An Entropy-Assisted Shielding Function in DDES Formulation for the SST Turbulence Model

The intent of shielding functions in delayed detached-eddy simulation methods (DDES) is to preserve the wall boundary layers as Reynolds-averaged Navier–Strokes (RANS) mode, avoiding possible modeled stress depletion (MSD) or even unphysical separation due to grid refinement. An entropy function f s is introduced to construct a DDES formulation for the k-ω shear stress transport (SST) model, whose performance is extensively examined on a range of attached and separated flows (flat-plate flow, circular cylinder flow, and supersonic cavity-ramp flow). Two more forms of shielding functions are also included for comparison: one that uses the blending function F2 of SST, the other which adopts the recalibrated shielding function f d_cor of the DDES version based on the Spalart-Allmaras (SA) model. In general, all of the shielding functions do not impair the vortex in fully separated flows. However, for flows including attached boundary layer, both F2 and the recalibrated f d_cor are found to be too conservative to resolve the unsteady flow content. On the other side, f s is proposed on the theory of energy dissipation and independent on from any particular turbulence model, showing the generic priority by properly balancing the need of reserving the RANS modeled regions for wall boundary layers and generating the unsteady turbulent structures in detached areas.