On the robustness and accuracy of large-eddy simulation in predicting complex internal flow of a gas-turbine combustor

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of numerical and model setups on the large-eddy simulation (LES) predictive capability for the internal flow of a propulsion-relevant configuration. The specific focus is placed on assessing the LES technique with lower mesh resolutions, which is of technological relevance to practical industrial design. A set of Riemann flux formulations and commonly used subgrid-scale models are considered in this work to produce a hierarchy of LES setups with different dissipation effects (both numerically and physically). The LES results obtained from different setups are compared qualitatively in terms of the key flow characteristics and evaluated quantitatively against the experimental measurements. The error landscape is generated to reveal the predictive qualities of different LES setups. The study shows that the choice of numerical flux formulation plays a prominent role in governing the general flow patterns, while the effect of subgrid-scale model is mainly manifested in transient flow characteristics, such as vortex breakdown and swirl-induced vortical structures. Based on the error analysis, it is found that lower dissipative LES setup is not always beneficial to the LES accuracy. This is in contrast to the commonly accepted understanding in literature for the LES, which was established solely with canonical flow configurations