Large-eddy simulation of transitional flows using a co-located grid

A large-eddy simulation (LES) of a transitional separated flow over a plate with a semi-circular leading at low (<0.2%) and high (5.6%) free-stream turbulence (FST) has been performed, using a co-located grid with the Rhie–Chow pressure smoothing. A numerical trip is used to produce a high FST level and a dynamic subgrid-scale model is also employed in the current study. The entire transition process leading to breakdown to turbulence has been shown clearly by the flow visualisations using instantaneous spanwise vorticities, and the differences between the low- and high-FST cases are clearly visible. Coherent structures are also visualised using isosurfaces of the Q-criterion, and for the high-FST case, the spanwise-oriented quasi-two-dimensional rolls, which are clearly present in the low-FST case, are not visible anymore. Detailed quantitative comparisons between the present LES results and experimental data and the previous LES results at low FST using a staggered grid have been done and a good agreement has been obtained, indicating that the current LES using a co-located grid with pressure smoothing can also predict transitional flows accurately.     

Large eddy simulations in low-pressure turbines: Effect of wakes at elevated free-stream turbulence

The transition of a separated shear layer over a flat plate, in the presence of periodic wakes and elevated free-stream turbulence (FST), is numerically investigated using Large Eddy Simulation (LES). The upper wall of the test section is inviscid and specifically contoured to impose a streamwise pressure distribution over the flat plate to simulate the suction surface of a low-pressure turbine (LPT) blade. Two different distributions representative of a ‘high-lift’ and an ‘ultra high-lift’ turbine blade are examined. Results obtained from the current LES compare favourably with the extensive experimental data previously obtained for these configurations. The LES results are then used to further investigate the flow physics involved in the transition process.In line with experimental experience, the benefit of wakes and FST obtained by suppressing the separation bubble, is more pronounced in ‘ultra high-lift’ design when compared to the ‘high-lift’ design. Stronger ‘Klebanoff streaks’ are formed in the presence of wakes when compared to the streaks due to FST alone. These streaks promoted much early transition. The weak Klebanoff streaks due to FST continued to trigger transition in between the wake passing cycles.The experimental inference regarding the origin of Klebanoff streaks at the leading edge has been confirmed by the current simulations. While the wake convects at local free-stream velocity, its impression in the boundary layer in the form of streaks convects much slowly. The ‘part-span’ Kelvin–Helmholtz structures, which were observed in the experiments when the wake passes over the separation bubble, are also captured. The non-phase averaged space-time plots manifest that reattachment is a localized process across the span unlike the impression of global reattachment portrayed by phase averaging.     

Large eddy simulation on the effect of free-stream turbulence on bypass transition

The effect of free-stream turbulence (FST) on bypass transition in a zero-pressure-gradient boundary layer is investigated by means of Large Eddy Simulation (LES). The broadband turbulent inflow is synthesized to validate the feasibility of LES. Both a zero-thickness plate and one with super-ellipse leading-edge are addressed. The calculated Reynolds-averaged fields are compared with experimental data and decent agreement is achieved. Instantaneous fields show the instability occurs in the lifted low-speed streaks similar to earlier DNS results, which can be ascribed to outer mode. Various inflows with bi-/tri-mode interaction are specified to analyze effects of particular frequency mode on the instability pattern and multifarious transition or non-transition scenarios are obtained. Outer instability is observed in the cases with one low-frequency mode and one high-frequency mode inflow as reported by Zaki and Durbin (2005), and with one more high-frequency mode appended. Inner instability is observed in the case with a low-frequency dominant inflow, while the high-frequency mode is indispensable to induce the secondary instability. Furthermore, the results show that the transition onset is highly sensitive to low-frequency mode while the transition rate is highly sensitive to high-frequency mode. Finally, the formational frequency of turbulent spot (FFTS) is counted and the frequency of laminar streaks is demonstrated by spectral analysis.     

