Simulations of 2D and 3D thermocapillary flows by a least-squares finite element method

Numerical results for time-dependent 2D and 3D thermocapillary flows are presented in this work. The numerical algorithm is based on the Crank–Nicolson scheme for time integration, Newton's method for linearization, and a least-squares finite element method, together with a matrix-free Jacobi conjugate gradient technique. The main objective in this work is to demonstrate how the least-squares finite element method, together with an iterative procedure, deals with the capillary-traction boundary conditions at the free surface, which involves the coupling of velocity and temperature gradients. Mesh refinement studies were also carried out to validate the numerical results. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A 3D finite element method for the simulation of thermoconvective flows and its performances on a vector-parallel computer

A three-dimensional finite element method for the simulation of thermoconvective flows is presented. Vector-parallel performances of some preconditioned conjugate gradient methods are compared for solving both large linear systems and the Stokes problem. As significant examples, numerical experiments on the steady two- and three-dimensional Rayleigh-Bénard convection at high Prandtl number are reported.     

A mass-matrix formulation of unsteady fluctuation splitting schemes consistent with Roe’s parameter vector

A mass-matrix formulation of the fluctuation splitting schemes for solving compressible, unsteady flows is proposed. This formulation is consistent with the conservative linearisation based on parameter vector and allows to extend to unsteady flows the ‘invariance under similarity transformations’ property that had been shown to hold for the steady version of the schemes. Second-order time accuracy is achieved using a Petrov–Galerkin finite element interpretation of the fluctuation splitting schemes. The approach may however be readily applicable to all other time-accurate fluctuation splitting formulations that have been so far proposed in the literature. Applications of the proposed methodology to two- and three-dimensional, inviscid and viscous compressible flows are reported and discussed in the paper.     

A control volume finite element method for three-dimensional three-phase flows

A novel control volume finite element method with adaptive anisotropic unstructured meshes is presented for three-dimensional three-phase flows with interfacial tension. The numerical framework consists of a mixed control volume and finite element formulation with a new P₁DG-P₂ elements (linear discontinuous velocity between elements and quadratic continuous pressure between elements). A “volume of fluid” type method is used for the interface capturing, which is based on compressive control volume advection and second-order finite element methods. A force-balanced continuum surface force model is employed for the interfacial tension on unstructured meshes. The interfacial tension coefficient decomposition method is also used to deal with interfacial tension pairings between different phases. Numerical examples of benchmark tests and the dynamics of three-dimensional three-phase rising bubble, and droplet impact are presented. The results are compared with the analytical solutions and previously published experimental data, demonstrating the capability of the present method.     

Computation of 3D vortex flows past a flat plate at incidence through a variational approach of the full steady euler equations

A variational method for solving directly the full steady Euler equations is presented. This method is based on both Newton's linearization and a least squares formulation. The validity of the Euler model and boundary conditions to capture the vortex sheet is discussed. A finite element approximation of the groups of conservative variables is described and results are given for 3D subsonic flows as well as supersonic flows past a flat plate at high angle of attack.     

Simulation of two- and three-dimensional internal subsonic flows using a finite element method

In this paper a finite element method is presented to predict internal subsonic flows. Using a low-Mach-number approximation, the pressure is decomposed into a mean thermodynamic contribution and a dynamic fluctuation to deal with the complex role of the pressure in internal aerodynamics. A semi-implicit time integration and a finite element method with a moving mesh are described to take into account complex geometries and moving boundaries. An Uzawa algorithm accelerated by a preconditioned residual method is introduced to solve the coupled non-symmetric linear system for the velocity components and the pressure. An efficient conjugate gradient method combined with an incomplete LU preconditioning is used to solve the non-symmetric linear systems arising from the discretization. The implementation of the numerical scheme on parallel supercomputers is also discussed. Efficient algorithms for the finite element assembly phase and for the solution of linear systems are described which take advantage of the parallel architecture of the new generation of supercomputers. With this technique a global speed-up of 10 is achieved on a supercomputer with eight processors. To illustrate the capabilities of the numerical method, 2D and 3D simulations of flows in the combustion chamber of a reciprocating engine and around the combustor dome of a gas turbine engine are presented.     

