Numerical Study of Three-Dimensional Compressible Flow Structure Within an S-Duct for Aircraft Engine Inlet

Three-dimensional compressible turbulent flow fields within the passage of a diffusing S-duct have been simulated by solving the Navier-Stokes equations with SIMPLE scheme. The average inlet Mach number is 0.6 and the Reynolds number based on the inlet diameter is $1.76{\times}10^6$ The extended $k-{\varepsilon}$ turbulence model is applied to modeling the Reynolds stresses. Computed results of the flow in a circular diffusing S-duct provide an understanding of the flow structure within a typical engine inlet system. These are compared with experimental wall static-pressure, total-pressure fields, and secondary velocity profiles. Additionally, boundary layer thickness, skin friction values, and streamlines in the symmetric plane are presented. The computed results depict the interaction between the low energy flow by the flow separation and the high energy flow by the reversed duct curvature. The computed results obtained using the extended $k-{\varepsilon}$ turbulence model.