An embedded boundary framework for compressible turbulent flow and fluid–structure computations on structured and unstructured grids

The finite volume method with exact two‐phase Riemann problems (FIVER) is a two‐faceted computational method for compressible multi‐material (fluid–fluid, fluid–structure, and multi‐fluid–structure) problems characterized by large density jumps, and/or highly nonlinear structural motions and deformations. For compressible multi‐phase flow problems, FIVER is a Godunov‐type discretization scheme characterized by the construction and solution at the material interfaces of local, exact, two‐phase Riemann problems. For compressible fluid–structure interaction (FSI) problems, it is an embedded boundary method for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) capable of handling large structural deformations and topological changes. Originally developed for inviscid multi‐material computations on nonbody‐fitted structured and unstructured grids, FIVER is extended in this paper to laminar and turbulent viscous flow and FSI problems. To this effect, it is equipped with carefully designed extrapolation schemes for populating the ghost fluid values needed for the construction, in the vicinity of the fluid–structure interface, of second‐order spatial approximations of the viscous fluxes and source terms associated with Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS)‐based turbulence models and large eddy simulation (LES). Two support algorithms, which pertain to the application of any embedded boundary method for CFD to the robust, accurate, and fast solution of FSI problems, are also presented in this paper. The first one focuses on the fast computation of the time‐dependent distance to the wall because it is required by many RANS‐based turbulence models. The second algorithm addresses the robust and accurate computation of the flow‐induced forces and moments on embedded discrete surfaces, and their finite element representations when these surfaces are flexible. Equipped with these two auxiliary algorithms, the extension of FIVER to viscous flow and FSI problems is first verified with the LES of a turbulent flow past an immobile prolate spheroid, and the computation of a series of unsteady laminar flows past two counter‐rotating cylinders. Then, its potential for the solution of complex, turbulent, and flexible FSI problems is also demonstrated with the simulation, using the Spalart–Allmaras turbulence model, of the vertical tail buffeting of an F/A‐18 aircraft configuration and the comparison of the obtained numerical results with flight test data. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An efficient method for capturing free boundaries in multi‐fluid simulations

An easy‐to‐use front capturing method is devised by directly solving the transport equation for a volume of fluid (VOF) function. The key to this method is a semi‐Lagrangian conservative scheme, namely CIP_CSL3, recently proposed by the author. In the CIP_CSL3 scheme, the first‐order derivative of the interpolation polynomial at each cell centre is used to control the shape of the reconstructed profile. We show in the present paper that the first‐order derivative, which plays a crucial role in reconstructing the interpolation profile, can also be used to eliminate numerical diffusion. The resulting algorithm can be directly used to compute the VOF‐like function and retain the compact thickness of the moving interface in multi‐fluid simulations. No surface reconstruction based on the value of VOF function is required in the method, which makes it quite economical and easy to use. The presented method has been tested with various interfacial flows including pure rotation, vortex shearing, multi‐vortex deformation and the moving boundaries in real fluid as well. The method gives promising results to all computed problems. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A simple algebraic interface capturing scheme using hyperbolic tangent function

This paper presents a simple and practical scheme for capturing moving interfaces or free boundaries in multi‐fluid simulations. The scheme, which is called THINC (tangent of hyperbola for interface capturing), makes use of the hyperbolic tangent function to compute the numerical flux for the fluid fraction function, and gives a conservative, oscillation‐less and smearing‐less solution to the fluid fraction function even for the extremely distorted interfaces of arbitrary complexity. The numerical results from the THINC scheme possess adequate quality for practical applications, which make the extra geometric reconstruction, such as those in most of the volume of fluid (VOF) methods unnecessary. Thus the scheme is quite simple. The numerical tests show that the THINC scheme has competitive accuracy compared to most exiting methods. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An efficient and accurate algebraic interface capturing method for unstructured grids in 2 and 3 dimensions: The THINC method with quadratic surface representation

