Overview of Selected Serpentine Duct Simulations Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to perform simulations of multiple serpentine inlet ducts for comparison to experimental data. The simulations included two baseline duct geometries configured to match their respective wind tunnel tests. Each configuration was tested and simulated with and without flow control vanes. Some of the simulations included the geometric detail of the instrumentation probes at the aerodynamic interface plane. This paper highlights selected issues that impact robustness and accuracy. The topics include far-field boundary conditions and various methods of modeling the instrumentation probes. This paper summarizes discussion topics and recommendations for CFD practitioners preparing to simulate similar cases.