Numerical Simulation of the Drag Crisis on a Sphere Using a Scale-Resolving Approach

Abstract

The drag crisis in flow past a sphere is modeled within the framework of the recently formulated scale-resolving hybrid RANS−LES approach, which includes a semi-empirical model of laminar-turbulent transition. The calculations performed in a wide Reynolds number range show that the complex model used yields a qualitatively adequate description of all aspects of the drag crisis including such fine effects, as the growth of the side force oscillation amplitude at near-critical Reynolds numbers. At the same time, the results obtained indicate that very fine computation grids should be used for obtaining qualitatively accurate predictions of the critical Reynolds number and the details of laminar-turbulent transition in near-critical flow regimes.