Stretched Cartesian grids for solution of the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations

Two Cartesian grid stretching functions are investigated for solving the unsteady incompressible Navier–Stokes equations using the pressure–velocity formulation. The first function is developed for the Fourier method and is a generalization of earlier work. This function concentrates more points at the centre of the computational box while allowing the box to remain finite. The second stretching function is for the second‐order central finite difference scheme, which uses a staggered grid in the computational domain. This function is derived to allow a direct discretization of the Laplacian operator in the pressure equation while preserving the consistent behaviour exhibited by the uniform grid scheme. Both functions are analysed for their effects on the matrix of the discretized pressure equation. It is shown that while the second function does not spoil the matrix diagonal dominance, the first one can. Limits to stretching of the first method are derived for the cases of mappings in one and two directions. A limit is also derived for the second function in order to prevent a strong distortion of a sine wave. The performances of the two types of stretching are examined in simulations of periodic co‐flowing jets and a time developing boundary layer. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Upwind discretization of the steady Navier–Stokes equations

A discretization method is presented for the full, steady, compressible Navier–Stokes equations. The method makes use of quadrilateral finite volumes and consists of an upwind discretization of the convective part and a central discretization of the diffusive part. In the present paper the emphasis lies on the discretization of the convective part. The solution method applied solves the steady equations directly by means of a non-linear relaxation method accelerated by multigrid. The solution method requires the discretization to be continuously differentiable. For two upwind schemes which satisfy this requirement (Osher's and van Leer's scheme), results of a quantitative error analysis are presented. Osher's scheme appears to be increasingly more accurate than van Leer's scheme with increasing Reynolds number. A suitable higher-order accurate discretization of the convection terms is derived. On the basis of this higher-order scheme, to preserve monotonicity, a new limiter is constructed. Numerical results are presented for a subsonic flat plate flow and a supersonic flat plate flow with oblique shock wave–boundary layer interaction. The results obtained agree with the predictions made. Useful properties of the discretization method are that it allows an easy check of false diffusion and that it needs no tuning of parameters.     

An adaptive multigrid finite-volume scheme for incompressible Navier–Stokes equations

An algorithm for the solutions of the two-dimensional incompressible Navier–Stokes equations is presented. The algorithm can be used to compute both steady-state and time-dependent flow problems. It is based on an artificial compressibility method and uses higher-order upwind finite-volume techniques for the convective terms and a second-order finite-volume technique for the viscous terms. Three upwind schemes for discretizing convective terms are proposed here. An interesting result is that the solutions computed by one of them is not sensitive to the value of the artificial compressibility parameter. A second-order, two-step Runge–Kutta integration coupling with an implicit residual smoothing and with a multigrid method is used for achieving fast convergence for both steady- and unsteady-state problems. The numerical results agree well with experimental and other numerical data. A comparison with an analytically exact solution is performed to verify the space and time accuracy of the algorithm.     

The fundamental solution method for incompressible Navier–Stokes equations

A complete boundary integral formulation for incompressible Navier–Stokes equations with time discretization by operator splitting is developed using the fundamental solutions of the Helmholtz operator equation with different order. The numerical results for the lift and the drag hysteresis associated with a NACA0012 aerofoil oscillating in pitch show good agreement with available experimental data. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Finite element solution of the Navier–Stokes equations by a velocity–vorticity method

A velocity–vorticity formulation of the Navier–Stokes equations is presented as an alternative to the primitive variables approach. The velocity components and the vorticity are solved for in a fully coupled manner using a Newton method. No artificial viscosity is required in this formulation. The pressure is updated by a method allowing natural imposition of boundary conditions. Incompressible and subsonic results are presented for two-dimensional laminar internal flows up to high Reynolds numbers.     

Towards a transparent boundary condition for compressible Navier–Stokes equations

A new artificial boundary condition for two‐dimensional subsonic flows governed by the compressible Navier–Stokes equations is derived. It is based on the hyperbolic part of the equations, according to the way of propagation of the characteristic waves. A reference flow, as well as a convection velocity, is used to properly discretize the terms corresponding to the entering waves. Numerical tests on various classical model problems, whose solutions are known, and comparisons with other boundary conditions (BCs), show the efficiency of the BC. Direct numerical simulations of more complex flows over a dihedral plate are simulated, without creation of acoustic waves going back in the flow. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fundamental solutions of the streamfunction–vorticity formulation of the Navier–Stokes equations

A new boundary element procedure is developed for the solution of the streamfunction–vorticity formulation of the Navier–Stokes equations in two dimensions. The differential equations are stated in their transient version and then discretized via finite differences with respect to time. In this discretization, the non-linear inertial terms are evaluated in a previous time step, thus making the scheme explicit with respect to them. In the resulting discretized equations, fundamental solutions that take into account the coupling between the equations are developed by treating the non-linear terms as in homogeneities. The resulting boundary integral equations are solved by the regular boundary element method, in which the singular points are placed outside the solution domain.     

