Thermally coupled,stationary, incompressible MHD flow; existence,uniqueness, and finite element approximation

This article addresses the questions of existence, uniqueness, and finite element approximation (including some computational aspects) of solutions to the equations of steady-state magnetohy-drodynamic (MHD) when buoyancy effects due to temperature differences in the flow cannot be neglected. We couple the MHD equations to the heat equation and employ the well-known Boussinesq approximation. We consider the equations posed on a bounded three-dimensional domain. The boundary conditions for the velocity are of Dirichlet type; the boundary conditions for the temperature are mixed (of Dirichlet type and of Neumann type); we also specify the normal component of the magnetic field and tangential component of the electric field on the boundary. We point out that these problems are relevant to many physical phenomena such as the cooling of nuclear reactors by electrically conducting fluids, continuous metal casting, crystal growth, and semi-conductor manufacture. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Bed of polydisperse viscous spherical drops under thermocapillary effects

Viscous flow past an ensemble of polydisperse spherical drops is investigated under thermocapillary effects. We assume that the collection of spherical drops behaves as a porous media and estimates the hydrodynamic interactions analytically via the so- called cell model that is defined around a specific representative particle. In this method, the hydrodynamic interactions are assumed to be accounted by suitable boundary conditions on a fictitious fluid envelope surrounding the representative particle. The force calculated on this representative particle will then be extended to a bed of spherical drops visualized as a Darcy porous bed. Thus, the “effective bed permeability” of such a porous bed will be computed as a function of various parameters and then will be compared with Carman–Kozeny relation. We use cell model approach to a packed bed of spherical drops of uniform size (monodisperse spherical drops) and then extend the work for a packed bed of polydisperse spherical drops, for a specific parameters. Our results show a good agreement with the Carman–Kozeny relation for the case of monodisperse spherical drops. The prediction of overall bed permeability using our present model agrees well with the Carman–Kozeny relation when the packing size distribution is narrow, whereas a small deviation can be noted when the size distribution becomes broader.     

Stability of a finite element method for 3D exterior stationary Navier-Stokes flows

We consider numerical approximations of stationary incompressible Navier-Stokes flows in 3D exterior domains, with nonzero velocity at infinity. It is shown that a P1-P1 stabilized finite element method proposed by C. Rebollo: A term by term stabilization algorithm for finite element solution of incompressible flow problems, Numer. Math. 79 (1998), 283–319, is stable when applied to a Navier-Stokes flow in a truncated exterior domain with a pointwise boundary condition on the artificial boundary.     

Incipient sediment transport for non-cohesive landforms by the discrete element method (DEM)

We introduce a numerical method for incipient sediment transport past bedforms. The approach is based on the discrete element method (DEM) [1], simulating the micro-mechanics of the landform as an aggregate of rigid spheres interacting by contact and friction. A continuous finite element approximation [2] predicts the boundary shear stress field due to the fluid flow, resulting in drag and lift forces acting over the particles. Numerical experiments verify the method by reproducing results by Shields [3] and other authors for the initiation of motion of a single grain. A series of experiments for sediments with varying compacity and constituting piles yields enhanced relationships between threshold shear stress and friction Reynolds number, to define incipient sediment transport criterion for flows over small-scale bed morphologies.     

Interactive computing methods for aeroelastic analysis of turbomachinery

An interaction viscous‐inviscid method for efficiently computing steady and unsteady viscous flows is presented. The inviscid domain is modeled using a finite element discretization of the full potential equation. The viscous region is modeled using a finite difference boundary layer technique. The two regions are simultaneously coupled using the transpiration approach. A time linearization technique is applied to this interactive method. For unsteady flows, the fluid is assumed to be composed of a mean or steady flow plus a harmonically varying small unsteady disturbance. Numerically exact nonreflecting boundary conditions are used for the far field conditions. Results for some steady and unsteady, laminar and turbulent flow problems are compared to linearized Navier‐Stokes or time‐marching boundary layer methods. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A finite element method for granular flow through a frictional boundary

A finite element method for the flow of dry granular solids through a domain involving a frictional contact boundary is formulated. The granular material is assumed as a compressible viscous-elastic–plastic continuum. Based on the principles of continuum mechanics, a complete set of equations is developed. The resulting boundary value problem is solved by the finite element method in space and by the finite difference method in time. The derivation of the finite element equations and the mathematical framework of the numerical technique are presented, together with two illustrative examples to demonstrate the validity of the technique.     

