Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 July 2016
A computational method to predict the viscous transonic flow development around two-dimensional aerofoil sections is described. The Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations applicable to turbulent flow are discretised in space using a cell-centred finite-volume formulation. A multi-stage, explicit, time-marching scheme is used to advance the unsteady flow equations in time to a steady-state solution. Turbulence closure is achieved using either the Baldwin-Lomax algebraic model, or a one-equation model based on the turbulent kinetic energy equation. This latter equation is solved using essentially identical procedures to those for the mean-flow equations. Results are presented for the RAE 2822, RAE 5225, CAST 7 and MBB-A3 transonic aerofoil sections. The relative performance and limitations of the two turbulence models are discussed.