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The aerodynamic properties of a BMW car model, representing a 40%-scaled model of a relevant car configuration, are studied computationally by means of the Unsteady RANS (Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes) and Hybrid RANS/LES (Large-Eddy Simulation) approaches. The reference database (geometry, operating parameters and surface pressure distribution) are adopted from an experimental investigation carried out in the wind tunnel of the BMW Group in Munich (Schrefl, 2008). The present computational study focuses on validation of some recently developed turbulence models for unsteady flow computations in conjunction with the universal wall treatment combining integration up to the wall and high Reynolds number wall functions in such complex flow situations. The turbulence model adopted in both Unsteady RANS and PANS (Partially-Averaged Navier Stokes) frameworks is the four-equation ζ − f formulation of Hanjalic et al. (2004) based on the Elliptic Relaxation Concept (Durbin, 1991).

In the present work we investigated experimentally and computationally the unsteady flow around a BMW car model including wheels*. This simulation yields mean flow and turbulence fields, enabling the study aerodynamic coefficients (drag and lift coefficients, three-dimensional/spatial wall-pressure distribution) as well as some unsteady flow phenomena in the car wake (analysis of the vortex shedding frequency). Comparisons with experimental findings are presented. The computational approach used is based on solving the complete transient Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (TRANS) equations. Special attention is devoted to turbulence modelling and the near-wall treatment of turbulence. The flow calculations were performed using a robust, eddy-viscosity-based ζ - ƒ turbulence model in the framework of the elliptic relaxation concept and in conjunction with the universal wall treatment, combining integration up to the wall and wall functions.

The present work deals with a computational study of a ‘DrivAer’ car model, the rear-end shape of which corresponds to the Notchback configuration (Heft et al. [1] and Heft [2]). The study investigates the effects of the underbody geometry and wheel rotation on the aerodynamic performance. The configurations with detailed and smooth underbody as well as with stationary and rotating wheels are considered. The computational model applied relies on a VLES (Very Large Eddy Simulation) formulation, Chang et al. [3]. The residual turbulence related to the VLES framework is presently modelled by a RANS-based (Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes), four-equation (D(k,ɛ,ζ, f)/Dt) near-wall eddy-viscosity model, Hanjalic et al. [4].

A computational study of the vehicle aerodynamics influenced by the wake of the rotating wheel taking into account a detailed rim geometry is presently performed. The car configuration corresponds to a full-scale (1:1) notchback configuration of the well-known ‘DrivAer’ vehicle model, Heft et al. [1]. The objective of the present work is to investigate the performance of some popular turbulence models in conjunction with different methods for handling the wheel rotation – rotating wall velocity, ‘multiple reference frame’ and ‘sliding grid algorithm’. The specific focus hereby is on a near-wall RANS eddy-viscosity model based on elliptic-relaxation, sensitized to resolve fluctuating turbulence by introducing a specifically modeled production term in the scale-supplying equation, motivated by the Scale-Adaptive Simulation approach (SAS, [2]), proposed by Krumbein et al. [3].

The “Water Spider Geometry” (WSG) configuration, representing a newly developed reference test sample designed to suitably investigate the flow and heat transfer processes relevant to cooling systems of internal combustion engines, was computationally investigated by applying a recently proposed Reynolds Stress model called the “Elliptic-Blending Model” (EBM). The WSG configuration resembles a specifically configured pipe geometry that appropriately mimics the flow phenomena encountered in cooling channels of realistic internal combustion engine, such as flow impingement and bifurcation, multiple deflections and flow confluence. The reference database, consisting of mean flow and turbulence fields, was provided by a Large-Eddy Simulation. The EBM formulation has been intensively validated by calculating numerous isothermal wall-bounded flows. The present work focuses on testing the EBM predictive performances under the conditions of non-isothermal flow scenarios.