CFD modelling of free-flight and auto-rotation of plate type debris

B. Kakimpa, D.M. Hargreaves, J.S. Owen, P. Martinez-Vazquez, C.J. Baker, M. Sterling and A.D. Quinn

Abstract

This paper describes the use of coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Rigid Body Dynamics (RBD) in modelling the aerodynamic behaviour of wind-borne plate type objects. Unsteady 2D and 3D Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) CFD models are used to simulate the unsteady and non-uniform flow field surrounding static, forced rotating, auto-rotating and free-flying plates. The auto-rotation phenomenon itself is strongly influenced by vortex shedding, and the realisable k-epsilon turbulence modelling approach is used, with a second order implicit time advancement scheme and equal or higher order advection schemes for the flow variables. Sequentially coupling the CFD code with a RBD solver allows a more detailed modelling of the Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) behaviour of the plate and how this influences plate motion. The results are compared against wind tunnel experiments on auto-rotating plates and an existing 3D analytical model.

Key Words

CFD; autorotation; windborne debris; fluid-structure interaction.

Address

B. Kakimpa; Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK D.M. Hargreaves; Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK J.S. Owen; Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK P. Martinez-Vazquez; School of Civil Engineering, The University of Birmingham,Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK C.J. Baker; School of Civil Engineering, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK M. Sterling; School of Civil Engineering, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK A.D. Quinn; School of Civil Engineering, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK

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