# Which turbulence model: k-epsilon or k-omega?

I'm modelling a tidal harbour in Ansys Fluent and want to include a turbulence model in my simulation. I want to predict the water movements around a pontoon which is situated in the harbour. Which turbulence model should I use, a $k$-$\varepsilon$ model or a $k$-$\omega$ model?

The harbour is modelled as a rectangular ($120\times 80\times 6$ m LxWxH) box and the water flows in through an entrance channel ($40 \times 10 \times 6$ m). To simulation flow around a pontoon, a rectangular box ($40\times 3\times 5$ m) is placed at the long side of the harbour and water can flow around an underneath the pontoon. Velocities are 0.3 m/s and lower.

• What do you want to predict? Jun 10 '13 at 15:28
• I've added it to my question above, I want to see the water movements around the pontoon. Jun 11 '13 at 14:37
• Are you interested then in the forces on the pantoon? Seems like the free surface and buoyancy of the pantoon would be important. In any case, the scheme I have seen used the most is in Mellor, G. L. and T. Yamada, 1982: Developement of a turbulence closure model for geophysical fluid problems, Rev. Geophys. Space Phys., 20, 851-875. Jun 11 '13 at 16:53