The analysis of unsteady incompressible flows by a three-step finite element method

This paper describes a three-step finite element method and its applications to unsteady incompressible fluid flows. Stability analysis of the one-dimensional pure convection equation shows that this method has third-order accuracy and an extended numerical stability domain in comparison with the Lax--Wendroff finite element method. The method is cost-effective for incompressible flows because it permits less frequent updates of the pressure field with good accuracy. In contrast with the Taylor-Galerkin method, the present method does not contain any new higher-order derivatives, which makes it suitable for solving non-linear multidimensional problems and flows with complicated boundary conditions. The three-step finite element method has been used to simulate unsteady incompressible flows. The numerical results obtained are in good agreement with those in the literature.     

Concurrent use of finite element and finite volume methods for shallow water flows in locally 1‐D channel networks

A numerical model is developed for shallow water equation in locally 1‐D channel networks. The model concurrently uses the standard Galerkin finite element method for the continuity equation and the finite volume method with an upwind scheme for the momentum equation. The surface gradient method is consistently employed. A minimum treatment is given for channel junctions so that application to multiply connected channels do not require any special consideration The model is capable of computing different types of transcritical flows, wet and dry flows, and flows with complex source terms. Standardized test problems and laboratory experimental data are used for verifying the model. Applicability of the models is validated in a multiply connected channel network draining hydromorphic farmlands located in a West African savanna, and Manning's roughness coefficient is identified, so that the steady solution is consistent with field observations. Unsteady simulation demonstrates that the model is capable of stably reproducing shifts of hydraulic jumps in flows of sub‐millimeter water depths. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Accurate 3D viscous incompressible flow calculations with the FEM

A second-order-accurate (in both time and space) formulation is developed and implemented for solution of the three-dimensional incompressible Navier–Stokes equations involving high-Reynolds-number flows past complex configurations. For stabilization, only a fourth-order-accurate artificial dissipation term in the momentum equations is used. The finite element method (FEM) with an explicit time-marching scheme based on two-fractional-step integration is used for solution of the momentum equations. The element-by-element (EBE) technique is employed for solution of the auxiliary potential function equation in order to ease the memory requirements for matrix. The cubic cavity problem, the laminar flow past a sphere at various Reynolds numbers and the flow around the fuselage of a helicopter are successfully solved. Comparison of the results with the low-order solutions indicates that the flow details are depicted clearly even with coarse grids. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical solution of axisymmetric cavity flows using the boundary element method

This paper presents a formulation of the boundary element method (BEM) for solution of axisymmetric cavity flow problems. The governing equation is written in terms of Stokes' stream function, requiring a new fundamental solution to be found. The iterative procedure for adjusting the free-surface position is similar to that used for planar cavity flows. Numerical results are compared with finite difference and finite element solutions, showing the robustness of the BEM model.     

An upwind scheme for the three-dimensional boundary layer equations

The development of a calculation method to solve the compressible, three-dimensional, turbulent boundary layer equations is described. An implicit finite difference solution procedure is adopted involving local upwinding of convective transport terms. A consistent approach to discretization and linearization is taken by casting all equations in a similar form. The implementation of algebraic, one-equation and two-equation turbulence models is described. An initial validation of the method is made by comparing prediction with measurements in two quasi-three-dimensional boundary layer flows. Some of the more obvious deficiencies in current turbulence-modelling standards for three-dimensional flows are discussed.     

