Enablers for high‐order level set methods in fluid mechanics

In the context of numerical simulations of multiphysics flows, accurate tracking of an interface and consistent computation of its geometric properties are crucial. In this paper, we investigate a level set technique that satisfies these requirements and ensures local third‐order accuracy on the level set function (near the interface) and first‐order accuracy on the curvature, even for long‐time computations. The method is developed in a finite differences framework on Cartesian grids. As in usual level set strategies, reinitialization steps are involved. Several reinitialization algorithms are reviewed and mixed to design an accurate and fast reinitialization procedure. When coupled with a time evolution of the interface, the reinitialization procedure is performed only when there are too large deformations of the isocontours. This strategy limits the number of reinitialization steps and shows a good balance between accuracy and computational cost. Numerical results compare well with usual level set strategies and confirm the necessity of the reinitialization procedure, together with a limited number of reinitialization steps. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gradient augmented reinitialization scheme for the level set method

A hybrid scheme for reinitializing the level set function and its gradient within the frame work of the augmented level set method is presented. It is based on first dividing the domain into an interfacial region (i.e. nodes close to the interface) and its complement. Within the interfacial region, the level set and its gradient are updated explicitly through a modified version of Newton's method (Chopp, 2001, SIAM J. Sci. Comput. 23 230‐244) and is implemented here within the context of Hermite polynomials. In the region away from the interface, the solution pertains to a semi‐Lagrangian implementation of the reinitialization equations, which are solved based on Hermite polynomials and are time marched with a single step and a multipoint scheme. It is shown that for various exercises, the present method predicts the signed distance function and its gradient to 4^th and 3^rd order (in space), respectively with regards to the L₁, L₂, and L _∞ norms, provided the level set field is sufficiently smooth. A range of test cases are also considered from the literature, where the present method is compared with existing methods and shown to be generally more accurate. Moreover, the well‐known issue of volume loss due to reinitialization is addressed successfully with the current implementation, even for objects that are of the size of one grid cell, and whose local radius of curvature falls below the local grid size. For both time marching schemes, it is shown that the L₂ and L _∞ errors decay to negligible levels, are smooth in space, and do not exhibit temporal oscillations. Finally the performance of the hybrid scheme is evaluated by applying it on various kinematic test cases. For solid body rotation problems (zero deformation flow field), the benefit stemming from hybrid reinitialization is marginal. When applied to kinematic cases involving severe deformation, such as the standard vortex flow, the reinitialization strategy helps maintain a smooth level set field, which prevents serious numerical errors from developing.Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interface‐preserving level‐set reinitialization for DG‐FEM

This paper presents a contribution to level‐set reinitialization in the context of discontinuous Galerkin finite element methods. We focus on high‐order polynomials for the discretization and level set geometries, which are comparable to the element size. In contrast to hyperbolic and geometric reinitialization techniques, our method relies on solving a nonlinear elliptic PDE iteratively. We critically compare two different variants of the algorithm experimentally in numerical studies. The results demonstrate that the method is stable for nontrivial test cases and shows high‐order accuracy. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical analysis of moving interfaces using a level set method coupled with adaptive mesh refinement

A novel numerical scheme is developed by coupling the level set method with the adaptive mesh refinement in order to analyse moving interfaces economically and accurately. The finite element method (FEM) is used to discretize the governing equations with the generalized simplified marker and cell (GSMAC) scheme, and the cubic interpolated pseudo‐particle (CIP) method is applied to the reinitialization of the level set function. The present adaptive mesh refinement is implemented in the quadrangular grid systems and easily embedded in the FEM‐based algorithm. For the judgement on renewal of mesh, the level set function is adopted as an indicator, and the threshold is set at the boundary of the smoothing band. With this criterion, the variation of physical properties and the jump quantity on the free surface can be calculated accurately enough, while the computation cost is largely reduced as a whole. In order to prove the validity of the present scheme, two‐dimensional numerical simulation is carried out in collapse of a water column, oscillation and movement of a drop under zero gravity. As a result, its effectiveness and usefulness are clearly shown qualitatively and quantitatively. Among them, the movement of a drop due to the Marangoni effect is first simulated efficiently with the present scheme. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical simulation of unsteady multidimensional free surface motions by level set method

