Skip to main content
NASA Advanced Supercomputing (NAS) Division World-class modeling, simulation, and supercomputing in support of the NASA mission

Predicting High-Lift Aerodynamics on NASA Common Research Model - Part I: Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes Simulations

AMS Seminar Series

Speaker: Jared Duensing, Computational Aerosciences Branch, NASA Ames Research Center

Presentation

Seminar Slide Deck (PDF-26MB)

Abstract

An in-depth assessment of the High Lift Common Research Model (CRM-HL) aerodynamic performance is made using a Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) methodology within the Launch, Ascent, and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) framework. Results were produced in support of the 4th AIAA High Lift Prediction Workshop (HLPW-4), with additional simulation results and analysis used to support findings from the workshop. Mesh resolution, RANS closure models, and tunnel effects were among the sources of simulation sensitivity addressed, all in the pursuit of evaluating best-practice simulation methods for complex high-lift configurations. In general, free-air simulations using RANS yield accurate predictions of integrated loads in the pre-stall regime for the CRM-HL, while strong sensitivity to simulation method is observed near CLmax. Several available corrections for the Spalart-Allmaras (SA) turbulence model were tested and generally introduced more error relative to the experiment as compared to the baseline SA closure model. The Standard Menter Baseline Two-Equation (k-w BSL) turbulence model was also explored, which arguably yielded results highly consistent with experiment, but at a substantially higher computational cost. Therefore, as a compromise between computational cost and accuracy, the baseline SA closure model was selected for additional CRM-HL studies that assess alternative solution methods. These strategies include “warm start” approaches, unsteady calculations, and simulations that model the experimental wind tunnel. Results from these studies would reinforce the shortcomings of RANS in predicting aircraft performance at high-lift conditions, namely at high-a and highly loaded flap conditions, while also answering questions about appropriate modeling techniques to minimize the errors associated with RANS where possible.

Funded by the Transformational Tools and Technologies (T3) project under the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate's Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program (TACP).

Biography

Photo of Jared Duensing
Jared Duensing received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering with a focus on aeronautics from Arizona State University (2014 and 2015 respectively). Since then he has been employed as a research aerospace engineer with the Computational Aerosciences Branch at NASA Ames Research Center. His work focuses mainly on applied computational fluid dynamics, with an emphasis on aerodynamic database generation. In addition to workshops such as the HLPW-4, he has been involved with many NASA research concepts including the X-57 Maxwell electrified aircraft and the X-59 Low Boom Flight Demonstrator, while also contributing to the development of many boundary layer ingestion (BLI) technologies.