Numerical methods in Fluid Mechanics II

1. Curvilinear Grids

Prof. Marc Avila

http://www.avila.lstm.techfak.fau.de

Simulation of turbulent flow: examples

Transitional pipe flow

Rapidly rotating flow in an annular container

Turbulent flow of a liquid metal

Mixing at a T-junction

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

Fluid flow is described by PDEs

Equations cannot be solved in paper computer

Obtain an approximate numerical solution (program)

Use a discretization method: PDE algebraic eq.

Solution: results at discrete locations in space and

time
The accuracy depends on:

Level of physical description of the model equations

The quality of discretizations used in the simulation

Warning about CFD

CFD is not about:

Generating a grid for some structure (CAD)

Selecting some unknown model provided by the GUI

Running a simulation

Producing a colorful three-dimensional plot

Believing (and making others believe) the result

CFD = Colors for Directors

understand models & equations
assess reliability of a simulation

Learning objectives

Simulation of fluid and heat transport

NMTFD I (Winter):

simple models and laminar flow

NMTFD II (Summer):

turbulent flow + practical simulation

Understand models of fluid and heat transport

Numerical methods:

How they work, how to use them, which one to choose...

Can I believe the results?

Implementation:

3 practical exercises with OpenFOAM + 1 written exercise

Organizational

Lecture: Monday 8:15-9:45 (KS II)

marc.avila@fau.de

Programming: Friday at 10:15-11:45 (00.153-113)

Prof. Dr. Marc Avila

Nan Chen

chennan0528@gmail.com

Exercise: Thursday 10:15-11:45 (T 0.75)

Anna Guseva

anna.guseva@fau.de

Oral exam: (5 ETCS)

Programming assignments: (2,5 ECTS)

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StudOn

All the material of the lectures and exercises (except

blackboard notes!) can be found here:
http://www.studon.uni-erlangen.de/crs1211238.html

To get access to the course use passwd: CFD2_is_fun

Please actively use the forum for questions, comments
and suggestions about the class

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Important: account for CIP-Pool Informatik

To be able to work on the computers during the

exercise class, you need a user
How to get a user:

Service of CIP-Pool Informatik daily between 12:00-13:00

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NMTFD I: Course contents

1. Governing equations and models in fluid mechanics
2. Steady problems: the Finite-Difference Method
3. Steady problems: the Finite-Volume Method
4. Unsteady problems: methods of time integration
5. Solution of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations
6. Grids and their properties
Momentum conservation:

v
2
( + v v )= g p+ v
t

Mass conservation:

v =0

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NMTFD II: Course contents

1. Curvilinear grids
2. Turbulent Flows
3. Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS)
4. Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equations (RANS)
5. Large Eddy Simulation (LES)
6. Porous Media
7. Multiphase Flows and Particulate Flows

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Literature

Numerical methods

Turbulence; Turbulence Simulation

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Tentative Schedule: lecture

13.04.15: Introduction + Curvilinear grids

20.04.15: Turbulence

27.04.15: Wall-bounded flows

04.05.15: DNS

11-18.05.14: RANS

01-08.06.15: LES

15.06.15: Porous media

22-29.06.14: Multiphase flows

06.07.15: Particulate flows

13.07.15: Selected applications

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Exercises (starts next week)

Exercise sheet given at the lecture

You work on the exercise at home: groups of two

Each group: present the solution of part of an exercise sheet

Programming (starts this Friday)

Three tasks: hand in a code and report for each task

OpenFOAM Tutorials + Work on the exercise with assistance

2,5 ECTS: you need to secure 200 points

3 x Programming Tasks + 1 x Exercise = 300 points + 100 points
The exercise presentation is compulsory for all groups

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Outline of the Lecture

Introduction: types of grids

Curvilinear coordinates & coordinate transforms:

Operators:

Gradient, divergence, Laplace, Rotation

Conservation equations in curvilinear coordinates

Physical and Computational space

Mass and momentum conservation

Numerical remarks

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Grid types
Structured grid

Unstructured grid

Block-structured grid

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Structured grids

Properties of structured grids:

grid points logically regularly arranged

grid points are uniquely characterized by index triple (i, j, k)

neighborhood relations direct storage efficiency

Types of structured grids:

Orthogonal grids (Cartesian, polar,...)

