Validation of the Turbulence Models in the DLR TAU Code for Transonic Flows - A Best Practice Guide

Abstract

This report is part of the DLR project HighPerFlex (high performance flexible aircraft). It is dedicated to validation and best-practice guidelines of the DLR TAU code for applications to stationary and instationary transonic aerodynamic flows. This report devises concepts and standards based on discret numerical error-norms for assessing CFD simulations regarding convergence behaviour and accuracy with respect to experimental data. Using these concepts, TAU code specific best-practice guidelines for HighPerFlex are established. We use a statistical approach for recommending turbulence models for predictions, i.e., for complex system cases for which the model cannot be validated. It is worthily recalling that verification and validation cannot make claims concerning the accuracy of predictions. Moreover the present report gives an objective and extensive comparison of the most successful turbulence models and numerical schemes currently used in computational aerodynamics at DLR for several transonic benchmark test cases.