Mach 6 Wake Flow Simulations Using a Large-Eddy Simulation/Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes Model

A hybrid large-eddy simulation/Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes turbulence model is used to simulate the Mach 6 flow around a scaled model similar to NASA’s Orion multipurpose crew vehicle. The results for surface pressure and heat transfer are compared with experimental data from previous base flow experiments conducted at the Calspan—University at Buffalo Research Center. Using the highest Reynolds number test case (11×106 based on capsule diameter), different numerical aspects of the hybrid approach are addressed, such as use of a low-dissipation scheme, a modification to the eddy-viscosity blending function, time-averaging results, filtering computational results, and sensitivity to grid resolution. In addition, results are compared with Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes using Menter’s two-equation baseline model and to detached-eddy simulation predictions. By introducing a new modification to the blending from Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes to large-eddy simulation within boundary layers, very good agr...