An Optimized Multi-block Method for Turbulent Flows

A major part of the flow field involves no complicated turbulent behavior in many turbulent flows. In this research work, in order to reduce required memory and CPU time, the flow field was decomposed into several blocks, each block including its special turbulence. A two dimensional backward facing step was considered here. Four combinations of the Prandtl mixing length and standard k- E models were implemented as well. Computer memory and CPU time consumption in addition to numerical convergence and accuracy of the obtained results were mainly investigated. Observations showed that, a suitable combination of turbulence models in different blocks led to the results with the same accuracy as the high order turbulence model for all of the blocks, in addition to the reductions in memory and CPU time consumption.




References:
[1] Weatherill N.P, and forsey C. R., "Grid Genaration and Flow
calculation for Complex Aircraft Geometries Using a Multi-Block
Scheme", AIAA Paper, 85, 1985.
[2] Jae Wook Kim, and Duck Joo Lee., "Characteristic Interface
Conditions for Multiblock High-Order Computation on singular
Structured Grid", AIAA Journal, Vol. 41, No. 12, pp.2341-2348, 2003.
[3] Epstein B, Rubin T, and Seror S., "Accurate Multiblock Navier - Stokes
Solver for Complex Aerodynamic Configurations", AIAA Journal, Vol.
41, No. 4, pp. 582-593, 2003.
[4] Drikakis D., "A Parallel Multiblock Characteristic-Based Method for
Three-Dimensional Incompressible Flow", Advances in Engineering
Software, Vol. 26, pp.111-119, 1996.
[5] Di Serafino Daniela., "A Parallel Implementation of a Multigrid
multiblock Euler Solver on Distributed Memory Machines", parallel
Computing, Vol. 23, pp. 2095-2113, 1997.
[6] Tsai H.M, Wong A.S.F, Cai J, and Liu F., "Unsteady Flow calculations
with a parallel Multiblock Moving Mesh Algorithm", AIAA Journal,
Vol. 39, No. 6, pp.1021-1029, 2001.
[7] Atkins H.L., "A Multi-block Multigrid Method for the Solution of the
Euler and Navier - stokes Equations for Three Dimensional Flows",
AIAA Paper, 91, 101, 1991.
[8] Prandtl L., "Über Die Ausgebildete Turbulenz", ZAMM, Vol. 5, pp. 136-
139, 1925.
[9] Launder B.E, and Spalding D.B., "The Numerical Computation of
Turbulent Flow", Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng, Vol. 3, pp. 269-
289, 1974.
[10] Rhie CM, Chow WL. "Numerical Study of the Turbulent Flow Past an
Airfoil with Trailing Edge Separation". AIAA J. 1983; 21: 1525-1532.
[11] Kim J, Kline S.J and Johnston J.P., "Investigation of a Reattaching
Turbulent Shear Layer: Flow over a Backward-Facing Step", J. Fluid
Eng., ASME Trans, Vol. 102, pp. 302-308, 1980.
[12] Hackman P.L, Raithby G.D and Strong A.B., "Numerical Predication of
Flows Over Backward Facing Step by a Finite Element Method;
Comparison with Finite Volume Solutions and Experiments", Int. J.
Numer. Methods Fluids, Vol. 4, pp. 711-724, 1984.