Showing papers in "International Journal for Numerical Methods in Fluids in 1998"

Numerical analysis of breaking waves using the moving particle semi-implicit method

Abstract: SUMMARY The numerical method used in this study is the moving particle semi-implicit (MPS) method, which is based on particles and their interactions. The particle number density is implicitly required to be constant to satisfy incompressibility. A semi-implicit algorithm is used for two-dimensional incompressible non-viscous flow analysis. The particles whose particle number densities are below a set point are considered as on the free surface. Grids are not necessary in any calculation steps. It is estimated that most of computation time is used in generation of the list of neighboring particles in a large problem. An algorithm to enhance the computation speed is proposed. The MPS method is applied to numerical simulation of breaking waves on slopes. Two types of breaking waves, plunging and spilling breakers, are observed in the calculation results. The breaker types are classified by using the minimum angular momentum at the wave front. The surf similarity parameter which separates the types agrees well with references. Breaking waves are also calculated with a passively moving float which is modelled by particles. Artificial friction due to the disturbed motion of particles causes errors in the flow velocity distribution which is shown in comparison with the theoretical solution of a cnoidal wave. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Low-Reynolds-number flow around a square cylinder at incidence: study of blockage, onset of vortex shedding and outlet boundary condition

Abstract: Calculations of unsteady 2D flow around a square cylinder at incidence (α=0°−45°) are presented. The Reynolds numbers are low (Re=45–200) so that the flow is presumably laminar. A von Karman vortex sheet is predicted behind the cylinders with a periodicity which agrees well with experiments. An incompressible SIMPLEC code is used with a non-staggered grid arrangement. A third-order QUICK scheme is used for the convective terms. The time discretization is implicit and a second-order Crank–Nicolson scheme is employed. At the outlet of the computational domain a convective Sommerfeld boundary condition is compared with a traditional Neumann condition. The convective boundary condition is shown to be more effective in reducing the CPU time, reducing the upstream influence of the outlet and thus reducing the necessary downstream extent of the domain. A study of the effects of spatial resolution and blockage is also provided. The onset of vortex shedding is investigated by using the Stuart–Landau equation at various angles of incidence and for a solid blockage of 5%. A number of quantities such as Strouhal number and drag, lift and moment coefficients are calculated. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Large eddy simulation of the subcritical flow past a circular cylinder: numerical and modeling aspects

Abstract: SUMMARY The turbulent flow past a circular cylinder (Re=3900) was computed by large eddy simulation (LES). The objective was not to investigate the physical phenomena of this flow in detail but to study numerical and modeling aspects which influence the quality of LES solutions. Concerning the numerical method, the most important component is the discretization of the non-linear convective fluxes. Five different schemes were investigated. Also, the influence of different grid resolutions was examined. Two aspects play an important role on the modeling side, namely the near-wall model and the subgrid scale model. Owing to the restriction to low Reynolds numbers in this study, no-slip boundary conditions were used at solid walls. Therefore, only the second aspect was taken into account. Two different subgrid scale models were applied. Additionally, LES computations without any subgrid scale modeling were carried out in order to prove the performance of the models. The results were evaluated by comparison with available experimental data. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A Volume-Tracking Method for Incompressible Multifluid Flows with Large Density Variations

Abstract: A numerical technique (FGVT) for solving the time-dependent incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in fluid flows with large density variations is presented for staggered grids. Mass conservation is based on a volume tracking method and incorporates a piecewise-linear interface reconstruction on a grid twice as fine as the velocity pressure grid. It also uses a special flux-corrected transport algorithm for momentum advection, a multigrid algorithm for solving a pressure-correction equation and a surface tension algorithm that is robust and stable. In principle, the method conserves both mass and momentum exactly, and maintains extremely sharp fluid interfaces. Applications of the numerical method to prediction of two-dimensional bubble rise in an inclined channel and a bubble bursting through an interface are presented

On stability and convergence of projection methods based on pressure Poisson equation

Abstract: We investigate the proper choices of spatial approximations for velocity and pressure in fractional-step projection methods. Numerical results obtained with classical finite element interpolations are presented. These tests confirm the role of the inf-sup LBB condition in non-incremental and incremental versions of the method for computing viscous incompressible flows

