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