A study of penalty elements for incompressible laminar flows

A finite element model is developed based on the penalty formulation to study incompressible laminar flows. The study includes a number of new quadrilateral and triangular elements for 2-dimensional flows and a number of new hexahedral and tetrahedral elements for 3-dimensional flows. All elements employ continuous velocity approximations and discontinuous pressure approximations respecting the LBB condition of numerical instability. An incremental Newton–Raphson method coupled with the Broyden method is used to solve the non-linear equations. Several numerical examples (colliding flow, cavity flow, etc.) are presented to assess the efficiency of elements.     

Consistent inlet and outlet boundary conditions for particle methods

In this paper, simple and consistent open boundary conditions are presented for the numerical simulation of viscous incompressible laminar flows. The present approach is based on an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian particle method using upwind interpolation. Three kinds of inlet/outlet boundary conditions are proposed for particle methods, a pressure specified inlet/outlet condition, a velocity profile specified inlet/outlet condition, and a fully developed flow outlet condition. These inlet/outlet conditions are realized by using boundary particles and modification to the physical value such as velocity. Poiseuille flows, flows over a backward-facing step, and flows in a T-shape branch are calculated. The results are compared with those of mesh-based methods such as the finite volume method. The method presented herein exhibits accuracy and numerical stability.     

Four-field Galerkin/least-squares formulation for viscoelastic fluids

A new Galerkin/Least-Squares (GLS) stabilized finite element method is presented for computing viscoelastic flows of complex fluids described by the conformation tensor; it extends the well-established GLS method for computing flows of incompressible Newtonian fluids. GLS methods are attractive for large-scale computations because they yield linear systems that can be solved easily with iterative solvers (e.g., the Generalized Minimum Residual method) and because they allow simple combinations of interpolation functions that can be conveniently and efficiently implemented on modern distributed-memory cache-based clusters.Like other state-of-the-art methods for computing viscoelastic flows (e.g., DEVSS-TG/SUPG), the new GLS method introduces a separate variable to represent the velocity gradient; with the aid of this variable, the conservation equations of mass, momentum, conformation, and the definition of velocity gradient are converted into a set of first-order partial differential equations in four unknown fields—pressure, velocity, conformation, and velocity gradient. The unknown fields are represented by low-order (continuous piecewise linear or bilinear) finite element basis functions.The method is applied to the Oldroyd-B constitutive equation and is tested in two benchmark problems—flow in a planar channel and flow past a cylinder in a channel. Results show that (1) the mesh-convergence rate of GLS is comparable to the DEVSS-TG/SUPG method; (2) the LS stabilization permits using equal-order basis functions for all fields; (3) GLS handles effectively the advective terms in the evolution equation of the conformation tensor; and (4) GLS yields accurate results at lower computational costs than DEVSS-type methods.     

Finite difference and finite element methods for mhd channel flows

A Galerkin finite element method and two finite difference techniques of the control volume variety have been used to study magnetohydrodynamic channel flows as a function of the Reynolds number, interaction parameter, electrode length and wall conductivity. The finite element and finite difference formulations use unequally spaced grids to accurately resolve the flow field near the channel wall and electrode edges where steep flow gradients are expected. It is shown that the axial velocity profiles are distorted into M-shapes by the applied electromagnetic field and that the distortion increases as the Reynolds number, interaction parameter and electrode length are increased. It is also shown that the finite element method predicts larger electromagnetic pinch effects at the electrode entrance and exit and larger pressure rises along the electrodes than the primitive-variable and streamfunction–vorticity finite difference formulations. However, the primitive-variable formulation predicts steeper axial velocity gradients at the channel walls and lower axial velocities at the channel centreline than the streamfunction–vorticity finite difference and the finite element methods. The differences between the results of the finite difference and finite element methods are attributed to the different grids used in the calculations and to the methods used to evaluate the pressure field. In particular, the computation of the velocity field from the streamfunction–vorticity formulation introduces computational noise, which is somewhat smoothed out when the pressure field is calculated by integrating the Navier–Stokes equations. It is also shown that the wall electric potential increases as the wall conductivity increases and that, at sufficiently high interaction parameters, recirculation zones may be created at the channel centreline, whereas the flow near the wall may show jet-like characteristics.     

A least-squares finite element method for incompressible Navier-Stokes problems

A least-squares finite element method based on the velocity–pressure–vorticity formulation was proposed for solving steady incompressible Navier-Stokes problems. This method leads to a minimization problem rather than to the saddle point problem of the classic mixed method and can thus accommodate equal-order interpolations. The method has no parameter to tune. The associated algebraic system is symmetric and positive definite. In order to show the validity of the method for high-Reynolds-number problems, this paper provides numerical results for cavity flow at Reynolds number up to 10 000 and backward-facing step flow at Reynolds number up to 900.     