A new positive‐definite regularization of incompressible Navier–Stokes equations discretized with Q1/P0 finite element

A new regularization method is proposed for the Galerkin approximation of the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations with Q1/P0 element, by newly introducing a square‐type linear form into the variational divergence‐free constraint regularized with the global pressure jump (GPJ) method. The addition of the square‐type linear form is intended to eliminate the hydrostatic pressure mode appearing in confined flows, and to make the discretized matrix positive definite and then non‐singular without the pressure pegging trick. Effects of the free parameters for the regularization on the solutions are numerically examined with a 2‐D driven cavity flow problem. Furthermore, the convergences in the conjugate gradient iteration for the solution of the pressure Poisson equation are compared among the mixed method, the GPJ method and the present method for both leaky and non‐leaky 3‐D driven cavity flows. Finally, the non‐leaky 3‐D cavity flows at different Re numbers are solved to compare with the literature data and to demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed method. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Boundary element analysis of driven cavity flow for low and moderate Reynolds numbers

A boundary element method for steady two‐dimensional low‐to‐moderate‐Reynolds number flows of incompressible fluids, using primitive variables, is presented. The velocity gradients in the Navier–Stokes equations are evaluated using the alternatives of upwind and central finite difference approximations, and derivatives of finite element shape functions. A direct iterative scheme is used to cope with the non‐linear character of the integral equations. In order to achieve convergence, an underrelaxation technique is employed at relatively high Reynolds numbers. Driven cavity flow in a square domain is considered to validate the proposed method by comparison with other published data. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A finite element solutionof three-dimensional mixed convection gas flows in horizontal chnnels using preconditioned iterative metrix methods

An algorithm is presented for the finite element solution of three-dimensional mixed convection gas flows in channels heated from below. The algorithm uses Newton's method and iterative matrix methods. Two iterative solution algorithms, conjugate gradient squared (CGS) and generalized minimal residual (GMERS), are used in conjunction with a preconditioning technique that is simple to implement. The preconditioner is a subset of the full Jacobian matrix centered around the main diagonal but retaining the most fundamental axial coupling of the residual equations. A domain-renumbering scheme that enhances the overall algorithm performance is proposed on the basis of and analysis of the preconditioner. Comparison with the frontal elimination method demonstrates that the iterative method will be faster when the front width exceeds approximately 500. Techniques for the direct assembly f the problem into a compressed sparse row storage format are demonstrated. Elimination of fixed boundary conditions is shown to decrease the size of the matrix problem by up to 30%. Finally, fluid flow solutions obtained with the numerical technique are presented. These solutions reveal complex three-dimensional mixed convection fluid flow phenomena at low Reynolds numbers, including the reversal of the direction of longitudinal rolls in the presence of a strong recirculation in the entrance region of the channel.     

Parallel conjugate gradient performance for least-squares finite elements and transport problems

In this study we consider parallel conjugate gradient solution of sparse systems arising from the least-squares mixed finite element method. Of particular interest are transport problems involving convection. The least-squares approach leads to a symmetric positive system and the conjugate gradient scheme is directly applicable. The scheme is applied to both the convection–diffusion equation and to the stationary Navier–Stokes equations. Here we demonstrate parallel solution and performance studies for a representative MIMD parallel computer with hypercube architecture. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Solution of shallow-water equations using least-squares finite-element method

A least-squares finite-element method （LSFEM） for the non-conservative shallow-water equations is presented. The model is capable of handling complex topography, steady and unsteady flows, subcritical and supercritical flows, and flows with smooth and sharp gradient changes. Advantages of the model include： （1） sources terms, such as the bottom slope, surface stresses and bed frictions, can be treated easily without any special treatment; （2） upwind scheme is no needed; （3） a single approximating space can be used for all variables, and its choice of approximating space is not subject to the Ladyzhenskaya-Babuska-Brezzi （LBB） condition; and （4） the resulting system of equations is symmetric and positive-definite （SPD） which can be solved efficiently with the preconditioned conjugate gradient method. The model is verified with flow over a bump, tide induced flow, and dam-break. Computed results are compared with analytic solutions or other numerical results, and show the model is conservative and accurate. The model is then used to simulate flow past a circular cylinder. Important flow charac-teristics, such as variation of water surface around the cylinder and vortex shedding behind the cylinder are investigated. Computed results compare well with experiment data and other numerical results.     