We present in this paper an efficient and accurate volume of fluid (VOF) type scheme to compute moving interfaces on unstructured grids with arbitrary quadrilateral mesh elements in 2D and hexahedral elements in 3D. Being an extension of the multi‐dimensional tangent of hyperbola interface capturing (THINC) reconstruction proposed by the authors in Cartesian grid, an algebraic VOF scheme is devised for arbitrary quadrilateral and hexahedral elements. The interface is cell‐wisely approximated by a quadratic surface, which substantially improves the numerical accuracy. The same as the other THINC type schemes, the present method does not require the explicit geometric representation of the interface when computing numerical fluxes and thus is very computationally efficient and straightforward in implementation. The proposed scheme has been verified by benchmark tests, which reveal that this scheme is able to produce high‐quality numerical solutions of moving interfaces in unstructured grids and thus a practical method for interfacial multi‐phase flow simulations. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical treatment of a discontinuous top surface in 2D shallow water mixed flow modeling

This paper presents a numerical strategy based on shallow water equations (SWE) coupled with the 2D Preissmann slot model to handle a ceiling step discontinuity in finite volume schemes for mixed flow modeling. In practice, a typical situation would be a closed structure, such as a bridge or culvert, which induces a sudden vertical flow constriction and may even run partly or totally full in high flow conditions. In such case, both the inlet and outlet of the structure involve a discontinuity in the top elevation. This special singularity is topologically represented by inserting a fictitious cell between 2 adjacent computational cells characterized by sharply different ceiling elevation. The 2D SWE are solved by means of a well‐balanced quasi‐conservative Godunov‐type numerical scheme based on the Slope Limiter Centered (SLIC) scheme. The flow variables at each boundary of the fictitious cell are reconstructed by adopting the cross‐sectional shape of the adjoining cell. Accordingly, the dynamic effect of the structure deck on the flow is suitably modeled, and the C‐property for a stationary solution is rigorously satisfied, even when the closed structure is partially full. The capability of the numerical scheme is verified by comparison with both novel analytical solutions of 1D Riemann problems with a ceiling step discontinuity and experimental data of steady and unsteady mixed flows available in literature. Finally, a real‐scale application to a multiple arch bridge is presented. The results show that the method is robust and effective in predicting the 2D features induced by a crossing structure on the flow dynamics.     

The development of a Cartesian cut cell method for incompressible viscous flows

This paper describes the extension of the Cartesian cut cell method to applications involving unsteady incompressible viscous fluid flow. The underlying scheme is based on the solution of the full Navier–Stokes equations for a variable density fluid system using the artificial compressibility technique together with a Jameson‐type dual time iteration. The computational domain encompasses two fluid regions and the interface between them is treated as a contact discontinuity in the density field, thereby eliminating the need for special free surface tracking procedures. The Cartesian cut cell technique is used for fitting the complex geometry of solid boundaries across a stationary background Cartesian grid which is located inside the computational domain. A time accurate solution is achieved by using an implicit dual‐time iteration technique based on a slope‐limited, high‐order, Godunov‐type scheme for the inviscid fluxes, while the viscous fluxes are estimated using central differencing. Validation of the new technique is by modelling the unsteady Couette flow and the Rayleigh–Taylor instability problems. Finally, a test case for wave run‐up and overtopping over an impermeable sea dike is performed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

激波作用下三维涡的形成及其界面捕捉计算

针对三维多介质可压缩流体,给出了可压缩多介质流体三维高精度数值计算方法,以及界面捕捉方程和带重新初始化的三维LevelSet方法,对初始压力间断和密度间断条件形成激波、接触间断以及稀疏波的三维复杂流场相互作用情况进行数值计算,给出流场中涡的形成过程和界面位置。并对计算方法进行理论验证。     

The capturing of free surfaces in incompressible multi‐fluid flows

By treating it as a contact discontinuity in the density field, a free surface between two immiscible fluids can be automatically ‘captured’ by the enforcement of conservation laws. A surface‐capturing method of this kind requires no special tracking or fitting treatment for the free surface, thereby offering the advantage of algorithm simplicity over the surface‐tracking or the surface‐fitting method. A surface‐capturing method based on a new multi‐fluid incompressible Navier–Stokes formulation is developed. It is applied to a variety of free‐surface flows, including the Rayleigh–Taylor instability problem, the ship waves around a Wigley hull and a model bubble‐rising problem to demonstrate the validity and versatility of the present method. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Advances in the simulation of multi‐fluid flows with the particle finite element method. Application to bubble dynamics