Pseudostress–velocity formulation for incompressible Navier–Stokes equations

This paper presents a numerical algorithm using the pseudostress–velocity formulation to solve incompressible Newtonian flows. The pseudostress–velocity formulation is a variation of the stress–velocity formulation, which does not require symmetric tensor spaces in the finite element discretization. Hence its discretization is greatly simplified. The discrete system is further decoupled into an H ( div ) problem for the pseudostress and a post‐process resolving the velocity. This can be done conveniently by using the penalty method for steady‐state flows or by using the time discretization for nonsteady‐state flows. We apply this formulation to the 2D lid‐driven cavity problem and study its grid convergence rate. Also, computational results of the time‐dependent‐driven cavity problem and the flow past rectangular problem are reported. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Using a segregated finite element scheme to solve the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations

In this paper, a segregated finite element scheme for the solution of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations is proposed which is simpler in form than previously reported formulations. A pressure correction equation is derived from the momentum and continuity equations, and equal-order interpolation is used for both the velocity components and pressure. Algorithms such as this have been known to lead to checkerboard pressure oscillations; however, the pressure correction equation of this scheme should not produce these oscillations. The method is applied to several laminar flow situations, and details of the methods used to achieve converged solutions are given.     

基于特征分裂有限元准隐格式的共轭传热整体耦合数值模拟方法

共轭传热现象在科学和工程领域中大量存在. 随着计算能力的发展, 对共轭传热现象进行准确有效的数值模拟, 成为科学研究和工程设计上的重要挑战.共轭传热数值模拟的方法可以分为两大类: 分区耦合和整体耦合.本文采用有限元法对共轭传热问题进行整体耦合模拟. 固体传热求解采用标准的伽辽金有限元方法.流动求解采用基于特征分裂的有限元方法. 该方法是一种重要的求解流动问题的有限元方法, 可以使用等阶有限元. 该方法的准隐格式与其他格式相比, 具有时间步长大的特点. 将稳定项中的时间步长与全局时间步长分开, 改进了准隐格式的稳定性. 基于改进的特征分裂有限元方法的准隐格式, 发展了一种层流共轭传热数值模拟的整体耦合方法. 采用这种方法可以将流体计算域和固体计算域作为一个整体划分有限元网格, 并且所有变量都可以采用相同的插值函数, 从而有利于程序的实现. 通过对典型问题的模拟, 验证了这种方法的准确性. 本工作还研究了固体区域时间步长对定常共轭传热问题数值模拟收敛性的影响.      

Dynamic vorticity condition: Theoretical analysis and numerical implementation

The dynamic boundary conditions for vorticity, derived from the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations, are examined from both theoretical and computational points of view. It is found that these conditions can be either local (Neumann type) or global (Dirichlet type), both containing coupling with the boundary pressure, which is the main difficulty in applying vorticity-based methods. An integral formulation is presented to analyse the structure of vorticity and pressure solutions, especially the strength of the coupling. We find that for high-Reynolds-number flows the coupling is weak and, if necessary, can be effectively bypassed by simple iteration. In fact, even a fully decoupled approximation is well applicable for most Reynolds numbers of practical interest. The fractional step method turns out to be especially appropriate for implementing the decoupled approximation. Both integral and finite difference methods are tested for some simple cases with known exact solutions. In the integral approach smoothed heat kernels are used to increase the accuracy of numerical quadrature. For the more complicated problem of impulsively started flow over a circular cylinder at Re = 9500 the finite difference method is used. The results are compared against numerical solutions and fine experiments with good agreement. These numerical experiments confirm our thoeretical analysis and show the advantages of the dynamic condition in computing high-Reynolds-number flows.     

Fractional four-step finite element method for analysis of thermally coupled fluid-solid interaction problems

An integrated fluid-thermal-structural analysis approach is presented. In this approach, the heat conduction in a solid is coupled with the heat convection in the viscous flow of the fluid resulting in the thermal stress in the solid. The fractional four-step finite element method and the streamline upwind Petrov-Galerkin (SUPG) method are used to analyze the viscous thermal flow in the fluid. Analyses of the heat transfer and the thermal stress in the solid are performed by the Galerkin method. The second-order semiimplicit Crank-Nicolson scheme is used for the time integration. The resulting nonlinear equations are linearized to improve the computational efficiency. The integrated analysis method uses a three-node triangular element with equal-order interpolation functions for the fluid velocity components, the pressure, the temperature, and the solid displacements to simplify the overall finite element formulation. The main advantage of the present method is to consistently couple the heat transfer along the fluid-solid interface. Results of several tested problems show effiectiveness of the present finite element method, which provides insight into the integrated fluid-thermal-structural interaction phenomena.     