Simulation of vortex shedding past a square cylinder with different turbulence models

Abstract: SUMMARY This paper presents the results of numerical simulations of vortex shedding past a free-standing square cylinder at ReD22000, obtained with different turbulence models. Using wall functions, the standard k‐o model is compared with a modification suggested by Kato and Launder (Proc. 9th Symp. Turbulent Shear Flows, Kyoto, 10-4-1 (1993)). In addition, both versions are used in a two-layer approach, in which the flow close to the cylinder is computed with a locally more suitable one-equation turbulence model and only outside the viscous near-wall layer with the two mentioned high-Re model versions. To allow a comparison, the simulations are performed first using the same computational domain and boundary conditions as in previous investigations. Then results are presented that were obtained on a computational domain and with boundary conditions more suitable for a comparison with the experiments. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An improved projection scheme applied to pseudospectral methods for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations

Abstract: SUMMARY An improved projection scheme is proposed and applied to pseudospectral collocation-Chebyshev approximation for the incompressible Navier‐Stokes equations. It consists of introducing a correct predictor for the pressure, one which is consistent with a divergence-free velocity field at each time step. The main objective is to allow a time variation of the pressure gradient at boundaries. From different test problems, it is shown that this method, associated with a multistep second-order time scheme, provides a time accuracy of the same order as the temporal scheme used for the pressure, and also improves the prediction of the velocity slip. Moreover, it does not exhibit any numerical boundary layer mentioned as a drawback of fractional steps algorithm, and does not require the use of staggered grids for the velocity and the pressure. Its effectiveness is validated by comparison with a previous time-splitting algorithm proposed by Goda (K. Goda, J. Comput. Phys., 30, 76‐95 (1979)) and implemented by Gresho (P. Gresho, Int. j. numer. methods fluids, 11, 587‐620 (1990)) to finite element approximations. Steady and unsteady solutions for the regularized driven cavity and the rotating cavity submitted to throughflow are also used to assess the efficiency of this algorithm. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A fractional step method for unsteady free-surface flow with applications to non-linear wave dynamics

Abstract: SUMMARY A fractional step method is developed for solving the time dependent two-dimensional Euler equations with full non-linear free-surface boundary conditions. The geometry of the free surface is described by a height function, and its evolution is tracked by integrating in time the kinematic boundary conditions based on the free-surface volume flux. The fluid domain is discretised by adapting a time-varying curvilinear grid to all boundaries, including the free surface. Mass and momentum equations are discretised by a conservative finite volume formulation, taking into account the time dependency of the grid. A fractional step type method is developed for integrating the fluid motion in time. The method is applied to a non-linear standing wave in a square container, testing for compliance with mass and energy conservation and comparing computed wave period with other results. Non-linear travelling waves are simulated in channels with either constant depth or varying depth and non-linear wave processes involving both triad interactions and quartet interactions are studied. Results are compared with both experimental data and theoretical results and excellent agreement is found. Interaction of waves and currents is studied. The blocking of waves in an opposing current is simulated and found to show good agreement with theoretical results. The method is intended to be a first step towards a full description of wave dynamics interacting with structures and currents. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Shallow‐water flow solver with non‐hydrostatic pressure: 2D vertical plane problems

Abstract: A numerical solution for shallow-water flow is developed based on the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations without the conventional assumption of hydrostatic pressure. Instead, the non-hydrostatic pressure component may be added in regions where its influence is significant, notably where bed slope is not small and separation in a vertical plane may occur or where the free-surface slope is not small. The equations are solved in the σ-co-ordinate system with semi-implicit time stepping and the eddy viscosity is calculated using the standard k–ϵ turbulence model. Conventionally, boundary conditions at the bed for shallow-water models only include vertical diffusion terms using wall functions, but here they are extended to include horizontal diffusion terms which can be significant when bed slope is not small. This is consistent with the inclusion of non-hydrostatic pressure. The model is applied to the 2D vertical plane flow of a current over a trench for which experimental data and other numerical results are available for comparison. Computations with and without non-hydrostatic pressure are compared for the same trench and for trenches with smaller side slopes, to test the range of validity of the conventional hydrostatic pressure assumption. The model is then applied to flow over a 2D mound and again the slope of the mound is reduced to assess the validity of the hydrostatic pressure assumption. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Comparison of SIMPLE- and PISO-type algorithms for transient flows

