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Examination of wall functions for a Parabolized Navier-Stokes code for supersonic flow

Alsbrooks, T.H.

Solutions from a Parabolized Navier-Stokes (PNS) code with an algebraic turbulence model are compared with wall functions. The wall functions represent the turbulent flow profiles in the viscous sublayer, thus removing many grid points from the solution procedure. The wall functions are intended to replace the computed profiles between the body surface and a match point in the logarithmic region. A supersonic adiabatic flow case was examined first. This adiabatic case indicates close agreement between computed velocity profiles near the wall and the wall function for a limited range of suitable match points in the logarithmic region. In an attempt to improve marching stability, a laminar to turbulent transition routine was implemented at the start of the PNS code. Implementing the wall function with the transitional routine in the PNS code is expected to reduce computational time while maintaining good accuracy in computed skin friction.