Large Eddy Simulations in Turbines: Influence of Roughness and Free-Stream Turbulence

The individual and coupled effects of the incoming free-stream turbulence (FST) and surface roughness on the transition of a separated shear layer over a flat plate is numerically investigated using Large eddy simulation (LES). The upper wall of the test section is inviscid and specifically contoured to impose a streamwise pressure distribution over the flat plate to simulate the suction surface of a low pressure turbine (LPT) blade. The interaction of the streamwise streaks due to FST and roughness with the separated shear layer is captured. The streaks induced by FST are intermittent in nature and the streaks due to roughness are steady for a given topology of the rough surface. Both FST and roughness promoted near-wall mixing. The ‘net effect’ of mixing in the pre-separated region is manifested by a shift the inflection point of the velocity profile towards the wall. This resulted in the upstream shift of the transition point and a significant reduction in the size of the separation bubble. The combined effect of FST and roughness further reduced the size of separation bubble. The streamwise evolution of the boundary layer parameters has been compared for different cases. The potential ‘roughness benefit’ obtained in the case of highly loaded turbine blades in terms of its considerable reduction of profile loss is also shown.     

Effects of free‐stream turbulence on large‐scale coherent structures of separated boundary layer transition

It has been well established that large‐scale structures, usually called coherent structures, exist in many transitional and turbulent flows. The topology and range of scales of those large‐scale structures vary from flow to flow such as counter‐rotating vortices in wake flows, streaks and hairpin vortices in turbulent boundary layer. There has been relatively little study of large‐scale structures in separated and reattached transitional flows. Large‐eddy simulation (LES) is employed in the current study to investigate a separated boundary layer transition under 2% free‐stream turbulence on a flat plate with a blunt leading edge. The Reynolds number based on the inlet free stream velocity and the plate thickness is 6500. A dynamic subgrid‐scale model is employed to compute the subgrid‐scale stresses more accurately in the current transitional flow case. Flow visualization has shown that the Kelvin–Helmholtz rolls, which have been so clearly visible under no free‐stream turbulence (NFST) are not as apparent in the present study. The Lambda‐shaped vortical structures which can be clearly seen in the NFST case can hardly be identified in the free‐stream turbulence (FST) case. Generally speaking, the effects of free‐stream turbulence have led to an early breakdown of the boundary layer, and hence increased the randomization in the vortical structures, degraded the spanwise coherence of those large‐scale structures. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transition to Turbulence in the Boundary Layer on a Plate in the Presence of a Negative Free-Stream Pressure Gradient

Transition to turbulence in the boundary layer on a flat plate is investigated numerically for an incompressible fluid flow with a given negative free-stream pressure gradient. The transition is investigated using the three-parameter turbulence model developed by the authors. The calculation results are compared with the available experimental data.     

DNS of heat transfer in transitional, accelerated boundary layer flow over a flat plate affected by free-stream fluctuations

Direct numerical simulations (DNS) of flow over and heat transfer from a flat plate affected by free-stream fluctuations were performed. A contoured upper wall was employed to generate a favourable streamwise pressure gradient along a large portion of the flat plate. The free-stream fluctuations originated from a separate LES of isotropic turbulence in a box. In the laminar portions of the accelerating boundary layer flow the formation of streaks was observed to induce an increase in heat transfer by the exchange of hot fluid near the surface of the plate and cold fluid from the free-stream. In the regions where the streamwise pressure gradient was only mildly favourable, intermittent turbulent spots were detected which relaminarised downstream as the streamwise pressure gradient became stronger. The relaminarisation of the turbulent spots was reflected by a slight decrease in the friction coefficient, which converged to its laminar value in the region where the streamwise pressure gradient was strongest.     

The Effect of a Low-Frequency Structure on Passive Scalar Transport in the Flow Over a Surface-Mounted Rib

The unsteadiness of the flow over a surface-mounted rib involving passive scalar transport is studied using large-eddy simulation (LES) at a Reynolds number of 3000 (based on the rib height, \(h\), and the free-stream velocity, \(U_{0})\). The purpose of the present study is to gain further insight into the physical origin of the flow instability and its effect on passive scalar transport. Fourier spectral analysis of the velocity at different positions suggests that, in addition to the K-H instability in the shear layer (St ≈?0.42), two lower frequencies (St ≈?0.06 and 0.09) also exist. It is observed that the low-frequency instabilities accompany the shedding process of vortical structures. One low frequency, at \(\text {St}\approx 0.06\), is related to the pumping motion of the recirculation bubble, while the other, at \(\text {St}\approx 0.09\), is associated with the flapping mode of the shear layer. Through comparisons of velocity and temperature fields and the spectra of scalar fluctuations, it is found that the passive scalar is transported by the convection of vortical structures.     

