On the uncertainty of CFD in sail aerodynamics

A verification and validation procedure for yacht sail aerodynamics is presented. Guidelines and an example of application are provided. The grid uncertainty for the aerodynamic lift, drag and pressure distributions for the sails is computed. The pressures are validated against experimental measurements, showing that the validation procedure may allow the identification of modelling errors. Lift, drag and L₂ norm of the pressures were computed with uncertainties of the order of 1%. Convergence uncertainty and round‐off uncertainty are several orders of magnitude smaller than the grid uncertainty. The uncertainty due to the dimension of the computational domain is computed for a flat plate at incidence and is found to be significant compared with the other uncertainties. Finally, it is shown how the probability that the ranking between different geometries is correct can be estimated knowing the uncertainty in the computation of the value used to rank. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Short Communication: Application of WENO (Weighted Essentially Non-oscillatory) Approach to Navier–Stokes Computations

The direct implementation of the essentially non-oscillatory schemes for flow simulation over complex geometries sometimes results in insufficiently robust numerical algorithms. In order to overcome this difficulty, it is suggested to use the weighted essentially non-oscillatory approach for multidimensional Navier–Stokes computations. The results indicate a significant improvement in accuracy and robustness, especially for low Mach and high supersonic flows.     

Cell face velocity alternatives in a structured colocated grid for the unsteady Navier–Stokes equations

The use of a colocated variable arrangement for the numerical solution of fluid flow is becoming more and more popular due to its coding simplicity. The inherent decoupling of the pressure and velocity fields in this arrangement can be handled via a special interpolation procedure for the calculation of the cell face velocity named pressure‐weighted interpolation method (PWIM) (AIAA J. 1983; 21 (11):1525–1532). In this paper a discussion on the alternatives to extend PWIM to unsteady flows is presented along with a very simple criterion to ascertain if a given interpolation practice will produce steady results that are relaxation dependent or time step dependent. Following this criterion it will be shown that some prior schemes presented as time step independent are actually not, although by using special interpolations can be readily adapted to be. A systematic way of deriving different cell face velocity expressions will be presented and new formulae free of Δt dependence will be derived. Several computational exercises will accompany the theoretical discussion to support our claims. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study of techniques for obtaining continuous models from 2D discrete reduced‐order state‐space CFD models

The application of unsteady computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes to aeroelastic calculations leads to a large number of degrees of freedom making them computationally expensive. Reduced‐order models (ROMs) have therefore been developed; an ROM is a system of equations which is able to reproduce the solutions of the full set of equations with reasonable accuracy, but which is of lower order. ROMs have been the focus of research in various engineering situations, but it is only relatively recently that such techniques have begun to be introduced into CFD. In order for the reduced systems to be generally applicable to aeroelastic calculations, it is necessary to have continuous time models that can be put into discrete form for different time steps. While some engineering reduction schemes can produce time‐continuous models directly, the majority of methods reported in CFD initially produce discrete time or discrete frequency models. Such models are restricted in their applicability and in order to overcome this situation, a continuous time ROM must be extracted from the discrete time system. This process can most simply be achieved by inverting the transformation from continuous to discrete time that was initially used to discretize the CFD scheme. However an alternative method reported in literature is based on continuous time sampling, even when this is not used for the initial discretization of the CFD code. This paper focuses on one particular method for ROM generation, eigensystem realization algorithm (ERA), that has been used in the CFD field. This is implemented to produce a discrete time ROM from a standard CFD code, that can be used to investigate methods for obtaining continuous ROMs and the limitations of the resulting models. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Finite element and implicit Runge–Kutta implementation of an acoustics–convection upstream resolution algorithm for the time‐dependent two‐dimensional Euler equations

