Significance of the High Lift Prediction Workshop for the CFD Community

The High Lift Prediction Workshop (HLPW) is a landmark initiative within the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) community, aiming to advance high-fidelity simulations in high-lift aerodynamics. By addressing challenges in meshing, numerical methods, turbulence modeling, and computational performance, the workshop not only benchmarks existing capabilities but also drives innovation in predictive aerodynamic tools. Its focus on swept, medium-to-high aspect ratio wings in landing and takeoff configurations reflects the critical need for precision in these operational phases, where safety and performance are paramount. The HLPW initiative continues to shape the path forward for more reliable, consistent, and robust CFD methodologies, benefiting the entire aerospace industry.

Test Case 1: CRM-HL wing body (CRM-HL-WB) (Djeddi et al., 2025)

Accurate Meshing—A Cornerstone of Safe Aircraft Operations

One of the main challenges in aerospace engineering is accurately predicting an aircraft's performance outside cruise conditions, particularly during takeoff and landing. To ensure safe takeoffs and landings, aircraft are equipped with additional devices, such as flaps and slats, which adjust the wings into a high-lift configuration. Moreover, the aircraft operates close to stall (i.e., at maximum angle of attack) to further maximize lift at a reduced velocity. However, predicting the behavior of airflow in these scenarios—marked by boundary layer separations, vortex interactions, and wake formations—necessitates highly precise CFD models. Advanced meshing tools such as Fidelity Pointwise have proven instrumental in meeting these demands. Features such as automated boundary layer meshing and tailored vortex refinements play an important role in capturing complex aerodynamic behaviors efficiently, ensuring that simulations remain accurate and computationally feasible.

Test Cases from the 5^th HLPW

The 5th High-Lift Prediction Workshop employed various configurations based on the common research model – high lift (CRM-HL) geometry. The CRM-HL is a publicly available commercial transport aircraft model designed in a high-lift configuration, which has been utilized for CFD validation in several high-lift prediction workshops.

Three sets of required test cases were defined: Case 1 for Wing-Body Verification, Case 2 for configuration build-up, and Case 3 for examining Reynolds number effects. Test Case 2 centered around a four-level configuration build-up, aiming to investigate how specific components affect flow physics in critical areas and evaluate the current grid generation and CFD workflows' capacity to accommodate increased geometric fidelity. The geometries of the four configurations are illustrated in the image below.

Test Case 2: Build-up Configurations (Djeddi et al., 2025)

Each of these cases delivered valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities for enhancing CFD predictions, highlighting the need for advanced grid generation strategies to obtain reliable and high-fidelity results.

Capabilities of Fidelity Pointwise for Advanced Meshing

Innovative meshing solutions offered by Fidelity Pointwise are integral to addressing the unique challenges posed by varying CRM-HL configurations. Key capabilities of Pointwise include:

• Automatic boundary layer meshing: Enhances near-wall flow predictions with unparalleled accuracy, critical for analyzing drag and separation phenomena.
• Wake and vortex refinements: Delivers superior resolution of complex airflows, ensuring precision in regions like wing tips and flap edges.

Surface refinement at grid levels A through C (Djeddi et al., 2025)

• Flexible grid topologies: Accommodates diverse solver requirements, enabling optimal performance for different simulation environments.
• Automated workflows: Reduce meshing time for intricate designs while maintaining quality and repeatability.
• Mapped meshing for thin components: Improves robustness in simulations of physically narrow features, such as flaps and slats.
• Anisotropic stretching: Balances computational efficiency with accuracy by preserving fine details around curved surfaces.

Views of the unstructured volume mesh around the CRM-HL wing for the (a) Prism/Tet and (b) HexDominant/Voxel grid families (level B) (Djeddi, et al., 2025)

Fidelity Pointwise streamlines meshing processes and elevates the overall quality and reliability of CFD simulations in high-lift configurations.

HLPW: Beyond High-Lift Scenarios

The principles and methodologies advanced through HLPW extend beyond high-lift predictions. They are equally applicable to supersonic and hypersonic simulations, wind-tunnel testing, and hybrid CFD/experimental validation studies. By continually refining toolsets and approaches, the HLPW fosters innovation that benefits the broader aerospace engineering landscape, ensuring CFD technologies remain at the forefront of predictive accuracy and efficiency.

The continued success of the HLPW underscores its vital role within the CFD community, providing a unified platform to address shared challenges, establish best practices, and drive forward advancements in aerodynamic design and simulation. Future workshops are expected to broaden their impact, setting new standards for high-fidelity CFD modeling across diverse aerospace applications.

Reference

Reza Djeddi, Michael Malone, Samuel Afari, Erick Gantt, Claudio Pita, and Carolyn Woeber. "HLPW5: Summary of Unstructured Mesh Generation Efforts for Fixed-Grid RANS Analyses," AIAA 2025-0681. AIAA SCITECH 2025 Forum. January 2025.

For detailed information on how Fidelity Pointwise can help with meshing of high-lift configurations, read the AIAA conference paper HLPW5: Summary of Unstructured Mesh Generation Efforts for Fixed-Grid RANS Analyses