Non-orthogonal, contour adapted grids

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Structured grids: orthogonal curvilinear grids

Cartesian
grid

Curvilinear (polar)
grid

Ideal for staggered grids

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Generalized curvilinear grids

Curvilinear contour-adapted (boundary-fitted)
grid
U

Generalized curvilinear non-orthogonal

coordinates

( x , y , z)( , , )

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Coordinate transformations
Physical space / Computational space (2D)

( x , y)( , )

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Coordinate transformations
Physical space / Computational space (3D)

( x , y , z)( , , )

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Advantages of generalized coordinates

Dense grids in regions with steepest gradients (walls)

Allow for time-depending grids (e.g. piston motion)

Structured grids computational efficiency:

Indexing direct addressing, no lists of relationships

Algebraic systems with regular sparsity patterns

( x , y , z)( , , )
or with different notation:

( x1, x 2, x 3 )(1, 2, 3 )

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Cartesian to cylindrical coordinates

P-Space

( x , y)(r ,)

C-Space
2
Discretize:

r1

r2

, , ...
r

r1

r2

r
We can discretize the equations in C-Space
We need the equations stated in polar coordinates!

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Generalized coordinates: formulation

The coordinates are defined by the transformation:

General

x 1 = x1 (1, 2, 3 )
x 2 = x 2 (1, 2, 3 )
x 3 = x 3 (1, 2, 3 )
Or in index notation:

x i =x i ( j )

Example: cylindrical

x=r cos
y=r sin
z=

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Jacobian of the transformation

The transformation is characterized by the Jacobian:

( )

x1
1
xi
x2
J =det
=det
j
1
x3
1

( )

x1
2
x2
2
x3
2

x1
3
x2
3
x3
3

* Example: derivative of a scalar; cylindrical coordinates

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Gradient of a scalar (pressure in the NS)

29

= j = ij
xi j xi j J

xi
Where here ij is the cofactor of
j
For example in 2D we obtain:

= 1 y y
x J

in J

* Exercise: obtain this result at home

Divergence operator (mass conservation)

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Cartesian velocity vector: u i =(u , v , w)

u i u v w u i ij
= +
+
=
xi x y z j J

The velocity components above are Cartesian we

want to use the contravariant velocity field U i =(U ,V , W )
For example in cylindrical coordinates:
u

ur
u

U i =(U ,V , W )=(u r , u , u )

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Contravariant velocity field

1
U =u
+v
+w
= ( u 11 +v 21 +w 31 )
x
y
z J

1
V =u
+v
+w
= ( u 12 +v 22 +w 32 )
x
y
z J

1
W =u
+v
+w
= ( u 13 + v 23 +w 33 )
x
y
z J

Index notation:

1
U i = (u k ki )
J

ui 1
Divergence:
=
Ui J )
(

xi J
i

* Example: cylindrical coordinates

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Laplace operator

Use: 2 = ,

[ ( )]

= 1
B kj
xi xi J j k
J

( )

B kj =ki ji

Terms with B kj , k j multiply terms like

(mixed derivatives) numerical problems*

If the coordinates are orthogonal:

B kj =0, if k j

* Mixed derivatives have unconventional stencils, which makes the linear

systems poorly conditioned because of off-diagonal elements

Advection-diffusion equation

Using the previous results we can now write:

)]

B ki

J
U i J
= q J
( )+
i
k J
t

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34

Navier-Stokes

Mass conservation:
U J =0
i ( i )

Momentum conservation:

u j
p
J
+
u j U i J ) =
ij
(
i
t i
u j B km
u n kj i n

m k J
i k J

] [

Practical notes

For moderately complex geometries, it will be very

efficient to work with curvilinear coordinates
We just need to compute the metrics: , J
ji
Advantage: using contravariant velocities it is
straightforward to work with staggered grids
Nonorthogonal grids: mixed derivatives appear
because of the diffusion term
...iterative solvers may not converge

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Final comments

For moderately complex problems, where high

efficiency is needed curvilinear coordinates

Curv. coord. can be used in block-structured grids

For this, specialized codes are typically developed

Generic problems in engineering Cartesian

coordinates on non-orthogonal collocated grids
Algorithms like SIMPLE need to be modified for nonorthogonal grids

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