Finite‐element/level‐set/operator‐splitting (FELSOS) approach for computing two‐fluid unsteady flows with free moving interfaces

The present work is devoted to the study on unsteady flows of two immiscible viscous fluids separated by free moving interface. Our goal is to elaborate a unified strategy for numerical modelling of two‐fluid interfacial flows, having in mind possible interface topology changes (like merger or break‐up) and realistically wide ranges for physical parameters of the problem. The proposed computational approach essentially relies on three basic components: the finite element method for spatial approximation, the operator‐splitting for temporal discretization and the level‐set method for interface representation. We show that the finite element implementation of the level‐set approach brings some additional benefits as compared to the standard, finite difference level‐set realizations. In particular, the use of finite elements permits to localize the interface precisely, without introducing any artificial parameters like the interface thickness; it also allows to maintain the second‐order accuracy of the interface normal, curvature and mass conservation. The operator‐splitting makes it possible to separate all major difficulties of the problem and enables us to implement the equal‐order interpolation for the velocity and pressure. Diverse numerical examples including simulations of bubble dynamics, bifurcating jet flow and Rayleigh–Taylor instability are presented to validate the computational method. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A finite element analysis of the steady laminar entrance flow in a 90° curved tube

A standard Galerkin finite element penalty function method is used to approximate the solution of the three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations for steady incompressible Newtonian entrance flow in a 90° curved tube (curvature ratio δ = 1/6) for a triple of Dean numbers (κ = 41, 122 and 204). The computational results for the intermediate Dean number (κ = 122) are compared with the results of laser–Doppler velocity measurements in an equivalent experimental model. For both the axial and secondary velocity components, fair agreement between the computational and experimental results is found.     

Time-dependent liquid metal flows with free convection and a deformable free surface

The finite element method is employed to investigate time-dependent liquid metal flows with free convection, free surfaces and Marangoni effects. The liquid circulates in a two-dimensional shallow trough with differentially heated vertical walls. The spatial formulation incorporates mixed Lagrangian approximations to the velocity, pressure, temperature and free surface position. The time integration is performed with the backward Euler and trapezoid rule methods with step size control. The Galerkin method is used to reduce the problem to a set of non-linear equations which are solved with the Newton–Raphson method. Calculations are performed for conditions relevant to the electron beam vaporization of refractory metals. The Prandtl number is 0·015 and Grashof number are in the transition range between laminar and turbulent flow. The results reveal the effects of flow intensity, surface tension gradients, mesh refinement and time integration strategy.     

A pressure-based Mach-uniform method for viscous fluid flows

A pressure-based, Mach-uniform method is developed by combining the SLAU2 numerical scheme and the higher temporal order pressure-based algorithm. This hybrid combination compensates the limitation of the SLAU2 numerical scheme in the low-Mach number regime and deficiencies of the pressure-based method in the high-Mach number regime. A momentum interpolation method is proposed to replace the Rhie-Chow interpolation for accurate shock-capturing and to alleviate the carbuncle phenomena. The momentum interpolation method is consistent in addition to preserving pressure–velocity coupling in the incompressible limit . The postulated pressure equation allows the algorithm to compute the subsonic flows without empirical scaling of numerical dissipation at low-Mach number computation. Several test cases involving a broad range of Mach number regimes are presented. The numerical results demonstrate that the present algorithm is remarkable for the calculation of viscous fluid flows at arbitrary Mach number including shock wave/laminar boundary layer interaction and aerodynamics heating problem.     

Finite element analysis of density flow using the velocity correction method

A finite element method is proposed for the analysis of density flow which is induced by a difference of density. The method employs the idea that density variation can be pursued by using markers distributed in the flow field. For the numerical integration scheme, the velocity correction method is successfully used, introducing a potential for the correction of velocity. This method is useful because one can use linear interpolation functions for velocity, pressure and potential based on the triangular finite element. The final equations can be formulated using the quasi-explicit finite element method. A flume in a tank with sloping bottom has been analysed by the present method. The computed results show extremely good agreement with the experimental observations.     

