A critical study on the influence of far field boundary conditions on the pressure distribution around a bluff body

Siva Parameswaran, Ramesh Andra, Richard Sun, Mark Gleason

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

A computational model is developed to help the automotive design engineer to optimize the body shape with minimum wind tunnel testing. Unsteady, Reynolds-averaged, Navier Stokes equations are solved numerically by a finite-volume method and applied to study the flow around a 3/8th scale model of 1994 Intrepid. The standard k-ε model is employed to model the turbulence in the flow. The finite volume equations are formulated in a strong conservative form on a three-dimensional, unstructured grid system. The resulting equations are then solved by an implicit, time marching, pressure-correction based algorithm. The steady state solution is obtained by taking sufficient time steps until the flow field ceases to change with time within a prescribed tolerance. For the pressure-correction equation, preconditioned conjugate gradient method is employed to obtain the solution. Numerical predictions were obtained with two different boundary conditions at the far field: (a) no flow across this boundary (b) the gradient of any variable normal to this boundary was set to zero. Drag predictions obtained with boundary condition (b) was in good agreement with the available experimental data.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)117-127
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics
Volume67-68
DOIs
StatePublished - 1997

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'A critical study on the influence of far field boundary conditions on the pressure distribution around a bluff body'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this