This paper presents a numerical method that couples the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations with the level set method in a curvilinear co‐ordinate system for study of free surface flows. The finite volume method is used to discretize the governing equations on a non‐staggered grid with a four‐step fractional step method. The free surface flow problem is converted into a two‐phase flow system on a fixed grid in which the free surface is implicitly captured by the zero level set. We compare different numerical schemes for advection of the level set function in a generalized curvilinear format, including the third order quadratic upwind interpolation for convective kinematics (QUICK) scheme, and the second and third order essentially non‐oscillatory (ENO) schemes. The level set equations of evolution and reinitialization are validated with benchmark cases, e.g. a stationary circle, a rotating slotted disk and stretching of a circular fluid element. The coupled system is then applied to a travelling solitary wave, and two‐ and three‐dimensional dam breaking problems. Some interesting free surface phenomena are revealed by the computational results, such as, the large free surface vortices, air entrapment and splashing of the water surge front. The computational results are in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions and experimental data, where they are available. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A geometric mass‐preserving redistancing scheme for the level set function

In this paper we describe and evaluate a geometric mass‐preserving redistancing procedure for the level set function on general structured grids. The proposed algorithm is adapted from a recent finite element‐based method and preserves the mass by means of a localized mass correction. A salient feature of the scheme is the absence of adjustable parameters. The algorithm is tested in two and three spatial dimensions and compared with the widely used partial differential equation (PDE)‐based redistancing method using structured Cartesian grids. Through the use of quantitative error measures of interest in level set methods, we show that the overall performance of the proposed geometric procedure is better than PDE‐based reinitialization schemes, since it is more robust with comparable accuracy. We also show that the algorithm is well‐suited for the highly stretched curvilinear grids used in CFD simulations. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A high‐order accurate method for two‐dimensional incompressible viscous flows

A high‐order accurate solution method for complex geometries is developed for two‐dimensional flows using the stream function–vorticity formulation. High‐order accurate spectrally optimized compact schemes along with appropriate boundary schemes are used for spatial discretization while a two‐level backward Euler implicit scheme is used for the time integration. The linear system of equations for stream function and vorticity are solved by an inner iteration while contravariant velocities constitute outer iterations. The effect of curvilinear grids on the solution accuracy is studied. The method is used to compute Cartesian and inclined driven cavity, flow in a triangular cavity and viscous flow in constricted channel. Benchmark‐like accuracy is obtained in all the problems with fewer grid points compared to reported studies. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Accurate and efficient simulation of transport in multidimensional flow

A new numerical method to obtain high‐order approximations of the solution of the linear advection equation in multidimensional problems is presented. The proposed conservative formulation is explicit and based on a single updating step. Piecewise polynomial spatial discretization using Legendre polynomials provides the required spatial accuracy. The updating scheme is built from the functional approximation of the exact solution of the advection equation and a direct evaluation of the resulting integrals. The numerical details for the schemes in one and two spatial dimensions are provided and validated using a set of numerical experiments. Test cases have been oriented to the convergence and the computational efficiency analysis of the schemes. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical simulation of bubble and droplet deformation by a level set approach with surface tension in three dimensions

In this paper we present a three‐dimensional Navier–Stokes solver for incompressible two‐phase flow problems with surface tension and apply the proposed scheme to the simulation of bubble and droplet deformation. One of the main concerns of this study is the impact of surface tension and its discretization on the overall convergence behavior and conservation properties. Our approach employs a standard finite difference/finite volume discretization on uniform Cartesian staggered grids and uses Chorin's projection approach. The free surface between the two fluid phases is tracked with a level set (LS) technique. Here, the interface conditions are implicitly incorporated into the momentum equations by the continuum surface force method. Surface tension is evaluated using a smoothed delta function and a third‐order interpolation. The problem of mass conservation for the two phases is treated by a reinitialization of the LS function employing a regularized signum function and a global fixed point iteration. All convective terms are discretized by a WENO scheme of fifth order. Altogether, our approach exhibits a second‐order convergence away from the free surface. The discretization of surface tension requires a smoothing scheme near the free surface, which leads to a first‐order convergence in the smoothing region. We discuss the details of the proposed numerical scheme and present the results of several numerical experiments concerning mass conservation, convergence of curvature, and the application of our solver to the simulation of two rising bubble problems, one with small and one with large jumps in material parameters, and the simulation of a droplet deformation due to a shear flow in three space dimensions. Furthermore, we compare our three‐dimensional results with those of quasi‐two‐dimensional and two‐dimensional simulations. This comparison clearly shows the need for full three‐dimensional simulations of droplet and bubble deformation to capture the correct physical behavior. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A hybrid Padé ADI scheme of higher‐order for convection–diffusion problems

