresses ( , , ) are positive
Implemented by varying Cm spatially (constant in standard k-epsilon)
Advantages
More physical and accurate than standard k-epsilon
Performs better than std. k- for separated flows, swirling and
rotating flows, and flows with large streamline curvature
Disadvantages
Near wall treatment necessary
Results can be heavily influenced by the wall function
implementation
Summary
Two equation model
Uses damping function to replicate low Reynolds number near wall behavior
(Two implementations: Abe-Kondoh-Nagano and Lien-Leschziner)
Advantages
Low sensitivity to near-wall mesh resolution
Better prediction of turbulent heat transfer than k-omega models
Disadvantages
Overprediction of separated flows
Many variants of low-Re damped K-epsilon models in the literature
(universality?)
Summary
Four equation model (k, , v2, f) extension of k-epsilon
Handles non-local (elliptic) effect of walls via specific equation (f), and near
wall correct near-wall asymptotic limit (v2, or wall-normal fluctuations)
Advantages
More accurate prediction of near wall turbulence, heat transfer, skin friction,
and separation
Disadvantages:
Robustness (elliptic equation sensitive to near-wall modelling),
Expensive (4 equations)
Summary
Four equation model (k, , , ) extension of k-epsilon
Similar to V2F in nature
Handles non-local (elliptic) effect of walls via an elliptic blending approach
rather than the elliptic relaxation approach of V2F
Advantages
More robust than the V2F model
Accurate prediction of near wall turbulence, heat transfer, skin friction, and
separation
Disadvantages:
Expensive (4 equations)
Summary
The Boussinesq approximation used by the k-epsilon model assumes a linear
relationship between the Reynolds-stress and the strain rate tensors
The standard k-epsilon model with non-linear constitutive relations instead
uses a higher order expansion to give a quadratic or cubic relationship
Advantages
Anisotropy effects accounted for via algebraic formulation
No further transport equations
At low strain rates recovers standard k-epsilon
Shows potential where secondary flows are important
Disadvantages
Robustness (requires finer mesh to predict secondary re-circulation),
Not sensitive to frame-rotation.
Summary
Seven equation model (six Reynolds stresses + epsilon)
The most complete and complex RANS model
Advantages
Able to capture anisotropy (swirling flows, secondary flows, etc.)
For applications such as cyclones, RSM is the only model that produces good results
Disadvantages
Computationally expensive
Near wall treatment necessary
Less robust than 2 eqn. models on poor quality meshes
Summary
Three models available
Turbulence Suppression Model Specified laminar region
Gamma ReTheta transition model Predictive four equation model
extension of SST-kw, additional transport equations for intermittency
and transition momentum thickness
Gamma transition model Predictive three equation model extension
of SST-kw achieves similar levels of accuracy to Gamma ReTheta at
reduced computational cost
Advantages
Gamma and Gamma ReTheta models have predictive (correlation
based) capability for transition
Disadvantages
Computationally expensive
Can be less stable
Improved accuracy
Particularly for high speed compressible cases
For most industrial CFD problems the mesh resolution is insufficiently fine near the wall to
resolve the viscous-affected (pseudo-laminar) sublayer.
