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Turbulence, from Theory to High-Lift Systems?

Speaker: Philippe Spalart, The Boeing Company

Presentation

Seminar Slide Deck Part 1 (PDF-3MB)

Seminar Slide Deck Part 2 (PDF-17MB)

Abstract

Two recent lines of thought are covered. The first addresses the path from DNS data to RANS models, with an eye for Artificial Intelligence. Possible “structural conflicts” in the RANS models are discussed, and the overall weak link from DNS to RANS is less surprising. The second covers the CFD Vision 2030 proposals, in particular that of substituting turbulence-resolving simulations of various kinds for the steady RANS models, which appear to have run their course especially for high-lift flows. The exploration of the flow fields suggests that orders of magnitude in resolution are needed before the simulations of full configurations are well-resolved.

Biography

Photo of Philippe Spalart
Philippe Spalart studied Mathematics and Engineering in Paris, and obtained an Aerospace Ph.D. at Stanford/NASA Ames in 1982. Still at Ames, he conducted extensive Direct Numerical Simulations of transitional and turbulent boundary layers. Moving to Boeing in 1990, he created the Spalart-Allmaras one-equation Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes turbulence model. He wrote a review (once described as “discerning and sobering”) and co-holds a patent on airplane trailing vortices. In 1997, he proposed the Detached-Eddy Simulation approach, blending RANS and Large-Eddy Simulation to address separated flows at high Reynolds numbers with a manageable cost. His recent work includes refinements to the SA model, computational aeroacoustics, and theories for aerodynamics and turbulence.