Abstract: Various pressure-based schemes are proposed for transient flows based on well-established SIMPLE and PISO algorithms. The schemes are applied to the solution of unsteady laminar flow around a square cylinder and steady laminar flow over a backward-facing step. The implicit treatment and the performance of the various schemes are evaluated by using benchmark solutions with a small time step. Three different second-order-accurate time derivatives based on different time levels are presented. The different time derivatives are applied to the various schemes under consideration. Overall the PISO scheme was found to predict accurate results and was robust. However, for small time step values, alternative schemes can predict accurate results for approximately half the computational cost. The choice of time derivative proved to be very significant in terms of the accuracy and robustness of a scheme. Significantly, the one-sided forward differencing scheme was the most successful used in conjunction with a strongly implicit-based algorithm. However, a greater degree of accuracy was achieved using the standard PISO algorithm with the Crank–Nicolson time derivative. Recommendations for future work are discussed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

On Riemann solvers for compressible liquids

Abstract: A number of Riemann solvers are proposed for the solution of the Riemann problem in a compressible liquid. Both the Tait and Tammann equations of state are used to describe the liquid. Along with exact Riemann solvers. a detailed description of a primitive variable Riemann solver, a two-shock Riemann solver, a two-rarefaction Riemann solver and an extension to the HLL Riemann solver, namely the HLLC Riemann solver, are presented. It is shown how these Riemann solvers may be implemented into Godunov-type numerical methods. The appropriateness of each of the Riemann solvers for a number of flow situations is demonstrated by applying Godunov's method to some revealing shock tube test problems

A general algorithm for compressible and incompressible flows. Part III: The semi‐implicit form

Abstract: SUMMARY In this paper we consider some particular aspects related to the semi-implicit version of a fractional step finite element method for compressible flows that we have developed recently. The first is the imposition of boundary conditions. We show that no boundary conditions at all need to be imposed in the first step where an intermediate momentum is computed. This allows us to impose the real boundary conditions for the pressure, a point that turns out to be very important for compressible flows. The main difficulty of the semi-implicit form of the scheme arises in the solution of the continuity equation, since it involves both the density and the pressure. These two variables can be related through the equation of state, which in turn introduces the temperature as a variable in many cases. We discuss here the choice of variables (pressure or density) and some strategies to solve the continuity equation. The final point that we study is the behaviour of the scheme in the incompressible limit. It is shown that the method has an inherent pressure dissipation that allows us to reach this limit without having to satisfy the classical compatibility conditions for the interpolation of the velocity and the pressure. # 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Int. J. Numer. Meth. Fluids, 27: 13‐32 (1998)

Stokes flow in an elastic tube—a large-displacement fluid-structure interaction problem

Abstract: SUMMARY Viscous flow in elastic (collapsible) tubes is a large-displacement fluid-structure interaction problem frequently encountered in biomechanics. This paper presents a robust and rapidly converging procedure for the solution of the steady three-dimensional Stokes equations, coupled to the geometrically non-linear shell equations which describe the large deformations of the tube wall. The fluid and solid equations are coupled in a segregated method whose slow convergence is accelerated by an extrapolation procedure based on the scheme’s asymptotic convergence behaviour. A displacement control technique is developed to handle the system’s snap-through behaviour. Finally, results for the tube’s post-buckling deformation and for the flow in the strongly collapsed tube are shown. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Grid convergence studies for the prediction of hurricane storm surge