A wall function is used to determine the relationship between the first cell center and the
wall (y+ of the first cell in the 100s)
For cases requiring accurate predictions of heat transfer and separation it is necessary to
resolve the viscous sublayer with a fine prism layer mesh (y+ ~1)
Not all turbulence models can resolve down to the wall and require special near wall treatment (some
k-epsilon models, RSM)
U+ = U+
The first cell center should not be placed in the
buffer layer (5 < y+ < 30)
Fully Turbulent
Log-Law Region
Viscous Buffer Defect Layer
Sublayer Layer
+ =
Unrestricted Siemens AG 2016 5 30 500-1000 log y+
Page 27 26.10.2016 Siemens PLM Software
Wall Treatment
Realizable two-layer with hybrid wall treatment has been the default since STAR-CCM+'s inception
Key to robustness is the blending of linear equation coefficients
Discretized equation + =
Algebraic equation = (1 )
Key to accuracy is using the minimum possible Re for the crossover location
Augments the turbulent energy production term according to local rotation and vorticity rates to offset this
early dissipation
CC factor
Kolmogorov
Taylor Microscale, Lengthscale,
k 3
Energy Containing
Eddies Inertial Sub-
log E(k)
range
Dissipating
Resolved Eddies
Modeled
log k (wavenumber)
Unrestricted Siemens AG 2016
Page 33 26.10.2016 Siemens PLM Software
LES Sub-Grid Scale (SGS) Models
Choice of Sub-Grid Scale model generally less important than choice of primary turbulence model
Provided the mesh is suitably resolved (and the SGS models are more basic)
Smagorinsky
Uses mixing length hypothesis to model the sub-grid scale stresses
Smagorinsky constant, Cs fixed
However experimentally found to vary from one flow type to another and spatially
Dynamic Smagorinsky
Extended version of Smagorinsky
Determines Cs locally using bootstrap method and test filter
Benefits
Better prediction of the near-wall behavior compared to
other DES models
Feature
A DES turbulence model based on Elliptic-Blending k-
Compatible with all y+ Wall and low-Re y+ wall treatment
Available as DDES variant
Model has the property of transitioning to turbulence
almost naturally and predicting better separation
62 mm ahead 162 mm
of trailing ahead of
edge trailing edge
238 mm
downstream
of trailing
edge
438 mm
downstream
of trailing
edge
Unrestricted Siemens AG 2016 Comparison of new Elliptic Blending based DES with SST kw based DES on
Page 41 26.10.2016 the Ahmed Body : improved separation prediction Siemens PLM Software
Turbulent Heat Flux
Standard k-w Performs w ell for sw irling flow s, does not require damping functions or tw o layer treatment to resolve sublayer. Over-predicts
separation, sensitive to freestream/inflow turbulence.
SST k-w Has the near w all performance and benefits of standard k-w w ithout the sensitivity to freestream/inflow conditions, w ith added
mesh sensitivity .
Standard k-e The industry standard w orkhorse, stable, but diffusive, not satisfactory for high fidelity results. Requires near w all damping or
tw o layer treatment.
Realizable k-e More accurate and physical than standard k-e. Performs better than std. k- for separated flow s, swirling and rotating flow s, and
flow s w ith large streamline curvature. Requires near w all tw o layer treatment.
Low-Re Damped k-e model Arguably low -Re damped k-epsilon models have a place for simulating cases w here the low Reynolds number region extends
over much of the domain.
V2F Model Accounts for the effects of near w all anisotropy. More accurate prediction of near w all heat transfer, skin fiction, and separation.
Elliptic Blending Model Accounts for the effects of near w all anisotropy w ith similar benefits to V2F. More robust than V2F.
Standard k-e with Non-Linear Constitutive Relations Allow s the effects of anisotropy to be modeled w ithout requiring further transport equations. Show s potential for capturing
secondary flow s. Requires near w all treatment.
Reynolds Stress Transport The only RANS model that fully models anisotropy. Essential for some sw irling flow s such as in cyclones. Expensive and less
stable
Transition Model (Gamma-ReTheta) Able to predict laminar-turbulent transition. Expensive as tw o additional transport equations added.
Large Eddy Simulation (LES) Able to predict the largest turbulent eddy structures on a sufficiently fine mesh. Sub-grid models are inferior to RANS models,
and near w all mesh size w ill be insufficient to capture much of the turbulent energy spectrum. Expensive due to mesh resolution
required
Detached Eddy Simulation (DDES, IDDES) A blend of LES in the bulk flow and RANS (SA, SST-kw , or EB-ke) near the w all intended to be the best of both w orlds.
Expensive due to mesh resolution required
Turbulence
STAR-CCM+ v11.06