The coupling of bem and fem for the two-dimensional viscous flow problem

In this paper we propose a numerical scheme for treating the problem of sJow viscous flow past an obstacle in the plane. This scheme is a combination of boundary element and finite element methods. By introducing an auxiliary boundary curve, we divide the region under consideration into two subregions, an inner and an outer region. In the inner region, we employ a finite element method (FEM) for solving a system of simplified field equations with proper natural boundary conditions. In the outer region, the solution is expressed in the form of a simple-layer potential with density function satisfying a system of modified integral equations of the first kind. The latter are solved by a boundary element method (BEM). Both solutions are matched on the common auxiliary boundary curve. Error estimates in suitable function spaces are derived in terms of the mesh widths as well as the small parameters, the Reynolds numbers     

Analysis of a FEM/BEM coupling method for transonic flow computations

A sensitive issue in numerical calculations for exterior flow problems, e.g.around airfoils, is the treatment of the far field boundary conditions on a computational domain which is bounded. In this paper we investigate this problem for two-dimensional transonic potential flows with subsonic far field flow around airfoil profiles. We take the artificial far field boundary in the subsonic flow region. In the far field we approximate the subsonic potential flow by the Prandtl-Glauert linearization. The latter leads via the Green representation theorem to a boundary integral equation on the far field boundary. This defines a nonlocal boundary condition for the interior ring domain. Our approach leads naturally to a coupled finite element/boundary element method for numerical calculations. It is compared with local boundary conditions. The error analysis for the method is given and we prove convergence provided the solution to the analytic transonic flow problem around the profile exists.

     

Green’s function,temperature in a convectively cooled sphere with arbitrarily located spherical heat sources

Steady state heat conduction in a convectively cooled sphere having arbitrarily located spherical heat sources inside is treated with the method of Green’s function accompanied by a coordinate transform. Green’s function of the heat diffusion operator for a finite sphere with Robin boundary condition is obtained by spherical harmonics expansion. Verification of the analytical solution is exemplified in some generic cases related to the pebbles of South-African PBMR as of year 2000 with 268 MW thermal power. Analytical results for different sectors of the sphere (pebble) are compared with the results of computational fluid dynamics code FLUENT^™. This work is motivated through a modest effort to assess the stochastic effects of distribution and volumetric effects of fuel kernels within the pebbles of future-promising pebble bed reactors.     

Three-dimensional finite/infinite elements analysis of fluid flow in porous media

Fluid flow in naturally fractured porous media can always be regarded as an unbounded domain problem and be better solved by finite/infinite elements. In this paper, a three-dimensional two-direction mapped infinite element is generated and combined with conventional finite elements and one direction infinite element to simulate poroelasticity. Therefore, the entire semi-infinite domain can be included in the numerical analysis. Both single- and dual-porosity porous media are considered. For the purpose of validation, we compare the results of finite/infinite elements with those of finite elements under two extreme boundary conditions. The comparison indicated that mapped infinite element is an appropriate approach to model fluid flow in porous media and provides an intermediate solution.     