Abstract: SUMMARY The focus of this paper is a systematic determination of the relationship between grid resolution and errors associated with computations of hurricane storm surge. A grid structure is sought that provides the spatial resolution necessary to capture pertinent storm surge physics and does not overdiscretize. A set of numerical experiments simulating storm surge generation over 14 grid discretizations of idealized domains examines the influence of grid spacing, shoreline detail, coastline resolution and characteristics of the meteorological forcing on storm surge computations. Errors associated with a given grid are estimated using a Richardson-based error estimator. Analysis of the magnitude and location of estimated errors indicates that underresolution on the continental shelf leads to significant overprediction of the primary storm surge. In deeper waters, underresolution causes smearing or damping of the inverted barometer forcing function, which in turn results in underprediction of the surge elevation. In order to maintain a specified error level throughout the duration of the storm, the highest grid resolution is required on the continental shelf and particularly in nearshore areas. The disparity of discretization requirements between deep waters and coastal regions is best met using a graded grid. Application of the graded gridding strategy to the hindcast of Hurricane Camille reinforces the necessity of using a grid that has high levels of resolution in nearshore regions and areas of complex coastal geometry. # 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Int. J. Numer. Meth. Fluids, 26: 369‐401 (1998).

Effect of Reynolds number on the eddy structure in a lid-driven cavity

Abstract: SUMMARY In this paper we apply a finite volume method, together with a cost-effective segregated solution algorithm, to solve for the primitive velocities and pressure in a set of incompressible Navier‐Stokes equations. The well-categorized workshop problem of lid-driven cavity flow is chosen for this exercise, and results focus on the Reynolds number. Solutions are given for a depth-to-width aspect ratio of 1:1 and a span-to width aspect ratio of 3:1. Upon increasing the Reynolds number, the flows in the cavity of interest were found to comprise a transition from a strongly two-dimensional character to a truly three-dimensional flow and, subsequently, a bifurcation from a stationary flow pattern to a periodically oscillatory state. Finally, viscous (Tollmien‐Schlichting) travelling wave instability further induced

Development and assessment of a variable-order non-oscillatory scheme for convection term discretization

Abstract: SUMMARY A new scheme for convection term discretization is developed, called VONOS (variable-order non-oscillatory scheme). The development of the scheme is based on the behaviour of well-known non-oscillatory schemes in the pure convection of a step profile test case. The new scheme is a combination of the QUICK and BSOU (bounded second-order upwind) schemes. These two schemes do not have the same formal order of accuracy and for that reason the formal order of accuracy of the new scheme is variable. The scheme is conservative, bounded and accurate. The performance of the new scheme was assessed in three test cases. The results showed that it is more accurate than currently used higher-order schemes, so it can be used in a general purpose algorithm in order to save computational time for the same level of accuracy. # 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A bore‐capturing finite volume method for open‐channel flows

Abstract: A high-resolution finite volume hydrodynamic solver is presented for open-channel flows based on the 2D shallow water equations. This Godunov-type upwind scheme uses an efficient Harten-Lax-van Leer (HLL) approximate Riemann solver capable of capturing bore waves and simulating supercritical flows. Second-order accuracy is achieved by means of MUSCL reconstruction in conjunction with a Hancock two-stage scheme for the time integration. By using a finite volume approach, the computational grid can be irregular which allows for easy boundary fitting. The method can be applied directly to model 1D flows in an open channel with a rectangular cross-section without the need to modify the scheme. Such a modification is normally required for solving the 1D St Venant equations to take account of the variation of channel width. The numerical scheme and results of three test problems are presented in this paper.

Accuracy and performance of numerical wall boundary conditions for steady, 2D, incompressible streamfunction vorticity

Abstract: Three recent papers have studied fourth-order compact discretizations of the streamfunction vorticity equations. They differed primarily in how the no-slip wall boundary conditions were handled. In this paper, these different formulas are compared to one another, as well as to three newly proposed formulas. Special consideration is paid to the truncation errors; in particular, it is shown that many well-known formulations are actually more accurate by O(h) than previously reported, where h is the mesh size. These new theoretical error rates are confirmed with an analytical model problem. The different formulas are then compared with published driven cavity results, both in terms of accuracy and performance, and the newly proposed high-order Jensen formula is judged to have the marginally best combination of these properties. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Simulation of three‐dimensional polymer mould filling processes using a pseudo‐concentration method

