Extension of Spectral/hp Element Methods towards Robust Large-Eddy Simulation of Industrial Automotive Geometries

Abstract

A spectral/hp element methodology is utilised to investigate the SAE Notchback geometry with 20∘ backlight and 3∘ diffuser at Re=2.3×106. The study presented here considered two different mesh approaches: one focusing on classical h-type refinement with standard solution polynomial order (HFP3) and a second case considering relatively coarse mesh combined with high solution polynomial order (HCP5). For the same targeted number of degrees of freedom in both meshes, the results show significant differences in vorticity, flow structures and surface pressure. The first guidelines for hp refinement strategy are deduced for complex industrial cases. Further work on investigating the requirements for these hybrid techniques is required in order to maximize the benefits of the solution and mesh refinements in spectral/hp element method simulations.

Keywords

• spectral/hp element methods
• implicit LES
• vehicle aerodynamics
• automotive aerodynamics
• high-order methods