Multiple level finite element analysis and its applications to tidal current flow in Tokyo Bay

A finite element method for the analysis of a one level and a multiple level current flow is presented. The basic equations can be derived from the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations under the shallow water assumptions. The standard finite element method has been introduced using the linear interpolation function based on a triangular finite element. For each level, the finite element subdivisions are not required to be coincident. To integrate the discretized equations numerically in time, an improved two step explicit scheme is employed. The multiple level finite element method is applied to a tidal flow analysis of Tokyo Bay.The multiple level tidal flow analysis is performed at the entrance channel of Tokyo Bay. The density of water is assumed to be constant for each level. The vertical profiles of the numerical velocity are compared with those of the observed velocity. The flow directions and the order of velocity are both well in agreement with the observed data. The tidal flow pattern in Tokyo Bay has been shown to be expressed by the multiple level flow assuming that the density of seawater is levelwise constant.The numerical tidal flow computation of Tokyo Bay carried out using a one level model is compared with observed data. The one level numerical values will be used to specify the boundary conditions for the multiple level analysis. Both numerical and observed results correspond extremely well in this computation. The two dominant circulated residual flows have been computed, and they coincide with the observed facts.     

Analysis of free-edge effects by boundary finite element method

The scaled boundary finite element method is a novel semi-analytical analysis technique that combines the advantages of the finite element method and the boundary element method. Only a part of the boundary of the considered domain has to be discretized but nevertheless the method is solely finite element based. The governing equations are solved in the so-called scaling direction analytically, whereas a finite element approximation of the solution is performed in the circumferential directions, which form the boundary of the considered domain. Thus, the numerical effort can be reduced considerably when handling stress concentration problems such as e.g. the free-edge effect in laminated plates. In order to analyze the free-edge effect in a semi-infinite half plane, some kinematic coupling equations have to be introduced, that not only couple the degrees of freedom on the boundary, but also within the non-discretized domain. The implementation of kinematic coupling equations within the method is presented. Finally, the efficiency of the new approach is shown in some benchmark examples. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

An Iterative FEM for Solving Wave Problems of a Halfspace

An iterative finite element method for solving wave problems of a halfspace is presented in this paper. The halfspace is first truncated by introducing a fictive finite boundary on which some fictive boundary conditions must be imposed. A finite computational domain is in each iteration subjected to actual boundary conditions on real boundary and to fictive Dirichlet or Neumann boundary conditions on the fictive boundary. The radiation condition is satisfied by using DtN operator. The DtN operator is not introduce in the finite element formulation on the fictive boundary so any finite elements can be used. The method is simple and specially useful for computing higher harmonics.     

跨海特大型桥梁风-浪耦合作用的随机振动分析

考虑风-浪耦合场中风和波浪特征参数的相关性,建立了基于有限元法与边界元法联合分析的特大型桥梁风-浪耦合作用运动方程.其中,作用在大型深水基础上的波浪力采用势流理论和边界元法进行计算,并建立有限单元与边界元单元组的映射关系,将边界单元组上的波浪力映射到结构有限单元上;作用在桥梁上的气动力通过有限元法进行计算,包括由脉动风激发的非定常抖振力和由气弹相互作用产生的自激力.在此基础上,基于随机振动分析的高效算法——虚拟激励法,建立了计算桥梁风-浪耦合作用响应的分析方法.最后,针对某跨海超大跨桥梁方案进行研究,结果表明:与风致响应相比,风-浪耦合作用下桥梁深水基础内力显著增大,其中波浪激发的侧向剪力占主导地位,波浪激发的侧向弯矩在海床附近与风致响应基本相当,但在海床以下更大;斜风-波浪耦合作用下的主梁内力响应和深水基础内力响应比正交风-波浪耦合作用下的结果更大.因此,在跨海桥梁设计中,必须考虑风-浪耦合作用效应.     

Error estimates of the finite element method for the exterior Helmholtz problem with a modified DtN boundary condition

A priori error estimates in the H¹- and L²-norms are established for the finite element method applied to the exterior Helmholtz problem, with modified Dirichlet-to-Neumann (MDtN) boundary condition. The error estimates include the effect of truncation of the MDtN boundary condition as well as that of discretization of the finite element method. The error estimate in the L²-norm is sharper than that obtained by the author [D. Koyama, Error estimates of the DtN finite element method for the exterior Helmholtz problem, J. Comput. Appl. Math. 200 (1) (2007) 21-31] for the truncated DtN boundary condition.     

