Modelling turbulent separated flow in the context of aerodynamic applications

This paper reviews some aspects of the foundation and application of turbulence models to flows that relate to aeronautical practice, with particular emphasis being placed on turbulence-transport models at a closure level higher than that based on the Boussinesq-viscosity hypothesis. Following a review of basic modelling issues, including aspects of linear-eddy-viscosity two-equation modelling, some recent experience and current work on predicting separation from continuous surfaces with non-linear eddy-viscosity models and second-moment closure are reported. The predictive performance of several anisotropy-resolving models is illustrated by reference to computational solutions for a number of flows, both two- and three-dimensional, some compressible and others incompressible.