Multigrid solution of the Navier–Stokes equations on highly stretched grids

Relaxation-based multigrid solvers for the steady incompressible Navier–Stokes equations are examined to determine their computational speed and robustness. Four relaxation methods were used as smoothers in a common tailored multigrid procedure. The resulting solvers were applied to three two-dimensional flow problems, over a range of Reynolds numbers, on both uniform and highly stretched grids. In all cases the L₂ norm of the velocity changes is reduced to 10^?6 in a few 10's of fine-grid sweeps. The results of the study are used to draw conciusions on the strengths and weaknesses of the individual relaxation methods as well as those of the overall multigrid procedure when used as a solver on highly stretched grids.     

Some uses of Green's theorem in solving the Navier–Stokes equations

This paper gives a review of methods where Green's theorem may be employed in solving numerically the Navier–Stokes equations for incompressible fluid motion. They are based on the concept of using the theorem to transform local boundary conditions given on the boundary of a closed region in the solution domain into global, or integral, conditions taken over it. Two formulations of the Navier–Stokes equations are considered: that in terms of the streamfunction and vorticity for two-dimensional motion and that in terms of the primitive variables of the velocity components and the pressure. In the first formulation overspecification of conditions for the streamfunction is utilized to obtain conditions of integral type for the vorticity and in the second formulation integral conditions for the pressure are found. Some illustrations of the principle of the method are given in one space dimension, including some derived from two-dimensional flows using the series truncation method. In particular, an illustration is given of the calculation of surface vorticity for two-dimensional flow normal to a flat plate. An account is also given of the implementation of these methods for general two-dimensional flows in both of the mentioned formulations and a numerical illustration is given.     

A complete boundary integral formulation for compressible Navier–Stokes equations

A complete boundary integral formulation for compressible Navier–Stokes equations with time discretization by operator splitting is developed using the fundamental solutions of the Helmholtz operator equation with different order. The numerical results for wall pressure and wall skin friction of two‐dimensional compressible laminar viscous flow around airfoils are in good agreement with field numerical methods. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Implicit weighted essentially non‐oscillatory schemes for the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations

A class of lower–upper/approximate factorization (LUAF) implicit weighted essentially non‐oscillatory (ENO; WENO) schemes for solving the two‐dimensional incompressible Navier–Stokes equations in a generalized co‐ordinate system is presented. The algorithm is based on the artificial compressibility formulation, and symmetric Gauss–Seidel relaxation is used for computing steady state solutions while symmetric successive overrelaxation is used for treating time‐dependent flows. WENO spatial operators are employed for inviscid fluxes and central differencing for viscous fluxes. Internal and external viscous flow test problems are presented to verify the numerical schemes. The use of a WENO spatial operator not only enhances the accuracy of solutions but also improves the convergence rate for the steady state computation as compared with using the ENO counterpart. It is found that the present solutions compare well with exact solutions, experimental data and other numerical results. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Chebyshev collocation method for the Navier–Stokes equations with application to double-diffusive convection

A Chebyshev collocation method for solving the unsteady two-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations in vorticity–streamfunction variables is presented and discussed. The discretization in time is obtained through a class of semi-implicit finite difference schemes. Thus at each time cycle the problem reduces to a Stokes-type problem which is solved by means of the influence matrix technique leading to the solution of Helmholtz-type equations with Dirichlet boundary conditions. Theoretical results on the stability of the method are given. Then a matrix diagonalization procedure for solving the algebraic system resulting from the Chebyshev collocation approximation of the Helmholtz equation is developed and its accuracy is tested. Numerical results are given for the Stokes and the Navier–Stokes equations. Finally the method is applied to a double-diffusive convection problem concerning the stability of a fluid stratified by salinity and heated from below.     