Abstract: SUMMARY Mould filling processes, in which a material flow front advances through a mould, are typical examples of moving boundary problems. The moving boundary is accompanied by a moving contact line at the mould walls causing, from a macroscopic modelling viewpoint, a stress singularity. In order to be able to simulate such processes, the moving boundary and moving contact line problem must be overcome. A numerical model for both two- and three-dimensional mould filling simulations has been developed. It employs a pseudo-concentration method in order to avoid elaborate three-dimensional remeshing, and has been implemented in a finite element program. The moving contact line problem has been overcome by employing a Robin boundary condition at the mould walls, which can be turned into a Dirichlet (no-slip) or a Neumann (free-slip) boundary condition depending on the local pseudo-concentration. Simulation results for two-dimensional test cases demonstrate the model’s ability to deal with flow phenomena such as fountain flow and flow in bifurcations. The method is by no means limited to two-dimensional flows, as is shown by a pilot simulation for a simple three-dimensional mould. The reverse problem of mould filling is the displacement of a viscous fluid in a tube by a less viscous fluid, which has had considerable attention since the 1960’s. Simulation results for this problem are in good agreement with results from the literature. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A fractional-step method for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations related to a predictor-multicorrector algorithm

Abstract: SUMMARY An implicit fractional-step method for the numerical solution of the time-dependent incompressible Navier–Stokes equations in primitive variables is studied in this paper. The method, which is first-orderaccurate in the time step, is shown to converge to an exact solution of the equations. By adequately splitting the viscous term, it allows the enforcement of full Dirichlet boundary conditions on the velocity in all substeps of the scheme, unlike standard projection methods. The consideration of this method was actually motivated by the study of a well-known predictor–multicorrector algorithm, when this is applied to the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. A new derivation of the algorithm in a general setting is provided, showing in what sense it can also be understood as a fractional-step method; this justifies, in particular, why the original boundary conditions of the problem can be enforced in this algorithm. Two different finite element interpolations are considered for the space discretization, and numerical results obtained with them for standard benchmark cases are presented. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Tvd schemes for open channel flow

Abstract: SUMMARY The Saint Venant equations for modelling flow in open channels are solved in this paper, using a variety of total variation diminishing (TVD) schemes. The performance of second- and third-order-accurate TVD schemes is investigated for the computation of free-surface flows, in predicting dam-breaks and extreme flow conditions created by the river bed topography. Convergence of the schemes is quantified by comparing error norms between subsequent iterations. Automatically calculated time steps and entropy corrections allow high CFL numbers and smooth transition between different conditions. In order to compare different approaches with TVD schemes, the most accurate of each type was chosen. All four schemes chosen proved acceptably accurate. However, there are important differences between the schemes in the occurrence of clipping, overshooting and oscillating behaviour and in the highest CFL numbers allowed by a scheme. These variations in behaviour stem from the different orders and inherent properties of the four schemes. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. In this paper, numerical schemes for solving the Saint Venant equations, which model bulk channel flow, are presented. This set of hyperbolic equations yields discontinuous solutions, which can be difficult to represent accurately without the use of a modern shock-capturing method. There are problems with the high level of truncation errors when using first-order upwind schemes and with the oscillatory behaviour of most higher-order schemes. However, coupling a total variation diminishing (TVD) interpolation with an appropriate Riemann solver, yields a high-order-accurate scheme which numerically captures discontinuities with sharp corners and avoids unrealistic oscillations. The myriad of TVD schemes may be categorised into algebraic and geometric approaches. Further subdivisions of the algebraic schemes are symmetric, upwind and predictor-corrector. One scheme has been chosen from each of these forms of TVD schemes. The schemes used were a second-order symmetric, an upwind scheme called the modified flux, the two step TVD‐McCormack and the third-order MUSCL representing the geometric approach. Comparison of numerical schemes has a long tradition; here we summarise our experience with these numerical schemes and suggestions for further work are provided.

