Transition prediction for three-dimensional flows using parallel computation

A computational method to predict transition lines for general three-dimensional configurations is presented. The method consists of a coupled program system including a 3D Navier-Stokes solver, a transition module, a boundary layer code and a stability code. The newly developed transition module has been adapted to be used with parallel computation to account for the high computational demand for three-dimensional configurations. Detailed computations have been performed to show the ability of the Navier-Stokes code to provide three-dimensional boundary layer data of high accuracy needed for the stability analysis. A comprehensive investigation on general computational and parallel performance identifies the numerical effort for the transition prediction method. The procedure has been validated comparing the numerical results with experiments for the flow around an inclined prolate spheroid. Feasibility studies on generic transport aircraft have been performed to show the code’s capability to predict transition lines on general complex geometries.