A robust intermittency equation formulation for transition modeling in Spalart-Allmaras RANS simulations of airfoil flows across a wide range of Reynolds numbers

Abstract: This paper introduces a new robust formulation for local correlation-based laminar-to-turbulent transition models. This mechanism is incorporated into Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations, coupled with the Spalart-Allmaras (SA) turbulence model, considering both $\gamma$ and $\gamma$-${\widetilde{\mathrm{Re}}{\theta,t}}$ transition frameworks. In this context, special attention is placed on numerical stabilization of the $\gamma$ transport equation, which is identified as the root cause of instabilities observed in both $\gamma$ and $\gamma$-${\widetilde{\mathrm{Re}}{\theta,t}}$ based models. To this end, the intermittency equation is reformulated in logarithmic form and further stabilized through an energy--based limiting to bound excessively high positive values. In order to suppress unphysical pressure oscillations in the transition region, a gradient--driven artificial viscosity is also introduced. Additionally, the SA equation is augmented with strain--rate modulated production and rotation correction terms. The presented approach has demonstrated consistent effectiveness and robustness in the simulation of flow fields around airfoils over a wide range of Reynolds numbers, making it suitable for practical aerodynamic design applications.