In this work, we extend the Particle Finite Element Method (PFEM) to multi‐fluid flow problems with the aim of exploiting the fact that Lagrangian methods are specially well suited for tracking interfaces. We develop a numerical scheme able to deal with large jumps in the physical properties, included surface tension, and able to accurately represent all types of discontinuities in the flow variables. The scheme is based on decoupling the velocity and pressure variables through a pressure segregation method that takes into account the interface conditions. The interface is defined to be aligned with the moving mesh, so that it remains sharp along time, and pressure degrees of freedom are duplicated at the interface nodes to represent the discontinuity of this variable due to surface tension and variable viscosity. Furthermore, the mesh is refined in the vicinity of the interface to improve the accuracy and the efficiency of the computations. We apply the resulting scheme to the benchmark problem of a two‐dimensional bubble rising in a liquid column presented in Hysing et al. (International Journal for Numerical Methods in Fluids 2009; 60 : 1259–1288), and propose two breakup and coalescence problems to assess the ability of a multi‐fluid code to model topology changes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical simulation of mold filling in foam reaction injection molding

A numerical simulation of reaction injection molding (RIM) of polymeric foam is developed, using a finite volume method (FVM). In this study we predict mold filling with a variable‐density fluid that fills a mold by self‐expansion. We deal with two‐dimensional, isothermal cases. With the assumptions of ideal mixing and rapid bubble nucleation, the foam is modelled as a continuum with a time‐dependent density. The continuum is assumed to be a Newtonian fluid. We develop a pressure‐based FVM for unstructured meshes that includes the SIMPLE algorithm with treatment of fluid compressibility. Cell‐based, co‐located storage is used for all physical variables. To treat the moving interface, an explicit high‐resolution interface capturing method is used. Foam flow in a slit is investigated, and the numerical calculations are in good agreement with an approximate analytic solution. For fountain flow in a rectangular cavity, the shape of the flow front is flatter and the traces of the particles are more complicated for an expanding foam than for a constant‐density fluid. An example of mold filling by an expanding foam demonstrates the geometric flexibility of the method. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Calculation of viscous and inviscid gas flows on unstructured grids using the AUSM scheme

An approach to the solution of the two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations on triangular unstructured grids is considered. The method is based on the key idea of the Godunov scheme, namely, the advisability of solving the Riemann problem of arbitrary discontinuity breakdown. In the calculations the derivatives with respect to space are approximated with both the first and the second order. However, as distinct from the conventional Godunov method, in calculating the fluxes across the cell boundaries the Riemann problem is solved using the Advection Upstream Splitting Method (AUSM). The concepts involved in the AUSM scheme are discussed. The solution of the discontinuity breakdown problem obtained within the framework of this approach is compared with the results obtained using the Godunov method. Numerical solutions of some problems of viscous and inviscid perfect-gas flows obtained on unstructured grids of different fineness and those obtained on structured grids are also compared. The effect of the spatial approximation order on the accuracy of numerical solutions is studied.     

Compressive advection and multi‐component methods for interface‐capturing

This paper develops methods for interface‐capturing in multiphase flows. The main novelties of these methods are as follows: (a) multi‐component modelling that embeds interface structures into the continuity equation; (b) a new family of triangle/tetrahedron finite elements, in particular, the P₁DG‐P₂(linear discontinuous between elements velocity and quadratic continuous pressure); (c) an interface‐capturing scheme based on compressive control volume advection methods and high‐order finite element interpolation methods; (d) a time stepping method that allows use of relatively large time step sizes; and (e) application of anisotropic mesh adaptivity to focus the numerical resolution around the interfaces and other areas of important dynamics. This modelling approach is applied to a series of pure advection problems with interfaces as well as to the simulation of the standard computational fluid dynamics benchmark test cases of a collapsing water column under gravitational forces (in two and three dimensions) and sloshing water in a tank. Two more test cases are undertaken in order to demonstrate the many‐material and compressibility modelling capabilities of the approach. Numerical simulations are performed on coarse unstructured meshes to demonstrate the potential of the methods described here to capture complex dynamics in multiphase flows. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical approach for generic three-phase flow based on cut-cell and ghost fluid methods

