What is Detached Eddy Simulation?

The unsteady RANS equations are applicable to transient situations where the unsteadiness is either imposed, such as by a time-varying boundary condition, or is inherent, such as the vortex shedding in a massively separated flow. In the latter case, transient simulations often yield better results than attempting use a steady-state approach. However, successful unsteady RANS simulations require that the time scales of the turbulence be disparate from the mean-flow unsteadiness. Furthermore, the limitations of the turbulence model may preclude good unsteady results. Detached eddy simulation (DES) is a hybrid modeling approach that combines features of Reynolds-Averaged (RANS) simulation in some parts of the flow and large eddy simulation (LES) in others. DES turbulence models are set up so that shear layers are solved using a base RANS closure model. However, the turbulence model is intrinsically modified so that, if the grid is fine enough, it will emulate a basic subgrid scale model. In this way, one gets the best of both worlds: a RANS simulation in the shear layers and an LES simulation in the unsteady separated regions. While the technology holds great promise for certain types of simulations, it must be cautioned that DES is not the answer to all turbulence modeling problems. The creation of suitable grids is something of an art, and an unsteady simulation is required, with statistics gathered to obtain a mean field as in a LES. Field function monitors are provided in STAR-CCM+ to monitor the field statistics.