A high‐order Padé alternating direction implicit (ADI) scheme is proposed for solving unsteady convection–diffusion problems. The scheme employs standard high‐order Padé approximations for spatial first and second derivatives in the convection‐diffusion equation. Linear multistep (LM) methods combined with the approximate factorization introduced by Beam and Warming (J. Comput. Phys. 1976; 22 : 87–110) are applied for the time integration. The approximate factorization imposes a second‐order temporal accuracy limitation on the ADI scheme independent of the accuracy of the LM method chosen for the time integration. To achieve a higher‐order temporal accuracy, we introduce a correction term that reduces the splitting error. The resulting scheme is carried out by repeatedly solving a series of pentadiagonal linear systems producing a computationally cost effective solver. The effects of the approximate factorization and the correction term on the stability of the scheme are examined. A modified wave number analysis is performed to examine the dispersive and dissipative properties of the scheme. In contrast to the HOC‐based schemes in which the phase and amplitude characteristics of a solution are altered by the variation of cell Reynolds number, the present scheme retains the characteristics of the modified wave numbers for spatial derivatives regardless of the magnitude of cell Reynolds number. The superiority of the proposed scheme compared with other high‐order ADI schemes for solving unsteady convection‐diffusion problems is discussed. A comparison of different time discretizations based on LM methods is given. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A novel weighting switch function for uniformly high‐order hybrid shock‐capturing schemes

Hybrid schemes are very efficient for complex compressible flow simulation. However, for most existing hybrid schemes in literature, empirical problem‐dependent parameters are always needed to detect shock waves and hence greatly decrease the robustness and accuracy of the hybrid scheme. In this paper, based on the nonlinear weights of the weighted essentially non‐oscillatory (WENO) scheme, a novel weighting switch function is proposed. This function approaches 1 with high‐order accuracy in smooth regions and 0 near discontinuities. Then, with the new weighting switch function, a seventh‐order hybrid compact‐reconstruction WENO scheme (HCCS) is developed. The new hybrid scheme uses the same stencil as the fifth‐order WENO scheme, and it has seventh‐order accuracy in smooth regions even at critical points. Numerical tests are presented to demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of both the switch function and HCCS. Comparisons also reveal that HCCS has lower dissipation and less computational cost than the seventh‐order WENO scheme. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A semi‐Lagrangian level set method for incompressible Navier–Stokes equations with free surface

In this paper, we formulate a level set method in the framework of finite elements‐semi‐Lagrangian methods to compute the solution of the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations with free surface. In our formulation, we use a quasi‐monotone semi‐Lagrangian scheme, which is both unconditionally stable and essentially non oscillatory, to compute the advective terms in the Navier–Stokes equations, the transport equation and the equation of the reinitialization stage for the level set function. The method we propose is quite robust and flexible with regard to the mesh and the geometry of the domain, as well as the magnitude of the Reynolds number. We illustrate the performance of the method in several examples, which range from a benchmark problem to test the volume conservation property of the method to the flow past a NACA0012 foil at high Reynolds number. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High‐order finite difference schemes for incompressible flows

This paper presents a new high‐order approach to the numerical solution of the incompressible Stokes and Navier–Stokes equations. The class of schemes developed is based upon a velocity–pressure–pressure gradient formulation, which allows: (i) high‐order finite difference stencils to be applied on non‐staggered grids; (ii) high‐order pressure gradient approximations to be made using standard Padé schemes, and (iii) a variety of boundary conditions to be incorporated in a natural manner. Results are presented in detail for a selection of two‐dimensional steady‐state test problems, using the fourth‐order scheme to demonstrate the accuracy and the robustness of the proposed methods. Furthermore, extensions to higher orders and time‐dependent problems are illustrated, whereas the extension to three‐dimensional problems is also discussed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A high‐order mass‐lumping procedure for B‐spline collocation method with application to incompressible flow simulations

