The growing application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to railway aerodynamics is described. After cautioning against overselling the capabilities of CFD codes, a review is presented of the more significant computational work undertaken in this field. Three recent applications of CFD are examined: (a) a high-speed rail vehicle in a cross-wind; (b) cross-flow impingement on a freight vehicle in the Channel Tunnel; (c) the temperature environment in a stationary passenger train. Comparative experimental data are offered for each of the above. An analysis of these applications is used to derive a promising strategy for the practical application of CFD.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
LeschzinerM. A.Modelling engineering flows with Reynolds stress turbulence closure. J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn.1990, 35, 21–47.
2.
MehtaU. B.Some aspects of uncertainty in computational fluid dynamics results. Trans. ASME, J. Fluids Eng., 1991, 113, 538–543.
3.
TaylorC.Numerical simulation of flow and heat transfer within turbine blade coolant passages. From Seminar on Computational fluid dynamics: validating codes against experiment, 11 October 1992, Energy and Thermofluid Mechanics Group, Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
4.
MarkatosN. C.Computational fluid flow capabilities and software. Iron Steelmaking, 1989, 16, 266–273.
5.
LakshminarayanaB.An assessment of computational fluid dynamic techniques in the analysis and design of turbomachinery-The 1990 Freeman Scholar Lecture. Trans. ASME, J. Fluids Eng., 1991, 113, 315–352.
6.
MorrowT. B.Prediction of the aerodynamic pressure distribution for vehicles moving near the ground. Aerodynamics of Transportation, Joint ASME-CSME Applied Mechanics, Fluid Engineering and Bioengineering Conference, Niagra Falls, June 18–20, 1979, pp. 153–164 (ASME, New York, USA).
7.
CopleyJ. M.The three-dimensional flow around railway trains. J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn., 1987, 26, 21–52.
8.
ChiuT. W.A two-dimensional second-order vortex panel method for the flow in a cross-wind over a train and other two-dimensional bluff bodies. J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn., 1991, 37, 43–64.
9.
HensonD. A.LowndesJ. F. L.The effects of pressure transients on the design of railway tunnels. Paper B1, Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on the Aerodynamics and ventilation of vehicle tunnels (ISAVVT), Sheffield, March 1979, pp. 37–46 (BHRA Engineering, Cranfield, Bedford).
10.
VardyA. E.Initial design considerations for rail tunnel aerodynamics and thermodynamics. Paper H2, Proceedings of the 4th ISAVVT, York, March 1982, pp. 353–366 (BHRA Engineering, Cranfield, Bedford).
11.
WoodsW. A.PopeC. W.A generalized flow prediction method for the unsteady flow generated by a train in a single-track tunnel. Aerodynamics of Transportation, Joint ASME-CSME Applied Mechanics, Fluid Engineering and Bioengineering Conference, Niagara Falls, 18–20 June, 1979, pp. 137–152 (ASME, New York, USA).
12.
PopeC. W.WoodsW. A.Transient pressures inside passenger trains travelling through tunnels. Paper A1, Proceedings 6th ISAVVT, Durham, September 1988, pp. 3–22 (BHRA Engineering, Cranfield, Bedford).
13.
MedwellJ. O.TaylorC.PopeC. W.Numerical analysis of the flow around the rear of a long vehicle in a tunnel. Paper C4, Proceedings of the 4th ISAVVT, York, March 1982, pp. 137–150 (BHRA Engineering, Cranfield, Bedford).
14.
AnonymousApplicability of computational fluid dynamics to railway aerodynamic problems. Question C179, Report RP1, October 1990 [Office for Research and Experiments (ORE), International Union of Railways, Utrecht, The Netherlands].
15.
CailleP.Review of computational flow dynamics techniques and of their applicability in the field or railway aerodynamics. Technical Document DT228, February 1990 [Office for Research and Experiments (ORE), International Union of Railways, Utrecht, The Netherlands].
16.
PopeC. W.JohnsonT.Critical appraisal of 3 independent CFD approaches to the modelling of two complex train airflow situations. Technical Document DT229, April 1990 [Office for Research and Experiments (ORE), International Union of Railways, Utrecht, The Netherlands].
17.
GaylardA. P.JohnsonT.CFD investigation of train roof flows. Technical Document DT258 (C179), July 1992 [European Rail Research Institute (ERRI), Utrecht, The Netherlands].
18.
GaylardA. P.Fire simulation using the FLUENT code (unpublished report), March 1991 (British Rail Research, Derby, UK).
19.
GaylardA. P.JohnsonT.Near-field prediction of fire generated smoke and air flows (unpublished report). February 1992 (British Rail Research, Derby, UK).
20.
AïtaS.TabbalA.MestreauE.MontmayeurN.MasbernatF.WolfhugelY. F.DumasJ. C.CFD aerodynamics of the French high-speed train. SAE Technical Paper 920343, February 1992.
21.
PatankarS. V.Numerical heat transfer and fluid flow, 1980 (Hemisphere Publishing, Washington D.C., USA).
22.
GawthorpeR. G.PopeC. W.Aerodynamic aspects of train design for operation through the Channel Tunnel. IMechE Conference on Train technology for the Tunnel, 1992, Paper C451/003, pp. 1–14 (Mechanical Engineering Publications, London).
23.
SchlichtingH.Boundary-layer theory, 1968, p. 563 (McGraw-Hill, New York, USA).
24.
LeonardB. P.A stable and accurate convective modelling procedure based on quadratic upstream interpolation. Comp. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng., 1979, 19, 59–98.
25.
FordR.Matching environmental systems to passenger needs. IMechE Conference on Rail vehicles for passengers, Bristol, 1988, paper C486/88, pp. 147–153 (Mechanical Engineering Publications, London).
26.
YakhotV.OrszagS. A.Renormalization group analysis of turbulence, I, Basic theory. J. Sci. Comp., 1986, 1, 1–51.
27.
YakhotV.OrszagS. A.ThanghamS.GatskiT. B.SpezialeC. G.Development of turbulence models for shear flows by a double expansion technique. Phys. Fluids, Part A, 1992, 4, 1510–1520.
28.
BoysanH. F.Renormalization group theory based turbulence models and their application to industrial problems. IMechE Conference on Engineering applications of computational fluid dynamics, London, 1993, paper C461/035, pp. 43–47 (Mechanical Engineering Publications, London).
