Evaluation of Transition-Sensitive Eddy-Viscosity Turbulence Models for Separated Flow in OpenFOAM

A recently published transition-sensitive turbulence model, k-k(L)-omega- upsilon(2) [ 1], is implemented in the open- source CFD package OpenFOAM, and its performance is evaluated in comparison with k-k(L)-omega[2] and upsilon(2)-f [3] models. On T3A and T3B flat plate cases, the k-k(L)-omega-upsilon(2) model gives accurate transitional predictions. On a flapped NACA 23012 aerofoil, it is found to give only a small improvement over the k-k(L)-omega model (under 5% reduction in error for lift coefficient) compared with experimental results obtained at the Coventry University wind tunnel, showing limited effects of the extra transport equation which was added to sensitise the model to rotation and curvature effects. Assessment of fluctuating kinetic energy and the new wall-normal turbulent velocity scale shows overprediction near the wall compared to the upsilon(2)-f model which indicates a delayed prediction of separation.