Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T10:50:01.587Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The role of CFD in aerodynamics, off-design

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

P. R. Spalart
Affiliation:
Boeing Commercial Airplanes Seattle, USA
D. R. Bogue
Affiliation:
Boeing Commercial Airplanes Seattle, USA

Abstract

We discuss the status, trends and long-term ambitions of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) when applied away from the design point or concept, and therefore in the historically weak areas of CFD. This includes both undesirable flight conditions, such as stall, and undesirable products of the flow, such as noise. All pose the great challenge of turbulence, and accuracy is as dependent on the ideas behind the turbulence treatment as it is on computing power. A measured shift from Reynolds-averaged representations to large-eddy simulations will take place. Empiricism, both turbulence and engineering related, will recede only step by step over many years. Yet, CFD will make full use of every increase in computer power of this century. Increasingly, CFD will compete with flight tests, not just with wind tunnels, and will be validated by flight tests. Integration with other disciplines will allow us to predict crucial phenomena such as flutter, sonic fatigue, and pilot-induced oscillations. A gap will remain at any time between the phenomena amenable to a ‘grand challenge’ calculation and those amenable to a fully CFD-based design process, because certification involves thousands of conditions. The highest demand currently is in community and cabin noise for which industrial-accuracy methods are non-existent. On the other hand, gratifying progress has occurred in the area of stall and spin.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2003 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Voller, R.V. and Porté-Agel, F., Moore’s law and numerical modelling, J Comp Phys, 2002, 179, pp 698703.Google Scholar
2. Travin, A., Shur, M., Strelets, M. and Spalart, P.R., Detached-eddy simulations past a circular cylinder, J Flow, Turb & Comb, 2000, 63, pp 293313.Google Scholar
3. Spalart, P.R., Strategies for turbulence modelling and simulations. J Heat Fluid Flow, 1999, 21, pp 252263.Google Scholar
4. Tinoco, E.N., The changing role of computational fluid dynamics in aircraft development, AIAA, 1998, Paper 98-2512.Google Scholar
5. Forsythe, J.R., Squires, K.D., Wurtzler, K.E. and Spalart, P.R., Detached-eddy simulation of fighter aircraft at high alpha, AIAA Paper 2002-0591.Google Scholar
6. Rogers, S., Cao, H., Slotnick, J., Roth, K., Whitlock, M. and Baker, M.D., Computation of viscous flow for a Boeing 777 aircraft in landing configuration, AIAA paper 2000-4221.Google Scholar
7. Nield, B.N., An Overview of the Boeing 777 high-lift aerodynamic design, Aeronaut J 1995, 99, 989, pp 361–71.Google Scholar
8. Shur, M.L., Spalart, P.R., Strelets, M. Kh. and Travin, A.K., Towards the prediction of noise from jet engines. 5th Int. Symp. Eng. Turb. Modelling and Measurements, 1618 September, 2002, Mallorqua. To appear, J Heat & Fluid Flow.Google Scholar
9. Gloerfelt, X., Bailly, C. and Juve, D., Noise radiated by a subsonic cavity flow and application of integral methods. J Sound Vib, 2003.Google Scholar
10. Hedges, L.S., Travin, A. and Spalart, P.R., Detached-eddy simulations over a simplified landing gear. J Fluids Eng, 2002 124, 2, pp 413423.Google Scholar
11. Strelets, M., Detached Eddy Simulation of massively separated flows. AIAA Paper 2001-0879.Google Scholar
12. Spalart, P.R., Jou, W.-H., Strelets, M. and Allmaras, S.R., Comments on the feasibility of LES for wings, and on a hybrid RANS/LES approach (invited). First AFOSR International Conference on DNS/LES, 48 August, 1997, Ruston, Louisiana. In Advances in DNS/LES, Liu, C. and Liu, Z. (Eds), Greyden Press, Columbus, OH.Google Scholar