Vortex dynamics mechanisms of separated boundary layer in a highly loaded low pressure turbine cascade

This paper investigates the vortex dynamics in the suction-side boundary layer on an aero-engine low pressure turbine blade at two different Reynolds numbers at which short and long laminar separation bubbles occur. Different vortical patterns are observed and investigated through large eddy simulation (LES). The results show that at the higher Reynolds number, streamwise streaks exist upstream of separation line. These streaks initiate spanwise undulation in the form of vortex tubes, which roll-up and shed from the shear layer due to the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. The vortex tubes alternately pair together and eventually distort and break down to small-scale turbulence structures near the mean reattachment location and convect into a fully turbulent boundary layer. At the lower Reynolds number, streamwise streaks are strong and the separated flow is unable to reattach to the blade surface immediately after transition to turbulence. Therefore, bursting of short bubbles into long bubbles can occur, and vortex tubes have larger diameters and cover a part of the blade span. In this case vortex pairing does not occur and vortex shedding process is promoted mainly by flapping phenomenon. Moreover, the results of dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) analysis show a breathing motion as a source of unsteadiness in the separation location, which is accompanied by the flapping phenomenon.     

Large Eddy Simulation of a Controlled Diffusion Compressor Cascade

In this research a Controlled Diffusion (CD) compressor cascade stator blade is simulated at a Reynolds number of ??700,000, based on inflow velocity and chord length, using Large Eddy Simulation (LES). A wide range of flow inlet angles are computed, including conditions near the design angle, and at high negative and positive incidence. At all inlet angles the surface pressure distributions are well-predicted by the LES. Near the design angle the computed suction side boundary layer thickness agrees well with experimental data, whilst the pressure side boundary layer is poorly predicted due to the inability of LES to capture natural boundary layer transition on the present grid. A good estimation of the loss is computed near the design angle, whilst at both high positive and negative incidences the loss is less well predicted owing to discrepancies between the computed and experimental boundary layer thickness. At incidences above the design angle a laminar separation bubble forms near the leading edge of the suction surface, which undergoes a transition to turbulence. Similar behaviour is noted on the pressure surface at negative incidence. At high negative incidence contra-rotating vortex pairs are found to form around the leading edge in response to an unsteady stagnation line across the span of the blade. Such structures are not apparent in time-averaged statistical data due to their highly-transient nature.     

Extension of an algebraic intermittency model for better prediction of transition in separated layers under strong free-stream turbulence

A constitutive law describing the Reynolds stresses in boundary layers undergoing laminar-to-turbulent transition, constructed in previous work by elastic-net regression on an experimental data base, is used to improve an algebraic intermittency model for cases with transition in a separated layer influenced by a high level of free-stream turbulence. The intermittency model is combined with a k-ω turbulence model and the basic version, developed in previous work, functions well for bypass transition in attached boundary layers and for transition in separated boundary layers under a low free-stream turbulence level. The basic model version is extended by an additional production term in the transport equation for turbulent kinetic energy. A sensor detects the front part of a separated layer and activates the production term. The term expresses the effect of Klebanoff streaks generated upstream of separation on the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability rolls in the separated part of the layer. The Klebanoff streaks cause faster breakdown by the combined effects of a large adverse pressure gradient and an elevated free-stream turbulence level. The extended model does not alter the results of the basic model version for bypass transition in an attached boundary layer and for transition in a separated boundary layer under a low free-stream turbulence level. The extended model significantly improves the predictions of the previous model version for transition in a separated boundary layer under a high free-stream turbulence level.     

Leading-edge receptivity of boundary layer to three-dimensional free-stream turbulence

The laminar-turbulent transition has always been a hot topic of fluid mechanics. Receptivity is the initial stage and plays a crucial role in the entire transition process. The previous studies of receptivity focus on external disturbances such as sound waves and vortices in the free stream, whereas those on the leading-edge receptivity to the three-dimensional free-stream turbulence(FST), which is more general in the nature,are rarely reported. In consideration of this, this work is devoted to investigating the receptivity process of three-dimensional Tollmien-Schlichting(T-S) wave packets excited by the three-dimensional FST in a flat-plate boundary layer numerically. The relations between the leading-edge receptivity and the turbulence intensity are established, and the influence of the FST directions on the propagation directions and group velocities of the excited T-S wave packets is studied. Moreover, the leading-edge receptivity to the anisotropic FST is also studied. This parametric investigation can contribute to the prediction of laminar-turbulent transition.     

