A study of gridless method with dynamic clouds of points for solving unsteady CFD problems in aerodynamics

When solving unsteady computational fluid dynamics problems in aerodynamics with a gridless method, a cloud of points is usually required to be regenerated due to its accommodation to moving boundaries. In order to handle this problem conveniently, a fast dynamic cloud method based on Delaunay graph mapping strategy is proposed in this paper. A dynamic cloud method makes use of algebraic mapping principles and therefore points can be accurately redistributed in the flow field without any iteration. In this way, the structure of the gridless clouds is not necessarily changed so that the clouds regeneration can be avoided successfully. The spatial derivatives of the mathematical modeling of the flow are directly determined by using weighted least‐squares method in each cloud of points, and then numerical fluxes can be obtained. A dual time‐stepping method is further implemented to advance the two‐dimensional Euler equations in arbitrary Lagarangian–Eulerian formulation in time. Finally, unsteady transonic flows over two different oscillating airfoils are simulated with the above method and results obtained are in good agreement with the experimental data. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A local domain‐free discretization method for simulation of incompressible flows over moving bodies

This paper presents a local domain‐free discretization (DFD) method for the simulation of unsteady flows over moving bodies governed by the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. The discretization strategy of DFD is that the discrete form of partial differential equations at an interior point may involve some points outside the solution domain. All the mesh points are classified as interior points, exterior dependent points and exterior independent points. The functional values at the exterior dependent points are updated at each time step by the approximate form of solution near the boundary. When the body is moving, only the status of points is changed and the mesh can stay fixed. The issue of ‘freshly cleared nodes/cells’ encountered in usual sharp interface methods does not pose any particular difficulty in the presented method. The Galerkin finite‐element approximation is used for spatial discretization, and the discrete equations are integrated in time via a dual‐time‐stepping scheme based on artificial compressibility. In order to validate the present method for moving‐boundary flow problems, two groups of flow phenomena have been simulated: (1) flows over a fixed circular cylinder, a harmonic in‐line oscillating cylinder in fluid at rest and a transversely oscillating cylinder in uniform flow; (2) flows over a pure pitching airfoil, a heaving–pitching airfoil and a deforming airfoil. The predictions show good agreement with the published numerical results or experimental data. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical experiments with several variant WENO schemes for the Euler equations

Numerical experiments with several variants of the original weighted essentially non‐oscillatory (WENO) schemes (J. Comput. Phys. 1996; 126 :202–228) including anti‐diffusive flux corrections, the mapped WENO scheme, and modified smoothness indicator are tested for the Euler equations. The TVD Runge–Kutta explicit time‐integrating scheme is adopted for unsteady flow computations and lower–upper symmetric‐Gauss–Seidel (LU‐SGS) implicit method is employed for the computation of steady‐state solutions. A numerical flux of the variant WENO scheme in flux limiter form is presented, which consists of first‐order and high‐order fluxes and allows for a more flexible choice of low‐order schemes. Computations of unsteady oblique shock wave diffraction over a wedge and steady transonic flows over NACA 0012 and RAE 2822 airfoils are presented to test and compare the methods. Various aspects of the variant WENO methods including contact discontinuity sharpening and steady‐state convergence rate are examined. By using the WENO scheme with anti‐diffusive flux corrections, the present solutions indicate that good convergence rate can be achieved and high‐order accuracy is maintained and contact discontinuities are sharpened markedly as compared with the original WENO schemes on the same meshes. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Buffeting in transonic flow prediction using time‐dependent turbulence model

In transonic flow conditions, the shock wave/turbulent boundary layer interaction and flow separations on wing upper surface induce flow instabilities, ‘buffet’, and then the buffeting (structure vibrations). This phenomenon can greatly influence the aerodynamic performance. These flow excitations are self‐sustained and lead to a surface effort due to pressure fluctuations. They can produce enough energy to excite the structure. The objective of the present work is to predict this unsteady phenomenon correctly by using unsteady Navier–Stokes‐averaged equations with a time‐dependent turbulence model based on the suitable (k–ε) turbulent eddy viscosity model. The model used is based on the turbulent viscosity concept where the turbulent viscosity coefficient (Cμ) is related to local deformation and rotation rates. To validate this model, flow over a flat plate at Mach number of 0.6 is first computed, then the flow around a NACA0012 airfoil. The comparison with the analytical and experimental results shows a good agreement. The ONERA OAT15A transonic airfoil was chosen to describe buffeting phenomena. Numerical simulations are done by using a Navier–Stokes SUPG (streamline upwind Petrov–Galerkin) finite‐element solver. Computational results show the ability of the present model to predict physical phenomena of the flow oscillations. The unsteady shock wave/boundary layer interaction is described. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Validation of adaptive unstructured hexahedral mesh computations of flow around a wind turbine airfoil

