Application of different turbulence models for duct flow simulation with reduced and full Navier-Stokes equations

An S-shaped diffusing duct flow is analysed with various turbulence models: standard high-Reynolds-number k-ε model with wall functions, a low-Reynolds-number k-ε model, and an explicit non-linear algebraic Reynolds stress closure model (ASM). In addition, computations were obtained with parabolic and partially-parabolic approximations along with solutions of the full Navier-Stokes equations. Results of the numerical simulation are compared with LDA measurements of the turbulent flow as reported by Whitelaw and Yu (1993). Detailed comparisons of mean velocity and Reynolds stress distributions are presented. It is shown that the partially-parabolic approach gives a significant improvement over parabolic approximation in predicting mean velocities and pressure distributions. However, the turbulence models used are still not able to reproduce all the observed flow features, although the ASM results appear to be slightly but consistently closer to the experimental data.