Multigrid fictitious boundary and grid deformation methods for flow-induced rotation of wing

Numerical simulations of flow-induced rotation of wing by multigrid fictitious boundary and grid deformation methods are presented. The flow is computed by a special ALE formulation with a multigrid finite element solver. The solid wing is allowed to move freely through the computational mesh which is adaptively aligned by a special mesh deformation method. The advantage of this approach is that no expensive remeshing has to be performed. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Finite element method solution of electrically driven magnetohydrodynamic flow

The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow in a rectangular duct is investigated for the case when the flow is driven by the current produced by electrodes, placed one in each of the walls of the duct where the applied magnetic field is perpendicular. The flow is steady, laminar and the fluid is incompressible, viscous and electrically conducting. A stabilized finite element with the residual-free bubble (RFB) functions is used for solving the governing equations. The finite element method employing the RFB functions is capable of resolving high gradients near the layer regions without refining the mesh. Thus, it is possible to obtain solutions consistent with the physical configuration of the problem even for high values of the Hartmann number. Before employing the bubble functions in the global problem, we have to find them inside each element by means of a local problem. This is achieved by approximating the bubble functions by a nonstandard finite element method based on the local problem. Equivelocity and current lines are drawn to show the well-known behaviours of the MHD flow. Those are the boundary layer formation close to the insulated walls for increasing values of the Hartmann number and the layers emanating from the endpoints of the electrodes. The changes in direction and intensity with respect to the values of wall inductance are also depicted in terms of level curves for both the velocity and the induced magnetic field.     

Asymptotic-numerical derivation of the Robin type coupling conditions for the macroscopic pressure at a reservoir–capillaries interface

In this article the Stokes equations are considered in a domain simulating a capillary bed system. The capillaries are supposed to be thin, parallel and periodic. An asymptotic approximation is constructed. The macroscopic pressure satisfies a Robin interface condition whose coefficients are calculated numerically through a finite element approximation of a boundary layer problem, which is inspired to a domain decomposition technique.     

Particle Finite Element Simulations of Cutting Processes in Manufacturing

The cutting of metals is an important process in manufacturing and challenges established methods in the field of computational mechanics. The particle finite element method (PFEM) combines the benefits of particle based methods and the standard finite element method (FEM) to account for large deformations and separation of material. In cutting simulations the workpiece is realised as a set of particles, whose boundary is detected by the α-shape method. After the boundary detection, the particles are meshed with finite elements. Since metals show a plastic behavior under large deformations, a suitable material model needs to be considered. Numerical examples show the effect of the choice of the parameter α on the cutting force. (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Finite element methods for micropolar models of granular materials

We present a thermodynamically based finite element scheme for rate-independent materials and demonstrate its application in modelling the rheological behaviour of granular materials. Starting from the laws of thermodynamics, we have recently developed a new class of micropolar-type constitutive relations for two-dimensional densely packed granular media. This class of constitutive laws is expressed in terms of particle-scale properties, thus providing a direct link between observed macroscopic behaviour and the underlying particle–particle interactions. Here, we demonstrate how the connection to the underlying physics can be maintained and carried through to the finite element implementation phase of the modelling process via the same thermodynamical principles used to construct the constitutive laws. Notably, the study indicates that while the traditional Galerkin-FEM method admits a range of weighting functions, the proposed formulation provides an additional constraint that narrows the choice of admissible weighting functions via the second law of thermodynamics. Additionally, this paper presents insights into the finite element implementation of micropolar models deemed to be appropriate for modelling several classes of heterogeneous media (e.g. granular materials, cellular composites and biological materials). As the kinematics and kinetics of micropolar continua are enriched by the addition of rotational degrees of freedom to each material point, the equations governing boundary value problems for such materials differ from those of other continuum models both from the viewpoint of the constitutive law and the governing conservation laws. Analysis of elastoplastic deformation of micropolar continua is presented.