Numerical prediction for laminar forced convection heat transfer in parallel-plate channels with streamwise-periodic rod disturbances

Abstract: SUMMARY A numerical study has been performed for the periodically fully-developed flow in two-dimensional channels with streamwise-periodic round disturbances on its two walls. To accurately describe the round disturbance boundary condition, a body fitted grid was used. The flow and heat transfer have been studied in the range of Reynolds number, Re50‐700, and Prandtl number Pr 0.71. The influences of disturbance parameters and Reynolds number on heat transfer and friction have been investigated in detail. Some of the solutions have been examined using both steady and unsteady finite difference schemes; and the same results have been obtained. The results show that different flow patterns can occur with different deployments of the disturbances. With appropriate configuration of the disturbances, the Nusselt number can reach a value four times greater than in a smooth channel at the same condition, with the penalty of a much greater pressure drop. On the other hand, if the disturbances are not deployed properly, augmentation of heat transfer cannot be acquired. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Three-dimensional arbitrary lagrangian-eulerian numerical prediction method for non-linear free surface oscillation

Abstract: SUMMARY A numerical prediction method has been proposed to predict non-linear free surface oscillation in an arbitrarily-shaped three-dimensional container. The liquid motions are described with Navier‐Stokes equations rather than Laplace equations which are derived by assuming the velocity potential. The profile of a liquid surface is precisely represented with the three-dimensional curvilinear co-ordinates which are regenerated in each computational step on the basis of the arbitrary Lagrangian‐Eulerian (ALE) formulation. In the transformed space, the governing equations are discretized on a Lagrangian scheme with sufficient numerical accuracy and the boundary conditions near the liquid surface are implemented in a complete manner. In order to confirm the applicability of the present computational technique, numerical simulations are conducted for the free oscillations of viscid and inviscid liquids and for highly non-linear oscillation. In addition, non-linear sloshing motions caused by horizontal and vertical excitations and a transition from non-linear sloshing to swirling are numerically predicted in three-dimensional cylindrical containers. Conclusively, it is shown that these sloshing motions associated with high non-linearity are reasonably predicted with the present numerical technique. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Tetrahedral Finite-Volume Solutions to the Navier-Stokes Equations on Complex Configurations

Abstract: A review of the algorithmic features and capabilities of the unstructured-grid flow solver USM3Dns is presented. This code, along with the tetrahedral grid generator, VGRIDns, is being extensively used throughout the U.S. for solving the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations on complex aerodynamic problems. Spatial discretization is accomplished by a tetrahedral cell-centered finite-volume formulation using Roe''s upwind flux difference splitting. The fluxes are limited by either a Superbee or MinMod limiter. Solution reconstruction within the tetrahedral cells is accomplished with a simple, but novel, multidimensional analytical formula. Time is advanced by an implicit backward-Euler time-stepping scheme. Flow turbulence effects are modeled by the Spalart-Allmaras one-equation model, which is coupled with a wall function to reduce the number of cells in the near-wall region of the boundary layer. The issues of accuracy and robustness of USM3Dns Navier-Stokes capabilities are addressed for a flat-plate boundary layer, and a full F-16 aircraft with external stores at transonic speed.

Viscous oscillatory flow around a circular cylinder at low Keulegan-Carpenter numbers and frequency parameters

Abstract: SUMMARY The results of a numerical study of the viscous oscillating flow around a circular cylinder at low Keulegan‐ Carpenter numbers (KC) and frequency parameters (b) are presented in this paper. The finite element method was used for the solution of the Navier‐Stokes equations in the formulation where the streamfunction and vorticity are the field variables. The computation was conducted at Keulegan‐Carpenter numbers extending up to KCa 15 and frequency parameters ranging between ba 6 and 100. At low values of the Keulegan‐Carpenter number the flow remains symmetrical. As the Keulegan‐Carpenter number is increased over a certain value which depends also on the frequency parameter, asymmetries appear in the flow which are eventually amplified and lead finally to complex vortex-shedding patterns, some of which are markedly different from those observed at higher frequency parameters. The solution revealed that although for certain values of KC and b the shedding of vortices is periodic, there also exists a complicated flow regime in which the flow is not periodic but switches between different modes in consecutive cycles of flow oscillation. For the various flow cases examined, the traces of the hydrodynamic forces are presented and the hydrodynamic coefficients and RMS values of the inline force are compared with experimental evidence. # 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Finite element analysis of transient fluid flow with free surface using VOF (volume-of-fluid) method and adaptive grid