Vortex dynamics of a cylinder wake in proximity to a wall

Large-eddy simulations (LES) are used to investigate the modifications of wake dynamics and turbulence characteristics behind a circular cylinder placed near a wall for varying gap-to-diameter (G/D) ratios (where G signifies the gap between the wall and the cylinder, and D the cylinder diameter). The three-dimensional (3-D), time-dependent, incompressible Navier–Stokes equations with a dynamic subgrid-scale model are solved using a symmetry-preserving finite-difference scheme of second-order spatial and temporal accuracy. The immersed boundary (IB) method is employed to impose the no-slip boundary condition on the cylinder surface. Flow visualizations along with turbulence statistics are presented to gain insight into the flow structures that are due to interaction between the shear layers and the approaching boundary layer. Apart from the vortex shedding mechanism, the paper illustrates the physics involving the shear layer transition, stretching, breakdown and turbulence generation, either qualitatively or quantitatively, in the presence of a wall for a Reynolds number of Re=1440 (based on D and the inlet free-stream velocity U_∞).     

Numerical simulations of non‐equilibrium turbulent boundary layer flowing over a bump

Large‐eddy simulation (LES) and Reynolds‐averaged Navier–Stokes simulation (RANS) with different turbulence models (including the standard k?ε, the standard k?ω, the shear stress transport k?ω (SST k?ω), and Spalart–Allmaras (S–A) turbulence models) have been employed to compute the turbulent flow of a two‐dimensional turbulent boundary layer over an unswept bump. The predictions of the simulations were compared with available experimental measurements in the literature. The comparisons of the LES and the SST k?ω model including the mean flow and turbulence stresses are in satisfied agreements with the available measurements. Although the flow experiences a strong adverse pressure gradient along the rear surface, the boundary layer is unique in that intermittent detachment occurring near the wall. The numerical results indicate that the boundary layer is not followed by mean‐flow separation or incipient separation as shown from the numerical results. The resolved turbulent shear stress is in a reasonable agreement with the experimental data, though the computational result of LES shows that its peak is overpredicted near the trailing edge of the bump, while the other used turbulence models, except the standard k?ε, underpredicts it. Analysis of the numerical results from LES confirms the experimental data, in which the existence of internal layers over the bump surface upstream of the summit and along the downstream flat plate. It also demonstrates that the quasi‐step increase in skin friction is due to perturbations in pressure gradient. The surface curvature enhances the near‐wall shear production of turbulent stresses, and is responsible for the formation of the internal layers. The aim of the present work is to examine the response and prediction capability of LES with the dynamic eddy viscosity model as a sub‐grid scale to the complex turbulence structure with the presence of streamline curvature generated by a bumpy surface. Aiming to reduce the computational costs with focus on the mean behavior of the non‐equilibrium turbulent boundary layer of flow over the bump surface, the present investigation also explains the best capability of one of the used RANS turbulence models to capture the driving mechanism for the surprisingly rapid return to equilibrium over the trailing flat plate found in the measurements. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Response of the boundary layer developing over a blunt-nosed flat plate to free-stream non-uniformities

The response of the boundary layer on a flat plate with blunt nose to infinitesimally small non-uniformity in the freestream velocity along the span has been studied. The non-uniformity was shown to excite boundary-layer disturbances similar to streaks or Klebanoff modes generally observed in experiments conducted with a high level of free-stream turbulence. The boundary layer disturbances have a predominantly streamwise velocity component and exhibit transient growth. In contrast to streaks generated by streamwise vortices impinging on the sharp nose of a plate, the disturbances produced by free-stream non-uniformity interaction with a blunt nose have a different level of growth. Their maximal amplification scales with the Reynolds number, based on the size of nose bluntness and is almost independent of the spanwise period of disturbances. This difference was shown to be caused by additional amplification of disturbances via vortex lines stretching around the leading edge.     

