Aerodynamics Analysis of NASA Common Research Model Using BCM-TAS Coupling Flow Solver

Abstract

In this study, the aerodynamic performance of NASA Common Research Model (wing-body configuration) was analyzed by coupling a Cartesian mesh CFD solver of Building-Cube Method (BCM) and an unstructured mesh CFD solver of Tohoku University Aerodynamic Simulation (TAS) codes. The thin boundary layer was handled by the unstructured body-fitted mesh near wall, while the vortical wake was effectively resolved by the multi-level Cartesian mesh of BCM. The computational results were compared with those of the transonic wind tunnel tests for validation. The lift and drag coefficients as well as pressure coefficient around wing sections were comparable with the experimental and numerical results by other participants. In addition, the advantage of the multi-level Cartesian mesh was presented by the sharply captured wake in the present simulation. It is confirmed that results of the BCM-TAS Coupling Flow Solver is generally agreed well with the experimental data in aerodynamic predictions and wake analyses.