Partially-Averaged Navier–Stokes simulations of flows around two different Ahmed bodies

•Flow around two Ahmed body flows was predicted using technique of Partially Averaged Navies–Stokes (PANS).•Two different Reynolds numbers and two different angles of the rear end of the body are studied.•Comparison of the PANS results with the experimental data and LES results showed good agreement.•PANS simulations show clear advantage compared to the reference LES simulations.

The paper reports a study about the prediction of flows around simplified vehicles using Partially-Averaged Navier–Stokes (PANS). Numerical simulations are performed for two simplified vehicles: a slanted-back Ahmed body at Re = 30,000 and a squared-back Ahmed body at Re = 300,000. A comparison of the resolved and modeled physical flow scales is made with corresponding LES and experimental data for a better understanding of the performance of the PANS model. The PANS model is compared for coarse and fine grid resolutions and it is indicated that even a coarse-grid PANS simulation is able to produce fairly close flow predictions to those from a well-resolved LES simulation. The results indicate the possibility of improvement of the predictions by employing a finer grid resolution.