In this paper, we introduce numerical methods that can simulate complex multiphase flows. The finite volume method, applying Cartesian cut-cell is used in the computational domain, containing fluid and solid, to conserve mass and momentum. With this method, flows in and around any geometry can be simulated without complex and time consuming meshing. For the fluid region, which involves liquid and gas, the ghost fluid method is employed to handle the stiffness of the interface discontinuity problem. The interaction between each phase is treated simply by wall function models or jump conditions of pressure, velocity and shear stress at the interface. The sharp interface method “coupled level set (LS) and volume of fluid (VOF)” is used to represent the interface between the two fluid phases. This approach will combine some advantages of both interface tracking/capturing methods, such as the excellent mass conservation from the VOF method and good accuracy of interface normal computation from the LS function. The first coupled LS and VOF will be generated to reconstruct the interface between solid and the other materials. The second will represent the interface between liquid and gas.     

An embedded approach for immiscible multi‐fluid problems

An embedded formulation for the simulation of immiscible multi‐fluid problems is proposed. The method is particularly designed for handling gas–liquid systems. Gas and liquid are modeled using the Eulerian and the Lagrangian formulation, respectively. The Lagrangian domain (liquid) moves on top of the fixed Eulerian mesh. The location of the material interface is exactly defined by the position of the boundary mesh of the Lagrangian domain. The individual fluid problems are solved in a partitioned fashion and are coupled using a Dirichlet–Neumann algorithm. Representation of the pressure discontinuity across the interface does not require any additional techniques being an intrinsic feature of the method. The proposed formulation is validated, and its potential applications are shown. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An unstructured-grid numerical model for interfacial multiphase fluids based on multi-moment finite volume formulation and THINC method

We present a practical numerical framework for incompressible interfacial multiphase flows on unstructured grids with arbitrary and hybrid elements. The numerical framework is constructed by combining VPM (volume-average/point-value multi-moment) and UMTHINC (unstructured multi-dimensional tangent of hyperbola interface capturing) schemes. To facilitate accurate and reliable simulations for interfacial multiphase flows on arbitrary and hybrid unstructured grids, we have made the following major new efforts in this work. (1) UMTHINC scheme on prismatic and pyramidal elements to facilitate computations on hybrid arbitrary unstructured grids; (2) Consistent numerical formulation for mass and momentum transports to simulate multiphase flows of large density ratio; (3) Combined FVM-FEM for accurate solution to diffusion equation; (4) Pressure-projection formulation in consistent with the balanced-force model. Integrating all these numerical techniques effectively enhances the accuracy and robustness in interface capturing and numerical solution of multiphase fluid dynamics, which results in a numerical framework of great significance for practical applications. Numerical verifications have been carried out through benchmark tests ranging from surface tension dominant flows of small scale to large scale flows with violently-changing interfaces. Numerical results demonstrate that the present framework is robust with adequate accuracy for simulating multiphase flows in complex geometries.     

Godunov–mixed methods for immiscible displacement

The immiscible displacement problem in reservoir engineering can be formulated as a system of partial differential equations which includes an elliptic pressure–velocity equation and a degenerate parabolic saturation equation. We apply a sequential numerical scheme to this problem where time splitting is used to solve the saturation equation. In this procedure one approximates advection by a higher-order Godunov method and diffusion by a mixed finite element method. Numerical results for this scheme applied to gas–oil centrifuge experiments are given.     

界面不稳定性的自适应欧拉数值计算

采用欧拉网格自适应算法数值模拟Richtmyer Meshkov和Rayleigh Taylor不稳定多介质流界面,获得了高精度界面特征。对不同流体引入不同位标函数跟踪界面运动,将位标函数方程与流体动力学方程耦合求解,在笛卡儿坐标系中运用二阶精度有限体积算法,保持流场守恒条件下,通过采用多层网格级对笛卡儿网格嵌套细化,从而实现多介质流体界面的高精度自适应跟踪。给出的方法逻辑简单,可以大大节省CPU时间。