Towards best practice recommendations for turbulence modelling of high-pressure homogenizer outlet chambers – Numerical validation using DNS data

•Accurate description of the flow inside emulsification devices is crucial.•This study compares LES and RANS predictions to DNS validation data for an HPH.•Both LES and RANS are able to predict the general outline of the flow.•LES shows slightly better performance than RANS in predicting dissipation rates.•Low computational cost of RANS keeps it an interesting supplementary tool.