The second of a two‐paper series, this paper details a solver for the characteristics‐bias system from the acoustics–convection upstream resolution algorithm for the Euler and Navier–Stokes equations. An integral formulation leads to several surface integrals that allow effective enforcement of boundary conditions. Also presented is a new multi‐dimensional procedure to enforce a pressure boundary condition at a subsonic outlet, a procedure that remains accurate and stable. A classical finite element Galerkin discretization of the integral formulation on any prescribed grid directly yields an optimal discretely conservative upstream approximation for the Euler and Navier–Stokes equations, an approximation that remains multi‐dimensional independently of the orientation of the reference axes and computational cells. The time‐dependent discrete equations are then integrated in time via an implicit Runge–Kutta procedure that in this paper is proven to remain absolutely non‐linearly stable for the spatially‐discrete Euler and Navier–Stokes equations and shown to converge rapidly to steady states, with maximum Courant number exceeding 100 for the linearized version. Even on relatively coarse grids, the acoustics–convection upstream resolution algorithm generates essentially non‐oscillatory solutions for subsonic, transonic and supersonic flows, encompassing oblique‐ and interacting‐shock fields that converge within 40 time steps and reflect reference exact solutions. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Colour in visualisation for computational fluid dynamics

Colour is used in computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations in two key ways. First it is used to visualise the geometry and allow the engineer to be confident that the model constructed is a good representation of the engineering situation. Once an analysis has been completed, colour is used in post-processing the data from the simulations to illustrate the complex fluid mechanic phenomena under investigation. This paper describes these two uses of colour and provides some examples to illustrate the key visualisation approaches used in CFD.     

Surface triangulation for polygonal models based on CAD data

This paper presents an approach to the generation of unstructured surface meshes for Computer‐Aided Design (CAD) surface models represented as lists of polygons with minimum user interventions. Stereolithography (STL) data are adopted as an interface between a CAD system and the surface grid generator. STL files often include problems such as overlapping surfaces, gaps, and intersections. They have to be revised quickly and automatically before the surface models are used for the background grid of the surface grid generation. In this paper, we describe an automatic revision method for use with STL‐defined surface models. The advancing front method using geometric features is adopted directly on the modified STL surfaces. The capability of the method is demonstrated for several 3D surface models. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fluid Flows Through Two-Dimensional Channels of Composite Materials

The present analysis relates to the study of the full two-dimensional Brinkman equation representing the fluid flow through porous medium. The steady, incompressible fluid flow, with a negligible gravitational force, is constrained to flow in an infinitely long channel in which the height assumes a series of piecewise constant values. The control volume method is used to solve the Brinkman equation which involves the parameter, =/Da, where Da is the Darcy number and is the ratio of the fluid viscosity _f to the effective viscosity . An analytical study in the fully developed section of the composite channel is presented when the channel is of constant height and composed of several layers of porous media, each of uniform porosity. In the fully developed flow regime the analytical and numerical solutions are graphically indistinguishable. A geometrical configuration involving several discontinuities of channel height, and where the entry and exit sections are layered, is considered and the effect of different permeabilities is demonstrated. Further, numerical investigations are performed to evaluate the behaviour of fluid flow through regions which mathematically model some geological structures of various sizes, positions and permeability, for example a fault or a fracture, where the outlet channel is offset at different levels. The effect on the overall pressure gradient is also considered.     

建筑风压场数值模拟中压力波动的平抑

在以同位网格为基础的简单流场压力计算中,通常采用动量插值方法来平抑流场中的压力波动现象;但是对于建筑风场等复杂的钝体绕流问题,由该平抑方法得到的收敛风压场仍可能存在小幅波动。为彻底解决同位网格格式下的压力波动,除采用动量插值方法外,本文提出了在压力校正方程的界面流速中添加压力梯度差值项的方法。算例分析表明,该方法计算得到的建筑风压场完全避免了压力波动现象,风压解与试验结果吻合良好。     

CFD SIMULATION OF FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING IN DOWNER REACTORS

A mathematical model has been developed for the simulation of gas-particle flow and fluid catalytic cracking in downer reactors. The model takes into account both cracking reaction and flow behavior through a four-lump reaction kinetics coupled with two-phase turbulent flow. The prediction results show that the relatively large change of gas velocity affects directly the axial distribution of solids velocity and void fraction, which significantly interact with the chemical reaction. Furthermore, model simulations are carried out to determine the effects of such parameters on product yields, as bed diameter, reaction temperature and the ratio of catalyst to oil, which are helpful for optimizing the yields of desired products. The model equations are coded and solved on CFX4.4.