EU Project ATAAC

EU project ATAAC

Advanced Turbulence Simulation for Aerodynamic Application Challenges

The ATAAC project aims at improvements to CFD methods for aerodynamic flows used in today's aeronautical industry. The accuracy of these is limited by insufficient capabilities of the turbulence modelling/simulation approaches available, especially at the high Reynolds numbers typical of real-life flows. As LES will not be affordable for such flows in the next 4 decades, ATAAC focusses on Differential Reynolds Stress Models (DRSMs), advanced Unsteady RANS models, Scale-Adaptive Simulation (SAS), Wall Modelled LES and different hybrid RANS-LES coupling schemes.

The resources of the project will be concentrated exclusively on flows for which the current models fail to provide sufficient accuracy, eg. in stalled flows, high-lift applications, swirling flows (delta wings, trailing vortices), buffet etc. The assessment and improvement process will follow thoroughly conceived roadmaps linking practical goals with corresponding industrial application challenges and with modelling/simulation issues through "stepping stones" represented by appropriate generic test cases.

Objectives

The final goals of ATAAC are:

• To recommend one, or at most two, "best" DRSMs for conventional RANS and URANS
• To provide a small set of hybrid RANS-LES and SAS methods that can be used as "reference" turbulence-resolving approaches in future CFD design tools.
• To formulate clear indications of areas of applicability and uncertainty of these approaches for aerodynamic applications in industrial CFD.

In contributing to reliable industrial CFD tools, ATAAC will have a direct impact on the predictive capabilities in design and optimisation, and directly contribute to the development of greener aircraft.