CFD with Coupled Unsteady Rigid Body Motion and Automated Grid Adaptation for Aerodynamic Applications

摘要

The coupling of rigid body motion (RBM) and automated grid adaptation has been investigated in the utilization of CFD modeling for certain configurations including the Common Research Model (CRM), the Delta Wing, the Generic Missile, and the Finner Missile. Two major areas of focus for this investigation are the following: the potential speed-up and improvement in accuracy. The efficacy of the coupling method has been examined for the simulations of each configuration undergoing pitching motion or being positioned at various angles of attack. Rigid body motion (RBM) can be effective in such modeling situations. RBM can simulate the pitching via the rotation of the CFD grid. However, there can be times when further improvement in the accuracy of the solution could be obtained by adapting the grid as it rotates. The overall efficacy of the coupling of the RBM with automated grid adaptation can be dependent on the particular geometric configuration and its flight condition. The effectiveness of the coupling with regards to grid size, solution convergence, and solution details was investigated. The coupling of the two methods can show the potential for an overall automated CFD process, which can improve throughput and accuracy of CFD utilization, in particular, in complex, dynamic processes. For an angle-of-attack (AOA) sweep with RBM for a configuration, an additional speed-up of approximately 4 times was obtained from the integration of automated grid adaptation.