An efficient algorithm for strain history tracking in finite element computations of non-Newtonian fluids with integral constitutive equations

A new finite element technique has been developed for employing integral-type constitutive equations in non-Newtonian flow simulations. The present method uses conventional quadrilateral elements for the interpolation of velocity components, so that it can conveniently handle viscoelastic flows with both open and closed streamlines (recirculating regions). A Picard iteration scheme with either flow rate or elasticity increment is used to treat the non-Newtonian stresses as pseudo-body forces, and an efficient and consistent predictor-corrector scheme is adopted for both the particle-tracking and strain tensor calculations. The new method has been used to simulate entry flows of polymer melts in circular abrupt contractions using the K-BKZ integral constitutive model. Results are in very good agreement with existing numerical data. The important question of mesh refinement and convergence for integral models in complex flow at high flow rate has also been addressed, and satisfactory convergence and mesh-independent results are obtained. In addition, the present method is relatively inexpensive and in the meantime can reach higher elasticity levels without numerical instability, compared with the best available similar calculations in the literature.     

不可压缩N-S方程的稳定分步算法及耦合离散

在有限增量微积分(finite increment calculus, FIC)的理论框架下，通过引入一个附加变量，发展了压力稳定型分步算法，有效改善了经典 分步算法的压力稳定性，同时还避免了标准FIC方法中存在的空间高阶导数的计算. 为保证 数值方法同时具有较快的计算速度和较好的健壮性，发展了有限元与无网格的耦合空间离散 方法. 该方案可在网格发生扭曲的区域采用无网格法空间离散以保证求解的精度和稳定性， 而在网格质量较好的区域以及本质边界上保留使用有限元法空间离散以提高计算效率和便于 施加本质边界条件. 方腔流考题的数值模拟结果突出地显示了所发展的压力稳定型分步算 法比经典分步算法具有更好的压力稳定性，能够有效消除速度-压力插值空间违反LBB条件而 导致的压力场的虚假数值振荡. 平面Poisseuille流动和一个典型型腔充填过程的数值模拟 结果, 表明了发展的耦合离散方案相对于单一的有限元法和单一的无网格法在综合考虑计 算效率和算法健壮性方面的突出优点.     

A second‐order time accurate finite element method for quasi‐incompressible viscous flows

A finite element method for quasi‐incompressible viscous flows is presented. An equation for pressure is derived from a second‐order time accurate Taylor–Galerkin procedure that combines the mass and the momentum conservation laws. At each time step, once the pressure has been determined, the velocity field is computed solving discretized equations obtained from another second‐order time accurate scheme and a least‐squares minimization of spatial momentum residuals. The terms that stabilize the finite element method (controlling wiggles and circumventing the Babuska–Brezzi condition) arise naturally from the process, rather than being introduced a priori in the variational formulation. A comparison between the present second‐order accurate method and our previous first‐order accurate formulation is shown. The method is also demonstrated in the computation of the leaky‐lid driven cavity flow and in the simulation of a crossflow past a circular cylinder. In both cases, good agreement with previously published experimental and computational results has been obtained. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A hybrid vertex-centered finite volume/element method for viscous incompressible flows on non-staggered unstructured meshes

This paper proposes a hybrid vertex-centered finite volume/finite element method for solution of the two dimensional (2D) incompressible Navier-Stokes equations on unstructured grids.An incremental pressure fractional step method is adopted to handle the velocity-pressure coupling.The velocity and the pressure are collocated at the node of the vertex-centered control volume which is formed by joining the centroid of cells sharing the common vertex.For the temporal integration of the momentum equations,an implicit second-order scheme is utilized to enhance the computational stability and eliminate the time step limit due to the diffusion term.The momentum equations are discretized by the vertex-centered finite volume method (FVM) and the pressure Poisson equation is solved by the Galerkin finite element method (FEM).The momentum interpolation is used to damp out the spurious pressure wiggles.The test case with analytical solutions demonstrates second-order accuracy of the current hybrid scheme in time and space for both velocity and pressure.The classic test cases,the lid-driven cavity flow,the skew cavity flow and the backward-facing step flow,show that numerical results are in good agreement with the published benchmark solutions.     

Spectral/hp penalty least‐squares finite element formulation for unsteady incompressible flows

In this paper, we present spectral/hp penalty least‐squares finite element formulation for the numerical solution of unsteady incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. Pressure is eliminated from Navier–Stokes equations using penalty method, and finite element model is developed in terms of velocity, vorticity and dilatation. High‐order element expansions are used to construct discrete form. Unlike other penalty finite element formulations, equal‐order Gauss integration is used for both viscous and penalty terms of the coefficient matrix. For time integration, space–time decoupled schemes are implemented. Second‐order accuracy of the time integration scheme is established using the method of manufactured solution. Numerical results are presented for impulsively started lid‐driven cavity flow at Reynolds number of 5000 and transient flow over a backward‐facing step. The effect of penalty parameter on the accuracy is investigated thoroughly in this paper and results are presented for a range of penalty parameter. Present formulation produces very accurate results for even very low penalty parameters (10–50). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.