Numerical prediction of wall-bounded flows with low-Reynolds k − ε turbulence models

In this paper, we present a numerical model for the simulation of turbulent flows. The numerics rely on a three-dimensional upwind compressible solver which applies to tetrahedrisations. The accuracy in boundary layers is increased by a new type of tetrahedrisation. The Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations are solved by using a mixed finite element-volume method for spatial discretisation. The linear low-Reynolds turbulence models of Goldberg et al., and a nonlinear extension, are implemented with this numerical technique. The computational results of both turbulent channel flow and a backward-facing step flow are compared to experimental data.