A simple and efficient error analysis for multi‐step solution of the Navier–Stokes equations

A simple error analysis is used within the context of segregated finite element solution scheme to solve incompressible fluid flow. An error indicator is defined based on the difference between a numerical solution on an original mesh and an approximated solution on a related mesh. This error indicator is based on satisfying the steady‐state momentum equations. The advantages of this error indicator are, simplicity of implementation (post‐processing step), ability to show regions of high and/or low error, and as the indicator approaches zero the solution approaches convergence. Two examples are chosen for solution; first, the lid‐driven cavity problem, followed by the solution of flow over a backward facing step. The solutions are compared to previously published data for validation purposes. It is shown that this rather simple error estimate, when used as a re‐meshing guide, can be very effective in obtaining accurate numerical solutions. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A multigrid method for steady incompressible Navier–Stokes equations based on partial flux splitting

Flux splitting is applied to the convective part of the steady Navier–Stokes equations for incompressible flow. Partial upwind differences are introduced in the split first-order part, while central differences are used in the second-order part. The discrete set of equations obtained is positive, so that it can be solved by collective variants of relaxation methods. The partial upwinding is optimized in the same way as for a scalar convection–diffusion equation, but involving several Peclet numbers. It is shown that with the optimum partial upwinding accurate results can be obtained. A full multigrid method in W-cycle form, using red–black successive under-relaxation, injection and bilinear interpolation, is described. The efficiency of this method is demonstrated.     

A method for obtaining benchmark Navier–Stokes solutions

A refinement to an established method for obtaining benchmark Navier–Stokes solutions is presented. Pressure and body forces are derived explicitly such that the momentum equations are satisfied. The problem is reduced to determining a streamfunction in separation of variables form that describes a desired flow pattern. Examples based upon the well‐known shear flow cavity are presented. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A stabilized finite element method for the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations using a hierarchical basis

Stabilized finite element methods have been shown to yield robust, accurate numerical solutions to both the compressible and incompressible Navier–Stokes equations for laminar and turbulent flows. The present work focuses on the application of higher‐order, hierarchical basis functions to the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations using a stabilized finite element method. It is shown on a variety of problems that the most cost‐effective simulations (in terms of CPU time, memory, and disk storage) can be obtained using higher‐order basis functions when compared with the traditional linear basis. In addition, algorithms will be presented for the efficient implementation of these methods within the traditional finite element data structures. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Control of Navier–Stokes equations by means of mode reduction

In a previous work (Park HM, Lee MW. An efficient method of solving the Navier–Stokes equation for the flow control. International Journal of Numerical Methods in Engineering 1998; 41 : 1131–1151), the authors proposed an efficient method of solving the Navier–Stokes equations by reducing their number of modes. Employing the empirical eigenfunctions of the Karhunen–Loève decomposition as basis functions of a Galerkin procedure, one can a priori limit the function space considered to the smallest linear sub‐space that is sufficient to describe the observed phenomena, and consequently, reduce the Navier–Stokes equations defined on a complicated geometry to a set of ordinary differential equations with a minimum degree of freedom. In the present work, we apply this technique, termed the Karhunen–Loève Galerkin procedure, to a pointwise control problem of Navier–Stokes equations. The Karhunen–Loève Galerkin procedure is found to be much more efficient than the traditional method, such as finite difference method in obtaining optimal control profiles when the minimization of the objective function has been done by using a conjugate gradient method.     

Orthogonal grid generation for Navier–Stokes computations

Body conforming orthogonal grids were generated using a fast hyperbolic method for aerofoils, and were used to solve the Navier–Stokes equation in the generalized orthogonal system for the first time for time accurate simulation of incompressible flow. For grid generation, the Beltrami equation and the definition equation for the orthogonality are solved using a finite difference method. The grids generated around aerofoils by this method have better orthogonality than the results published by earlier investigators. The Navier–Stokes equation at Reynolds numbers of 3000 and 35 000 for NACA 0012 and NACA 0015 respectively, have been solved as an application. The obtained results match quite well with the corresponding experimental results. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Colocated schemes for the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations on non‐smooth grids for two‐dimensional problems

The accuracy of colocated finite volume schemes for the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations on non‐smooth curvilinear grids is investigated. A frequently used scheme is found to be quite inaccurate on non‐smooth grids. In an attempt to improve the accuracy on such grids, three other schemes are described and tested. Two of these are found to give satisfactory results. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.