Compressible Flow around an Aerial Structure by LES

Compressible Flow around an Aerial Structure, LES CFD Simulation, ANSYS Fluent Training

The problem simulates compressible flow around an aerial structure using ANSYS Fluent software.

The airflow moves horizontally with a temperature equal to 300 K and Mach number equal to 5 and at a pressure equal to atmospheric pressure in this computational area. The present model is designed in three dimensions using Design Modeler software.

The model includes an aerial structure inside the air stream, so the airflow as a computational area is shaped like a rectangular cube.

Due to the perfectly symmetrical structure of the geometric model, only half of the geometric model is designed, and the symmetry condition is used for the symmetry plane of the model.

We carry out the model’s meshing using ANSYS Meshing software, and the mesh type is unstructured. The element number is 5515041.

Aerial Structure Methodology

A density-based approach has been used to define the type of airflow solution around this aerial structure; Because the existing airflow is entirely compressible.

Density-based solution perspectives are commonly used to simulate models such as acoustic waves, shock wave phenomena, airfoils in ultrasonic waves, and any model in which density changes are significant.

In this model, a rectangular cube computational area around an aerial structure is designed; So that all its side walls have a pressure far-field boundary condition.

Also, the airflow in the model is defined as an ideal gas; density changes are a function of changes in pressure, velocity, and temperature, according to the ideal gas relationship. The solver is unsteady (Transient). Large Eddy Simulation (LES) is also applied for the model’s viscosity.

Aerial Structure Conclusion

At the end of the solution process, two-dimensional contours related to pressure, velocity, temperature, density, and Mach number are obtained.

The results show the compressibility of the airflow around the aerial structure; The density of the airflow around the air body changes significantly. This is due to changes in pressure and velocity in the areas around the airspace.