Sensitization of a Transition-Sensitive Linear Eddy-Viscosity Model to Rotation and Curvature Effects

A new scalar eddy-viscosity turbulence model is proposed, designed to exhibit physically correct responses to flow transition, streamline curvature, and system rotation effects. The eddy-viscosity model (EVM) developed herein is based on the k-omega framework and employs four transport equations. The transport equation for a structural variable (nu(2)) from a curvature-sensitive Shear Stress Transport (SST) k-omega-nu(2) model, analogous to the transverse turbulent velocity scale, is added to the three-equation transition-sensitive k-k(L)-omega model. The physical effects of rotation and curvature (RC) enter the model through the added transport equation. The new model is implemented into a commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver and is tested on a number of flow problems involving flow transition and streamline curvature effects. The results obtained from the test cases presented here are compared with available experimental data and several other Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) based turbulence models. For the cases tested, the new model successfully resolves both flow transition and streamline curvature effects with reasonable engineering accuracy, for only a small increase in computational cost. The results suggest that the model has potential as a practical tool for the prediction of flow transition and curvature effects over blunt bodies.