Experiments on localized disturbances in a flat plate boundary layer. Part 2. Interaction between localized disturbances and TS-waves

Previous studies on boundary layer transition at moderate levels of free stream turbulence (FST) have shown that the transition process can be promoted by the introduction of Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) waves. In the present work the interaction between localized boundary layer disturbances and controlled TS-waves is studied experimentally. The localized disturbances are generated either from a controlled free stream perturbation, or by means of suction or injection through a slot in the flat plate surface. Both methods result in boundary layer disturbances dominated by elongated streamwise streaks of high and low velocity in the streamwise component. A strong interaction is observed preferably for high frequency TS-waves, which are damped when generated separately, and the interaction starts as a local amplification of a wide band of low-frequency oblique waves. The later stages of the transition process can be identified as a non-linear interaction between the oblique structures, leading to regeneration of new and stronger streamwise streaks.     

Receptivity of the Swept Wing Boundary Layer to a Steady Flow Inhomogeneity

The boundary layer on a plate with an inclined blunt leading edge is investigated for a free-stream flow with a small span-periodic velocity inhomogeneity. This flow simulates the penetration of the outer turbulence into the swept wing boundary layer. It is shown that the boundary layer perturbations generated by the inhomogeneity generally have a streamwise velocity component significantly greater than the initial inhomogeneity amplitude. The dependence of the perturbations on the distance from the leading edge and the spanwise inhomogeneity period is found. It is shown that the swept wing boundary layer is less sensitive to the perturbation type in question than the straight wing boundary layer.     

Hybrid URANS/LES Turbulence Simulation of Vortex Shedding Behind a Triangular Flameholder

In this study a detached eddy simulation (DES) model, which belongs to the group of hybrid URANS/LES turbulence models, is used for the simulation of vortex shedding behind a triangular obstacle. In the near wall region or in regions where the grid resolution is not sufficiently fine to resolve smaller structures, the two-equation RANS shear-stress transport (SST) model is used. In the other regions with higher grid resolution a LES model, which uses a transport equation for the turbulent subgrid energy, is applied. The DES model is first investigated for two standard test cases, namely decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence and the backward facing step, respectively. For the decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence test case the evolution of the energy spectra in wavenumber space for different times are studied for both the DES and a Smagorinsky type LES model. Different grid resolutions are analyzed with a special emphasis on the modeling constant connecting the filter length scale to the grid size. The results are compared to experimental data. The backward facing step test case is used to study the model behavior for a case with a transition region between a RANS modeling approach close to the wall and LES based modeling in the intense shear flow region. The final application is the simulation of the vortex shedding behind a triangular obstacle. First, the influence of the inlet condition formulation is studied in detail as they can have a significant influence especially for LES based models. Detailed comparisons between simulation and experiment for the flow structure past the obstacle and statistical quantities such as the shedding frequency are shown. Finally the additional temporal and spatial information provided by the DES model is used to show the predicted anisotropy of turbulence.     

LES of the adverse-pressure gradient turbulent boundary layer

We describe large-eddy simulations (LES) of the flat-plate turbulent boundary layer in the presence of an adverse pressure gradient. The stretched-vortex subgrid-scale model is used in the domain of the flow coupled to a wall model that explicitly accounts for the presence of a finite pressure gradient. The LES are designed to match recent experiments conducted at the University of Melbourne wind tunnel where a plate section with zero pressure gradient is followed by section with constant adverse pressure gradient. First, LES are described at Reynolds numbers based on the local free-stream velocity and the local momentum thickness in the range 6560–13,900 chosen to match the experimental conditions. This is followed by a discussion of further LES at Reynolds numbers at approximately 10 times and 100 times these values, which are well out of range of present day direct numerical simulation and wall-resolved LES. For the lower Reynolds number runs, mean velocity profiles, one-point turbulent statistics of the velocity fluctuations, skin friction and the Clauser and acceleration parameters along the streamwise, adverse pressure-gradient domain are compared to the experimental measurements. For the full range of LES, the relationship of the skin-friction coefficient, in the form of the ratio of the local free-stream velocity to the local friction velocity, to both Reynolds number and the Clauser parameter is explored. At large Reynolds numbers, a region of collapse is found that is well described by a simple log-like empirical relationship over two orders of magnitude. This is expected to be useful for constant adverse-pressure gradient flows. It is concluded that the present adverse pressure gradient boundary layers are far from an equilibrium state.