Improved preconditioned conjugate gradient method and its application in F. E. A. for engineering

In this paper two theorems with theoretical and practical significance are given in respect to the preconditioned conjugate gradient method(PCCG).The theorems discuss respectively the qualitative property of the iterative solution and the construction principle of the iterative matrix.The authors put forward a new incompletely LU factorizing technique for non-M-matrix and the method of constructing the iterative matrix.This improved PCCG is used to calculate the ill-conditioned problems and large-scale three-dimensional finite element problems,and simultaneously contrasted with other methods.The abnormal phenomenon is analyzed when PCCG is used to solve the system of ill-conditioned equations,It is shown that the method proposed in this paper is quite effective in solving the system of large-scale finite element equations and the system of ill-conditioned equations.     

Boundary element analysis of three-dimensional mixing flow of Newtonian and viscoelastic fluids

The boundary element method (BEM) is implemented for the simulation of three-dimensional transient flows of typical relevance to mixing. Creeping Newtonian and viscoelastic fluids of the Maxwell type are examined. A boundary-only formulation in the time domain is proposed for linear viscoelastic flows. Special emphasis is placed on cavity flows involving simple- and multiple-connected moving domains. The BEM becomes particularly suited in multiple-connected flows, where part of the boundary (stirrer or rotor) is moving, and the remaining outer part (cavity or barrel) is at rest. In this case, conventional methods, such as the finite element method (FEM), generally require remeshing or mesh refinement of the three-dimensional fluid volume as the flow evolves and the domain of computation changes with time. The BEM is shown to be much easier to implement since the kinematics of the elements bounding the fluid is known (imposed). It is found that, for simple cavity flow induced by a rotating vane at constant angular velocity, the tractions at the vane tip and cavity face exhibit non-linear periodic dynamical behavior with time for fluids obeying linear constitutive equations. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An algorithm for rotating axisymmetric flows: model,validation and industrial applications

The study of axisymmetric flows is of interest not only from an academic point of view, due to the existence of exact solutions of Navier–Stokes equations, but also from an industrial point of view, since these kind of flows are frequently found in several applications. In the present work the development and implementation of a finite element algorithm to solve Navier–Stokes equations with axisymmetric geometry and boundary conditions is presented. Such algorithm allows the simulation of flows with tangential velocity, including free surface flows, for both laminar and turbulent conditions. Pseudo‐concentration technique is used to model the free surface (or the interface between two fluids) and the k–ε model is employed to take into account turbulent effects. The finite element model is validated by comparisons with analytical solutions of Navier–Stokes equations and experimental measurements. Two different industrial applications are presented. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical simulations of viscous flows using a meshless method

This paper uses the element‐free Galerkin (EFG) method to simulate 2D, viscous, incompressible flows. The control equations are discretized with the standard Galerkin method in space and a fractional step finite element scheme in time. Regular background cells are used for the quadrature. Several classical fluid mechanics problems were analyzed including flow in a pipe, flow past a step and flow in a driven cavity. The flow field computed with the EFG method compared well with those calculated using the finite element method (FEM) and finite difference method. The simulations show that although EFG is more expensive computationally than FEM, it is capable of dealing with cases where the nodes are poorly distributed or even overlap with each other; hence, it may be used to resolve remeshing problems in direct numerical simulations. Flows around a cylinder for different Reynolds numbers are also simulated to study the flow patterns for various conditions and the drag and lift forces exerted by the fluid on the cylinder. These forces are calculated by integrating the pressure and shear forces over the cylinder surface. The results show how the drag and lift forces oscillate for high Reynolds numbers. The calculated Strouhal number agrees well with previous results. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.