This paper presents new developments of the staggered spline collocation method for cost‐effective solution to the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. Maximal decoupling of the velocity and the pressure is obtained by using the fractional step method of Gresho and Chan, allowing the solution to sparse elliptic problems only. In order to preserve the high‐accuracy of the B‐spline method, this fractional step scheme is used in association with a sparse approximation to the inverse of the consistent mass matrix. Such an approximation is constructed from local spline interpolation method, and represents a high‐order generalization of the mass‐lumping technique of the finite‐element method. A numerical investigation of the accuracy and the computational efficiency of the resulting semi‐consistent spline collocation schemes is presented. These schemes generate a stable and accurate unsteady Navier–Stokes solver, as assessed by benchmark computations. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A pressure correction‐volume of fluid method for simulation of two‐phase flows

A pressure correction method coupled with the volume of fluid (VOF) method is developed to simulate two‐phase flows. A volume fraction function is introduced in the VOF method and is governed by an advection equation. A modified monotone upwind scheme for a conservation law (modified MUSCL) is used to solve the solution of the advection equation. To keep the initial sharpness of an interface, a slope modification scheme is introduced. The continuum surface tension (CST) model is used to calculate the surface tension force. Three schemes, central‐upwind, Parker–Youngs, and mixed schemes, are introduced to compute the interface normal vector and the gradient of the volume fraction function. Moreover, a height function technique is applied to compute the local curvature of the interface. Several basic test problems are performed to check the order of accuracy of the present numerical schemes for computing the interface normal vector and the gradient of the volume fraction function. Three physical problems, two‐dimensional broken dam problem, static drop, and spurious currents, and three‐dimensional rising bubble, are performed to demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the pressure correction method. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

一类高效率高分辨率加映射的WENO格式及其在复杂流动问题数值模拟中的应用

由于映射操作会带来额外的计算时间消耗, 传统加映射的WENO格式存在计算效率低的缺陷. 为了提高传统加映射WENO格式的计算效率, 通过利用标准符号函数的一种近似逼近函数构造出一族近似常值映射函数, 本文提出了一种新的加映射WENO格式, 称为WENO-ACM. 新映射函数满足文献中已有WENO-PM6格式映射函数的全部设计要求, 其中WENO-PM6是一种为了克服经典WENO-M格式潜在的精度丢失缺陷而提出的格式. 新格式保留了WENO-PM6在低耗散和高分辨率方面的优势, 同时, 显著的减少了每个时间步映射过程中的数学运算操作数, 进而在计算效率方面获得了明显的提升. 理论分析表明, 新格式在即使包含临界点的光滑区域也能够获得最佳收敛精度. 对近似色散关系的研究表明, 新格式的频谱特性也得到了显著的提升. 对大量标准测试算例进行了模拟计算, 包括精度测试、激波管问题、激波?熵波相互作用、爆炸波相互碰撞、二维黎曼问题、双马赫反射、前台阶流动、瑞利-泰勒不稳定性和开尔文?亥姆霍兹不稳定性问题等. 与广泛认可的WENO-JS, WENO-M, WENO-PM6格式综合比较发现, 新提出的WENO-ACM格式在高效率、低数值耗散和间断捕捉等方面都有显著的改进. 最重要的是, 与WENO-M和WENO-PM6格式相比, WENO-ACM将相对于WENO-JS格式的额外计算时间消耗分别减少了80%和90%以上.      

A generalised finite difference scheme based on compact integrated radial basis function for flow in heterogeneous soils

In the present paper, we develop a generalised finite difference approach based on compact integrated radial basis function (CIRBF) stencils for solving highly nonlinear Richards equation governing fluid movement in heterogeneous soils. The proposed CIRBF scheme enjoys a high level of accuracy and a fast convergence rate with grid refinement owing to the combination of the integrated RBF approximation and compact approximation where the spatial derivatives are discretised in terms of the information of neighbouring nodes in a stencil. The CIRBF method is first verified through the solution of ordinary differential equations, 2–D Poisson equations and a Taylor‐Green vortex. Numerical comparisons show that the CIRBF method outperforms some other methods in the literature. The CIRBF method in conjunction with a rational function transformation method and an adaptive time‐stepping scheme is then applied to simulate 1–D and 2–D soil infiltrations effectively. The proposed solutions are more accurate and converge faster than those of the finite different method used with a second‐order central difference scheme. Additionally, the present scheme also takes less time to achieve target accuracy in comparison with the 1D‐IRBF and higher order compact schemes.     

