INTRODUCTION OF TURBULENT MODEL IN A MIXED FINITE-VOLUME FINITE-ELEMENT METHOD

The aim of this work is to present a new numerical method to compute t urbulent flows in complex configurations. With this in view, a k-epsil on model with wall functions has been introduced in a mixed finite vol ume/finite element method. The numerical method has been developed to deal with compressible flows but is also able to compute nearly incomp ressible flows. The physical model and the numerical method are first described, then validation results for an incompressible flow over a b ackward-facing step and for a supersonic flow over a compression ramp are presented. Comparisons are performed with experimental data and wi th other numerical results. These simulations show the ability of the present method to predict turbulent flows, and this method will be app lied to simulate complex industrial flows (flow inside the combustion chamber of gas turbine engines). The main goal of this paper is not to test turbulence models, but to show that this numerical method is a s olid base to introduce more sophisticated turbulence model.