Abstract: SUMMARY The VOF method is adopted for the finite element analysis of transient fluid flow with a free surface. In particular, an adaptation technique for generating an adaptive grid is incorporated to capture a higher resolution of the free surface configuration. An adaptive grid is created through the refinement and mergence of elements. In this domain the elements in the surface region are made finer than those in the remaining regions for more efficient computation. Also, three techniques based on the VOF method are newly developed to increase the accuracy of the analysis, namely the filling pattern, advection treatment and free surface smoothing techniques. Using the proposed numerical techniques, radial flow with a point source and the collapse of a dam are analysed. The numerical results agree well with the theoretical solutions as well as with the experimental results. Through comparisons with the numerical results of several cases using different grids, the efficiency of the proposed technique is verified. # 1998 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Rough boundaries and wall laws

Abstract: SUMMARY We describe a new approach for developing new wall-laws for rough surfaces. We also give error estimates on a simple model. # 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Int. J. Numer. Meth. Fluids, 27: 169‐177 (1998)

Shock capturing viscosities for the general fluid mechanics algorithm

Abstract: SUMMARY The performance of different shock capturing viscosities has been examined using our general fluid mechanics algorithm. Four different schemes have been tested, both for viscous and inviscid compressible flow problems. Results show that the methods based on the second gradient of pressure give better performance in all situations. For instance, the method constructed from the nodal pressure values and consistent and lumped mass matrices is an excellent choice for inviscid problems. The method based on L2 projection is better than any other method in viscous flow computations. The residual based anisotropic method gives excellent performance in the supersonic range and gives better results in the hypersonic regime if a small amount of residual smoothing is used. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Computation of unsteady flows with mixed finite volume/finite element upwind methods

Abstract: SUMMARY We refer to as mixed element/volume (MEV) methods the application of finite element for diffusion terms and finite volume for advection terms in a flow model. The compatibility of these methods can be checked for some low-order approximations; the resulting schemes may enjoy the relative mesh-regularity-independent accuracy of finite element methods as discussed in a first section. In recent years a number of developments (by INRIA Dassault and T. Barth, among others) have produced P1-continuous schemes that involve some MUSCL/TVD unidirectional limitation; the resulting schemes are very useful but sometimes may involve much more numerical viscosity than necessary, especially for unsteady computations. In the present study, a new version is built by using a larger molecule for the intercell flux evaluation. The 1D version can be promoted to fourth- or even fifthorder spatial accuracy. The 2D version is no better than second-order-accurate; however, it involves only a sixthorder dissipation and the global accuracy is markedly improved even on irregular meshes. The above development extends the ability of the MUSCL/MEV scheme towards the accurate calculation of unsteady flows involving vortex shedding. # 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Int. J. Numer. Meth. Fluids, 27, 193‐206 (1998)

Free convection heat transfer from an isothermal wavy surface in a porous enclosure

Abstract: The coupled streamfuction–temperature equations governing the Darcian flow and convection process in a fluid-saturated porous enclosure with an isothermal sinusoidal bottom sun face, has been numerically analyzed using a finite element method (FEM). No restrictions have been imposed on the geometrical non-linearity arising from the parameters like wave amplitude (a), number of waves per unit length (N), wave phase (Φ), aspect ratio (A) and also on the flow driving parameter Rayleigh number (Ra). The numerical simulations for varying values of Ra bring about interesting flow features, like the transformation of a unicellular flow to a multicellular flow. Both with increasing amplitude and increasing number of waves per unit length, owing to the shift in the separation and reattachment points, a row–column pattern of multicellular flow transforms to a simple row of multicellular flow. A cycle of n celluar and n+1 cellular flows, with the flow in adjacent cells in the opposite direction, periodically manifest with phase varying between 0 and 360°. The global heat transfer into the system has been found to decrease with increasing amplitude and increasing number of waves per unit length. Only marginal changes in the global heat flux are observed, either with increasing Ra or varying Φ. Effectively, sinusoidal bottom surface undulations of the isothermal wall of a porous enclosure reduces the heat transfer into the system. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.