I am currently modeling a flow were the working fluid is super heated steam that is beyond the ideal gas assumption. I am already working on user defined properties from ASME steam tables to account for the non ideal gas nature of the flow (i.e. use actual steam table results). However, I have also heard that the wall functions and k-e turbulence models used in standard general purpose CFD codes may not be applicable to steam in this range. Has anyone ever heard of analysis, research, etc.. in this area. I have the ability to use user defined properites for the wall functions, etc.. in STAR-CD but need results from research etc.. for the property changes.

Jason, i'm sure someone in the mechanical systems lab (i used to work at CRD) can answer definitively. but turbulence doesn't depend on the fluid only the Reynold's number and flow situation. and since you probably don't have too much effect of bouyancy or heat transfer in your flow then if the turb model and wall fcns work for air then they should work for steam as well. unfortunately i haven't seen many papers on steam turbines in the literature, most of it is in gas turbines, but the ones i've seen didn't make any mention of special treatment because of steam. the ASME's journal of turbomachinery would be a good place to search if you want to check the literature.