Abstract
The purpose of this dissertation was to shed insight on the turbulence modelling
by way of evaluating the performance of three turbulence models: the
k − ǫ, the k − ω, and k − ω SST models. The evaluation involved simulating
how these models accomplished successful modelling of turbulence around a
NACA 0018 aerofoil at various angles of attack in the OpenFOAM software
package.
Utilising a C-grid mesh by virtue of blockMesh, a mesh with a near optimal
aspect ratio was achieved. To gain further insight, the mesh was refined after
the first phase of simulations to observe any further changes in the fluid flow’s
patterns
A total of 25 simulations were executed and at the end the k − ω SST model
was found to be the best performer for the criteria of modelling turbulence. In
the field of turbulence modelling, the k − ω SST model provided a hybridised
approach at resolving far-field vortices as well as boundary layer transitioning
to turbulence.