A Study of Various Turbulence Models Applied to Steady-state Intake Airflow.

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of turbulence models on calculated flow patterns and to ascertain the features of each model. The standard k-ε model, improved k-ε models (RNG k-ε and Chen-Kim k-ε models) and Large Eddy Simulation (LES) were applied to a backward facing step flow and a simplified steady-state intake airflow in an automotive engine. The LES results were consistent with the in-cylinder flow pattern obtained experimentally. The improved k-ε models corrected overgeneration of turbulence in an impinging flow and a strong shear flow. Among these k-ε models, the RNG k-ε model showed better agreement with the experimental results and had a distribution of turbulent kinetic energy similar to the LES calculation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]