Coder 2018
Coder 2018
2018-0029
8–12 January 2018, Kissimmee, Florida
2018 AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting
James G. Coder1
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996
I. Introduction
L AMINAR-TURBULENT transition modeling in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is, at present, an immature
discipline and a topic of much ongoing research. This is due in large part to the current paradigm of CFD being
dominated by Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) methods for simulating flow about practical geometries (e.g.
commercial aircraft in transonic cruise). Inviscid CFD methods, such as potential flow or Euler, may include the
effects of viscosity through coupling with external boundary-layer solvers. In such cases, transition can be readily
predicted using any of a wide variety of non-CFD-based modeling approaches. On the other end of the simulation
fidelity spectrum are highly resolved, large-eddy simulations (LES) and direct numerical simulations (DNS). Here,
the physics of the transition process may be simulated from first principles without modeling; however, this generally
requires a prohibitive amount of computational effort for practical usage.
Outside of RANS CFD, the science of laminar-turbulent transition has seen rich development in both fundamental
theory and modeling approaches. A common trait of prevailing non-CFD transition prediction models is that they are
inherently non-local. This may entail the use of integral boundary-layer properties, such as for local correlation models
[1-3] or database methods for linear stability theory [4-7], or solving the global flow stability characteristics [8].
However, this runs counter to the typical structure of RANS solvers, where the numerical region of influence is
restricted to a local stencil and parallelizable sparse-matrix operations dominate. Even fluid dynamic turbulence,
which itself has non-local characteristics, is modeled locally to fit within this computational framework. Nevertheless,
various approaches have been proposed through the years to couple RANS codes with external transition-prediction
modules, such as was done in INS2D [9] and, more recently, in the DLR TAU code [10].
Newer developments in CFD-based transition modeling have focused heavily on PDE-based methods. These may
be solved with the same numerical algorithms as the mean-flow equations and commonly used turbulence models,
which also adds compatibility with unstructured methods and amenability to massive parallelization. These models
are generally either phenomenological in nature, in which surrogate modeling variables are solved, or are physics
based with governing equations built up directly from first-principles arguments. Prominent phenomenological models
are the local-correlation models (cf. Langtry and Menter [11]) and the amplification factor transport model (cf. Coder
and Maughmer [12]), while the most prominent physics-based model is the laminar kinetic energy of approach of
Walters et al. [13]. Of these, the Langtry-Menter model has seen widespread adoption in a number of CFD codes,
including commercial, academic, and government.
In response to the potential paradigm shift from fully turbulent to transitional simulation capabilities, the CFD
Transition Modeling Discussion Group was formed within the AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Technical Committee.
The specific purpose of this group is to: 1) Bring together modelers, code developers, CFD practitioners, and
fundamental researchers; 2) Identify community needs, expectations, and restrictions for CFD transition model
1
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering, Senior Member, AIAA.
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friction distributions, surface pressures, transition locations, etc.) as well as integrated quantities, such as forces and
moments, if possible.
As an outgrowth of the discussion group, a special conference session on CFD Transition Modeling and Predictive
Capabilities has been organized for the AIAA SciTech 2018 conference held in January 2018 in Kissimmee, FL. The
sessions are intended to be a forum for discussing best practices in transitional flow simulations, including grid
resolution studies and flow-solver strategies. For this special session, a set of two- and three-dimensional test cases
were defined, and participants were requested to perform at least one two-dimensional and one three-dimensional
case. All types of transition prediction methods are of interest as long as they can be coupled to a CFD code, and the
goal is for all final flow solutions to be RANS in nature.
This paper describes these proposed test cases for laminar-turbulent transition modeling: 1) a zero-pressure-
gradient flat plate [15]; 2) the S809 wind-turbine airfoil [16]; 3) the NASA NLF(1)-0416 general aviation airfoil [17];
4) an inclined, 6:1 prolate spheroid [18]; 5) the TU Braunschweig sickle wing [19]; and 6) the HIFiRE-5b high-speed
elliptic cone [20,21]. Key aspects of their underlying motivation and development are included, and references to
relevant experimental data are provided where available. Due to the inherent dependency on the underlying turbulence
model in transition flow simulations, it is intended that these cases be used in addition to the TMR turbulence model
verification cases [14].
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Table 1. Zero-pressure-gradient flat plate grid dimensions
Upstream
Grid Level Dimensions Symmetry Length Number of Points
Tiny 45 x 25 13 pts 1,125
Coarse 89 x 49 25 pts 4,361
Medium 177 x 97 49 pts 17,169
Fine 353 x 193 97 pts 68,129
Extra-Fine 705 x 385 193 pts 271,425
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Figure 2. Comparison of measured and predicted free-stream turbulence decay for the T3A and T3B cases.
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Table 3. S809 wind-turbine airfoil case description.
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Figure 3. S809 experimental drag polar for Re = 2 x 106 (from Ref. [16]).
Figure 4. S809 experimental and theoretical surface pressure distribution for Re = 2 x 106 and 1° angle of attack (from
Ref. [16]).
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Table 5. NLF(1)-0416 general aviation airfoil case description.
