Questions about a Turbulent Flat Plate Case
 

I'm trying to validate a user-defined turbulence model. As a baseline, I'm generating results using the Spalart-Allmaras, k-e, and k-w turbulence models for a turbulent flat plate. Freestream velocity is 1.46 m/s, with the molecular viscosity dropped to about 1.5e-7.

The plate is 1m long, with 0.2m in front of the plate and 0.2m behind the plate, both defined by the 'symmetry' boundary condition. At the symmetry boundaries upstream and downstream of the plate, the cases are showing very high turublence kinetic energy. Is that right? Can anyone explain why I'm seeing this?

Here's a contour plot of k: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

Thanks!


http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

I will give you my thoughts: so if you have a symmetry condition in front the plate, you have a stagnation point at the tip of your plate. that, might cause turbulence upstream. I assume you applied the no slip condition at the plate surface. So you will have a laminar sublayer which by definition has no turbulence. That might explain the low turbulence above the plate. Downstream the plate you have free air flow again an turbulence can spread. Did you use any wall functions? greets holger

Thanks for your response - with the k-e model I'm using enhanced wall functions. y+ is below 1 though (99% of the wall cells are at about y+ = 0.5.) I'm seeing similar k contours for the k-w model as well, and I'm not using wall functions for that case. The wall does have a no-slip BC. I expected no turbulence in the laminar sublayer, but there doesn't seem to be any appreciable buildup of turbulence in the log layer, which I find surprising.