Optimized sixth‐order monotonicity‐preserving scheme by nonlinear spectral analysis

In this paper, sixth‐order monotonicity‐preserving optimized scheme (OMP6) for the numerical solution of conservation laws is developed on the basis of the dispersion and dissipation optimization and monotonicity‐preserving technique. The nonlinear spectral analysis method is developed and is used for the purpose of minimizing the dispersion errors and controlling the dissipation errors. The new scheme (OMP6) is simple in expression and is easy for use in CFD codes. The suitability and accuracy of this new scheme have been tested through a set of one‐dimensional, two‐dimensional, and three‐dimensional tests, including the one‐dimensional Shu–Osher problem, the two‐dimensional double Mach reflection, and the Rayleigh–Taylor instability problem, and the three‐dimensional direct numerical simulation of decaying compressible isotropic turbulence. All numerical tests show that the new scheme has robust shock capturing capability and high resolution for the small‐scale waves due to fewer numerical dispersion and dissipation errors. Moreover, the new scheme has higher computational efficiency than the well‐used WENO schemes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A novel optimization technique for explicit finite‐difference schemes with application to AeroAcoustics

The present paper addresses the optimization of finite‐difference schemes when these are to be used for numerically approximating spatial derivatives in aeroacoustics evolution problems. With that view in mind, finite‐difference operators are firstly detailed from a theoretical point of view. Secondly, time, the way such operators can be optimized in a spectral‐like sense is recalled, before the main limitations of such an optimization are highlighted. This leads us to propose an alternative optimization approach of innovative character. Such a novel optimization technique consists of enhancing the scheme's formal accuracy through a minimization of its leading‐order truncation error. This so‐called intrinsic optimization procedure is first detailed, before it is thoroughly analyzed, from both a theoretical and a practical point of view. The second part of the paper focuses on two particular intrinsically optimized schemes, which are carefully assessed via a direct comparison against their standard and/or spectral‐like optimized counterparts, such a comparative exercise being conducted utilizing several academic test cases of increasing complexity. There, it is shown how intrinsically optimized schemes indeed constitute an advantageous alternative to either the standard or the spectral‐like optimized ones, being allotted with both (i) the better scalability of the former scheme with respect to grid convergence effects when the grid density increases and (ii) the higher accuracy of the latter scheme when the discretization level becomes marginal. Thanks to that, such intrinsically optimized schemes offer very good trade‐offs in terms of (i) accuracy; (ii) robustness; and (iii) numerical efficiency (CPU cost). Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A semi‐Lagrangian multi‐moment finite volume method with fourth‐order WENO projection

Numerical oscillation has been an open problem for high‐order numerical methods with increased local degrees of freedom (DOFs). Current strategies mainly follow the limiting projections derived originally for conventional finite volume methods and thus are not able to make full use of the sub‐cell information available in the local high‐order reconstructions. This paper presents a novel algorithm that introduces a nodal value‐based weighted essentially non‐oscillatory limiter for constrained interpolation profile/multi‐moment finite volume method (CIP/MM FVM) (Ii and Xiao, J. Comput. Phys., 222 (2007), 849–871) as an effort to pursue a better suited formulation to implement the limiting projection in schemes with local DOFs. The new scheme, CIP‐CSL‐WENO4 scheme, extends the CIP/MM FVM method by limiting the slope constraint in the interpolation function using the weighted essentially non‐oscillatory (WENO) reconstruction that makes use of the sub‐cell information available from the local DOFs and is built from the point values at the solution points within three neighboring cells, thus resulting a more compact WENO stencil. The proposed WENO limiter matches well the original CIP/MM FVM, which leads to a new scheme of high accuracy, algorithmic simplicity, and computational efficiency. We present the numerical results of benchmark tests for both scalar and Euler conservation laws to manifest the fourth‐order accuracy and oscillation‐suppressing property of the proposed scheme. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.