In this paper we investigate local adaptive refinement of unstructured hexahedral meshes for computations of the flow around the DU91 wind turbine airfoil. This is a 25% thick airfoil, found at the mid‐span section of a wind turbine blade. Wind turbine applications typically involve unsteady flows due to changes in the angle of attack and to unsteady flow separation at high angles of attack. In order to obtain reasonably accurate results for all these conditions one should use a mesh which is refined in many regions, which is not computationally efficient. Our solution is to apply an automated mesh adaptation technique. In this paper we test an adaptive refinement strategy developed for unstructured hexahedral meshes for steady flow conditions. The automated mesh adaptation is based on local flow sensors for pressure, velocity, density or a combination of these flow variables. This way the mesh is refined only in those regions necessary for high accuracy, retaining computational efficiency. A validation study is performed for two cases: attached flow at an angle of 6° and separated flow at 12°. The results obtained using our adaptive mesh strategy are compared with experimental data and with results obtained with an equally sized non‐adapted mesh. From these computations it can be concluded that for a given computing time, adapted meshes result in solutions closer to the experimental data compared to non‐adapted meshes for attached flow. Finally, we show results for unsteady computations. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical simulation of the unsteady aerodynamic interaction of two plane airfoil cascades

A method for the calculation of unsteady aerodynamic interaction of two plane airfoil cascades that are in relative motion in a subsonic flow of ideal gas is developed. This interaction provides a two-dimensional approximation of the flow in a stage of an axial turbomachine. The method is based on the reduction of the problem to the calculation of the unsteady flow in a single interblade passage of each of the cascades. The calculation uses generalized space-time periodicity relations corresponding to the unsteady process of interest. The calculation is based on the direct numerical integration of the non-stationary gas dynamics equations with the use of the finite difference Godunov-Kolgan-Rodionov scheme of the second approximation order with respect to time and space. The calculation procedure includes the determination of the acoustic fields that are generated by the stage in the incident flow and in the flow behind it. The results of the calculations that illustrate the accuracy of the numerical solution and the capabilities of the method are presented.     

跨音速翼型上的激波／边界层干扰自适应控制计算

在激波区使用自适应壁对跨音速翼型的激波／边界层的相互作用（干扰）进行控制，可改变机翼的气动性能，这种被动控制可通过在翼型的激波区开一凹腔，其上覆盖一弹性橡胶膜柔壁来，本文给出用Ｎａｖｉｅｒ－Ｓｔｏｋｅｒ方程数值模拟这一自适应控制翼型的跨音速粘性绕流，提出了一个适应于本特殊情况（物面边界局部地区在求解过程中有变化）的处理办法。并探讨了自适应柔壁对当代跨音速翼绕流的影响。     

翼型与风洞侧壁交接角区分离流动研究

运用Navier-Stokes数值模拟对翼型模型试验时风洞侧壁和翼型模型结合部拐角区黏型分离流动进行模拟,并将简单代数湍流模型扩展用于机翼/风洞侧壁拐角区流动.计算格式在空间上采用中心有限体积离散,在时间上采用多步Runge-Kutta时间步长格式进行积分.结果显示,在翼型模型风洞试验时,模型/侧壁拐角区、模型表面、侧壁表面和模型后形成复杂的黏性分离流动和二次分离,对实验结果产生很大的影响.     

一种改进混合迎风格式在翼型流场激波捕捉中的应用

波阻是飞行器超音速飞行的关键设计因素,精确捕捉激波在流场中的位置,是数值模拟含激波流场和精确计算波阻的一个重要研究内容.本文基于网格节点有限体积空间离散方法,采用AUSM格式与FVS格式的混合格式(MAUSM方法)计算对流通量,从而抑制在数值模拟流场出现的激波处振荡和过冲现象,确保AUSM准确捕获接触间断的特性和FVS格式捕捉激波的能力.本文使用MAUSM方法分别计算了在跨声速和超声速条件下的NACA0012翼型流场,并与中心差分格式的计算结果进行比较.结果表明,对于存在激波的翼型流场,MAUSM方法是有效的.     

The Secondary Bifurcation of an Aeroelastic Airfoil Motion: Effect of High Harmonics

The nonlinear dynamical response of a two-degree-of-freedom aeroelastic airfoil motion with cubic restoring forces is investigated. A secondary bifurcation after the primary Hopf (flutter) bifurcation is detected for a cubic hard spring in the pitch degree-of-freedom. Furthermore, there is a hysteresis in the secondary bifurcation: starting from different initial conditions the motion may jump from one limit cycle to another at different fluid flow velocities. A high-order harmonic balance method is employed to investigate the possible bifurcation branches. Furthermore, a numerical time simulation procedure is used to confirm the stable and unstable bifurcation branches.