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1
x 2 + 36y 2 + 36z 2 =
4 (1)
where x spans [-0.5,0.5]. This shape serves as a geometrically simple surrogate for axisymmetric (or nearly so)
aerodynamic bodies, such as fuselages. At non-zero angles of attack, the flow field is strongly three-dimensional. The
three-dimensionality also extends to the boundary layer; however, the details of the behavior are quite different from
those on a wing [25]. It has been studied experimentally by DVFLR (now DLR) [18], and the transition behavior has
been studied numerically by various researchers [25-27]. The strong influence of crossflow on transition for this case
places a strain on the predictive capability of CFD based transition models, leading to pronounced discrepancies
between prediction and measurement as typified by the results shown in Fig. 7.
Flow conditions for this test case are listed in Table 7, and consist of three angles of attack at constant free-stream
Reynolds and Mach number. The free-stream turbulence intensity is specified; however, it may be desirable to impose
streamwise and crossflow critical amplification factors based on the experiment. Gridding guidelines have also been
provided in Table 7. A single-block structured grid with dimensions 257x129x129 has been made available, and is
pictured in Fig. 8. This grid represents only the right half of the cylinder, thus requiring a symmetry-plane boundary
condition on four computational boundaries. A family of unstructured, fully three-dimensional grids have been made
available by DLR [28]. Grid sizes for members of this family are defined in Table 8, noting that the nominal grid size
is defined as “prism layers X surface nodes”. While a grid-refinement study is not explicitly specified for this case, it
is an overall good exercise to undertake whenever possible. The provided unstructured grids are pictured in Fig. 9 for
all refinement levels.
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Table 4. Inclined, 6:1 prolate spheroid case description.
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Figure 7. Example of discrepancies between experimental and computational skin friction based on choice of transition
model (from Ref. [25]).
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Table 9. TU Braunschweig sickle wing case description.
Case A B C D
Mach number 0.156 0.259 0.259 0.158
Angle of attack -2.6° -2.6° -0.3° +6.0°
Reynolds number 2.75 x 106 4.45 x 106 4.43 x 106 2.75 x 106
Reference temperature (°C) 22.62 28.38 28.98 25.98
Reference pressure (Pa) 98919. 98974. 103614. 100801.
Freestream turb. Intensity Tux=0.05% @ 50m/s
critical N-Factors for linear stability & eN method
(specific for sickle wing model)
NTScrit=11.60 ± 0.80
NCFcrit=8.4 ± 0.75
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Case 6 – HIFiRE-5b
A common trait of the previous test cases is that they were for low-Mach number flows; however, laminar-
turbulent transition is very much relevant in the high-speed, hypersonic flow regime [20,21,29]. It is nevertheless
desirable to be able to seamlessly predict transition in the CFD environment for hypersonic flows. Therefore, the third
three-dimensional test case was selected to be the HIFiRE-5b, which is a high-speed, elliptic cone as pictured in Fig.
11. Such a configuration may feature a wide variety of transition mechanisms, including first- and second-mode
instability, crossflow instabilities, and attachment-line instabilities, as well as interactions between the mechanisms.
The geometry of the cone is analytically defined, as found in Ref. [20], and a Pointwise database file is available upon
request. Experimental transition data obtained during flight testing are described in Ref. [21].
Details of the flow condition of interest are described in Table 10 along with specified gridding guidelines. Of
these, there are some very important details that cannot be overlooked. First, a constant-temperature wall boundary
condition is specified for the cone. Consequently, the gridding requirements are more stringent than for adiabatic walls
due to the strong temperature gradients near the surface. Second, it is regarded that only the payload geometry needs
to be defined and that the rest of the stack may be neglected. This is motivated by the fact that the flow is hypersonic,
and the only upstream propagation of information is in the boundary layer below the sonic line. If the computational
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outflow coincides with the end of the cone, it is furthermore advised that highly stretched “sponge layers” be used
near the boundary to mitigate deleterious boundary influences. Last, the high free-stream Mach number may place a
strain on typical numerical schemes. It is advised that either shock-fitting or a specially tailored numerical flux be
employed for this case.
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Table 10. HIFiRE-5b, high-speed, elliptic cone case description.
III. Conclusion
Six test cases have been put forth for verification and validation of laminar-turbulent transition models in the CFD
environment. These include a zero-pressure-gradient flat plate, two airfoils, a prolate spheroid, a sickle-shaped wing,
and a high-speed cone. This assortment of cases encompasses a wide variety of transition mechanisms, including
Tollmien-Schlichting instabilities, laminar separation bubbles, bypass transition, crossflow instabilities, and high-
speed first and second mode instabilities. By no means are these cases intended to be truly complete with respect to
the full behavior of individual transition mechanisms, and these cases will likely evolve to meet ever-changing
demands. However, it is hoped that they will provide a benefit to the transition modeling community by improving
model implementation and fostering new model developments.
Acknowledgments
The author would like to express sincere gratitude to those who helped and consulted in the development of these
test cases, including but not limited to Ryan Glasby and Doug Stefanski of the UT/ORNL Joint Institute for
Computational Sciences, Matthew Tufts and Roger Kimmel of the Air Force Research Laboratory, Stefan Wernz of
Raytheon, Andreas Krumbein of DLR, and Rolf Radespiel of TU Braunschweig.
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