A Fast, Grid-Free Vortex Method for Aerodynamic Separation and Turbulence

Turbulent flow modeling constitutes the primary the primary means by which aerodynamic flows associated with aircraft design and performance are analyzed. Traditional turbulence models, which attempt to capture the physics of the Reynolds stress correlation, are not capable of predicting flow in such complex situations as high-lift, advanced configurations, Reynolds number sensitivity of separation progression, noise generation by unsteady separated flows, among many others.KTI proposes here to employ a grid-free, vortex-based methodology for the simulations of complex, low-speed, turbulent aerodynamic flows. Our innovative approach represents a fundamentally different methodology compared to existing techniques which are based on Reynolds-averagedNavier-Stokes solutions.Recent work by KTI has shown how high-Reynolds number, incompressible turbulent flows in a number of complex settings have been successfully simulated using the new methodology. In this project, the flow over a NASA-benchmark, high-lift configuration will be simulated and compared to experimental data in an attempt to prove the feasibility of the new methodology in predicting complex aerodynamic phenomena. During Phase II, we will continue the development, testing, and validation of the code across a wide range of aerodynamic applications.