Chapter 4.

Finite Volume Method

1. Finite Volume Method

The finite-volume method discretizes the integral form of the conservation equations directly in the
physical space. The computational domain is subdivided into a finite number of contiguous control
volumes, where the resulting statements express the exact conservation of relevant properties for each
of the control volumes. At the centroid of each of the control volumes, the variable values are calculated.
Interpolation is used to express variable values at the control volume surface in terms of the center values
and suitable quadrature formula are applied to approximate the surface and volume integrals. An algebraic
equation for each of the control volumes can be obtained, in which a number of the neighboring nodal
values appear.
As the finite-volume method works with control volumes, it has the capacity to accommodate any type
of grid. One disadvantage of this method compared to the finite-difference schemes is that higher order
differencing approximations greater than the second order are more difficult to develop in three
dimensions. This is because of the requirement for two levels of approximation, which are interpolation
and integration.
1.1. Laminar Governing Equations

Governing equations were used in this thesis to simulate the heat transfer process of the heat exchangers.
Two flow regimes can be found in the heat exchangers. Laminar and turbulent. The equations 4.1 to 4.6
describe the governing equations for laminar flow [3].

Continuity equation:
)=0
( 4.1

Momentum equations.
xMomentum:

)=
( + + + 4.2

yMomentum:

)=
( + + + + g 4.3

yMomentum:

)=
( + + + 4.4

Energy equation:
2 2 2
( + + ) = ( 2 + 2 + 2) 4.5

The deviatoric stress tensor is expanded in the following matrix:

2 ( + ) ( + )

4.6


= ( ) = ( + ) 2 ( + )


( + ) ( + ) 2
( )

1.2. Turbulence

The fundamental base of computational fluid dynamics problems is the Navier-Stokes equations
representing a set of three second-grade-non-lineal and coupled partial differential equations.

The Navier-Stokes equations can be generalized even more to account for turbulent effects that are
changes with chaotic nature in variables for example velocity, pressure, temperature, etc. and are
characterized by randomness, nonlinearity, high diffusivity of momentum and heat and high vorticity
depending on the scale of turbulence. For large-scale turbulence modeling (more basic modeling
turbulence), it is performed a Reynolds decomposition and averaging over the NS equations.

In Reynolds averaging, the solution variables in the instantaneous (exact) Navier-Stokes equations are
decomposed into the mean and fluctuating components.

For the velocity components [21]:

 ui = ui + ui 4.7

where ui and ui are the mean and fluctuating velocity components (i=1,2,3).
Likewise, for pressure and other scalar quantities:

+
= 4.8

where denotes a scalar such as pressure, energy, or species concentration.

Substituting expressions of this form for the flow variables into the instantaneous continuity and
momentum equations and taking a time average (and dropping the overbar on the mean velocity, u)
yields the ensemble-averaged momentum equations.
They can be written in Cartesian tensor form as:
(ui )
+ =0 4.9
t xi

(ui ) (ui uj ) p ui uj 2 ul
+ = + [ { + ij }] + (u i uj ) 4.10
t xj xi xj xj xi 3 xl xj

Equations 4.9 and 4.10 are called Reynolds Navier Stokes (RANS) equations. They have the same general
form as the instantaneous Navier Stokes equations, with the velocities and other solution variables now
representing ensemble averaged (or time averaged) values. Additional terms now appear that represents

the effects of turbulence. These Reynolds stress, u i uj must be modeled in order to close equations

4.9 and 4.10.

The Reynolds-averaged approach to turbulence modeling requires that the Reynolds stresses be
appropriately modeled. A common method employs the Boussinesq hypothesis to relate the Reynolds
stresses to the mean velocity gradients:
ui uj 2 uk 4.11

u i uj = t ( + ) (k + t )
xj xi 3 xk ij
The Boussinesq hypothesis is used in the k models. In k models two additional transport
equations (for the turbulence kinetic energy k, and the turbulence dissipation rate ) are solved, t is
computed as a function of k and where t is turbulent viscosity. Finally, the simplify equations used in
the simulation of the heat exchangers are presented as follows:

=0 4.12

( ) 2
= [ ( + ) ] 4.13
3

( ) 2
= [ ( )] + [ ( + ) ] 4.14
3

(k) (kui ) t k
+ = (( + ) ) + Gk + Gb YM + SK 4.15
t xi xj k xj

() (ui ) 2
+ = (( + ) ) + C1 (Gk + C3 Gb ) C2 + S 4.16
t xi xj xj k k

In these equations, Gk represents the generation of turbulence kinetic energy due the mean velocity
gradients, calculated as described in Ansys Fluent Theory Guide, [21]. Gb is the generation of turbulence
kinetic energy due to buoyancy, calculated as described in Ansys Fluent Theory Guide, [21]. YM accounts
for the contribution of the fluctuating dilatation in compressible turbulence to the overall dissipation rate,
calculated as described in Ansys Fluent Theory Guide, (2011). The quantities k and are the turbulent
Prandtl numbers for k and respectively. SK and S are user defined source terms and 1 , 2 , 3 are
constant [21].

1.3. Modeling the Turbulent Viscosity

The turbulent (or eddy) viscosity is computed by combining as follows:

2
= 4.17

where is a constant.

Model Constants
The model constants 1 , 2 , and have the following default values:
1 = 1.44, 2 = 1.92, = 0.09, = 1, = 1.3
These default values have been determined from experiments for fundamental turbulent flows including
frequently encountered shear flows like boundary layers, mixing layers and jets as well as for decaying
isotropic grid turbulence. They have been found to work fairly well for a wide range of wall-bounded and
free shear flows.

1.4. Y+

Turbulent flows are significantly affected by the presence of walls. Very close to the wall, viscous damping
reduces the tangential velocity fluctuations, while kinematic blocking reduces the normal fluctuations.
Toward the outer part of the near-wall region, however, the turbulence is rapidly augmented by the
production of turbulence kinetic energy due to the large gradients in mean velocity [22].

The near-wall modeling significantly impacts the fidelity of numerical solutions, inasmuch as walls are
the main source of mean vorticity and turbulence. After all, it is in the near-wall region that the solution
variables have large gradients, and the momentum and other scalar transports occur most vigorously.
Therefore, accurate representation of the flow in the near-wall region determines successful predictions
of wall-bounded turbulent flows [22].

Numerous experiments have shown that the near-wall region can be largely subdivided into three layers.
In the innermost layer, called the "viscous sublayer'', the flow is almost laminar, and the (molecular)
viscosity plays a dominant role in momentum and heat or mass transfer. In the outer layer, called the
fully-turbulent layer, turbulence plays a major role. Finally, there is an interim region between the viscous
sublayer and the fully turbulent layer where the effects of molecular viscosity and turbulence are equally
important. Figure 4.1 illustrates these subdivisions of the near-wall region, plotted in semi-log coordinates
[22].
 Figure 4.1. y+ ranges

1.5. Wall Function Law

Wall functions basically do not resolve the boundary layer. Thus in their true sense, these are not exact
solution to any problem. Wall functions make it possible to calculate the boundary condition away from
the wall. Use of wall functions permit the solution at a point where Wall functions are suitable, rather
than on the wall itself. The boundary conditions are then used at this point and wall functions compute
the rapid variation of the flow variables which arise in close proximity to the wall region to be accounted
for without resolving the viscous layer next [23].

Figure 4.2. Wall function and near wall function approach.

More about CFD theory can be found in [24, 25, 26, 27]. Specific applications of CFD to heat transfer
can be found in [28].
Finite element method applied to heat transfer and fluid flow is found in [29].