Abstract
Steady-state Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations are presented for the three-dimensional flow over a simplified tractor-trailer geometry at zero degrees yaw angle. The simulations are conducted using the SACCARA multi-block, structured CFD code. Two turbulence closure models are employed: the one-equation Spalart-Allmaras model and the two-equation k-ω model of Menter. The discretization error is estimated by employing two grid levels: a fine mesh of approximately 20 million grid points and a coarse mesh of approximately 2.5 million grid points. Simulation results are compared to the experimental data obtained at the NASA-Ames 7×10 ft wind tunnel. Quantities compared include: surface pressures on the tractor/trailer, vehicle drag, and time-averaged velocities in the base region behind the trailer. The results indicate that both turbulence models are able to accurately capture the surface pressure on the vehicle, with the exception of the base region. The Menter k-ω model does a reasonable job of matching the experimental data for base pressure and velocities in the near wake, and thus gives an accurate prediction of the drag. The Spalart-Allmaras model significantly underpredicted the base pressure, thereby overpredicting the vehicle drag.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
McCallen R, Couch R, Hsu J, Browand F, Hammache M, Leonard A, Brady M, Salari K, Rutledge W, Ross J, Storms B, Heineck JT, Driver D, Bell J, Zilliac G (1999) Progress in reducing aerodynamic drag for higher efficiency of heavy duty trucks (class 7–8). SAE Paper 1999–01–2238.
Menter FR (1994) Two-equation eddy-viscosity turbulence models for engineering applications. AIAA Journal 32: 1598–1605
Roe PL (1981) Approximate Riemann solvers, parameter vectors, and difference schemes. Journal of Computational Physics 43: 357–372
Roy CJ, McWherter-Payne MA, Oberkampf WL (2000) Verification and validation for laminar hypersonic flowfields. AIAA Paper 2000–2550
Spalart PR, Allmaras SR. (1994) A one-equation turbulence model for aerodynamic flows. La Recherche Aerospatiale 1: 5–21
Storms BL, Ross JC, Heineck JT, Walker SM, Driver DM, Zilliac GG (2001) An experimental study of the ground transportation system (GTS) model in the NASA Ames 7- by 10-ft wind tunnel. NASA TM-2001–209621.
Wong CC, Soetrisno M, Blottner FG, Imlay ST, Payne JL (1995) PINCA: a scalable parallel program for compressible gas dynamics with nonequilibrium chemistry. Sandia National Laboratories Report SAND 94–2436, Albuquerque, NM
Yee HC (1987) Implicit and symmetric shock capturing schemes. NASA-TM-89464
Yoon S, Jameson A (1988) An LU-SSOR scheme for the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations. AIAA Paper 87–0600
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2004 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Roy, C., Payne, J., McWherter-Payne, M., Salari, K. (2004). RANS Simulations of a Simplified Tractor/Trailer Geometry. In: McCallen, R., Browand, F., Ross, J. (eds) The Aerodynamics of Heavy Vehicles: Trucks, Buses, and Trains. Lecture Notes in Applied and Computational Mechanics, vol 19. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-44419-0_21
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-44419-0_21
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-53586-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-44419-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive