8,676 research outputs found
Exponential basis functions in solution of incompressible fluid problems with moving free surfaces
In this report, a new simple meshless method is presented for the solution of incompressible
inviscid fluid flow problems with moving boundaries. A Lagrangian formulation established on
pressure, as a potential equation, is employed. In this method, the approximate solution is
expressed by a linear combination of exponential basis functions (EBFs), with complex-valued
exponents, satisfying the governing equation. Constant coefficients of the solution series are
evaluated through point collocation on the domain boundaries via a complex discrete transformation
technique. The numerical solution is performed in a time marching approach using an implicit
algorithm. In each time step, the governing equation is solved at the beginning and the end of the
step, with the aid of an intermediate geometry. The use of EBFs helps to find boundary velocities
with high accuracy leading to a precise geometry updating. The developed Lagrangian meshless
algorithm is applied to variety of linear and nonlinear benchmark problems. Non-linear sloshing
fluids in rigid rectangular two-dimensional basins are particularly addressed
Spectral/hp element methods: recent developments, applications, and perspectives
The spectral/hp element method combines the geometric flexibility of the
classical h-type finite element technique with the desirable numerical
properties of spectral methods, employing high-degree piecewise polynomial
basis functions on coarse finite element-type meshes. The spatial approximation
is based upon orthogonal polynomials, such as Legendre or Chebychev
polynomials, modified to accommodate C0-continuous expansions. Computationally
and theoretically, by increasing the polynomial order p, high-precision
solutions and fast convergence can be obtained and, in particular, under
certain regularity assumptions an exponential reduction in approximation error
between numerical and exact solutions can be achieved. This method has now been
applied in many simulation studies of both fundamental and practical
engineering flows. This paper briefly describes the formulation of the
spectral/hp element method and provides an overview of its application to
computational fluid dynamics. In particular, it focuses on the use the
spectral/hp element method in transitional flows and ocean engineering.
Finally, some of the major challenges to be overcome in order to use the
spectral/hp element method in more complex science and engineering applications
are discussed
A fast immersed boundary method for external incompressible viscous flows using lattice Green's functions
A new parallel, computationally efficient immersed boundary method for
solving three-dimensional, viscous, incompressible flows on unbounded domains
is presented. Immersed surfaces with prescribed motions are generated using the
interpolation and regularization operators obtained from the discrete delta
function approach of the original (Peskin's) immersed boundary method. Unlike
Peskin's method, boundary forces are regarded as Lagrange multipliers that are
used to satisfy the no-slip condition. The incompressible Navier-Stokes
equations are discretized on an unbounded staggered Cartesian grid and are
solved in a finite number of operations using lattice Green's function
techniques. These techniques are used to automatically enforce the natural
free-space boundary conditions and to implement a novel block-wise adaptive
grid that significantly reduces the run-time cost of solutions by limiting
operations to grid cells in the immediate vicinity and near-wake region of the
immersed surface. These techniques also enable the construction of practical
discrete viscous integrating factors that are used in combination with
specialized half-explicit Runge-Kutta schemes to accurately and efficiently
solve the differential algebraic equations describing the discrete momentum
equation, incompressibility constraint, and no-slip constraint. Linear systems
of equations resulting from the time integration scheme are efficiently solved
using an approximation-free nested projection technique. The algebraic
properties of the discrete operators are used to reduce projection steps to
simple discrete elliptic problems, e.g. discrete Poisson problems, that are
compatible with recent parallel fast multipole methods for difference
equations. Numerical experiments on low-aspect-ratio flat plates and spheres at
Reynolds numbers up to 3,700 are used to verify the accuracy and physical
fidelity of the formulation.Comment: 32 pages, 9 figures; preprint submitted to Journal of Computational
Physic
Dynamics of swimming bacteria at complex interfaces
Flagellated bacteria exploiting helical propulsion are known to swim along
circular trajectories near surfaces. Fluid dynamics predicts this circular
motion to be clockwise (CW) above a rigid surface (when viewed from inside the
fluid) and counter-clockwise (CCW) below a free surface. Recent experimental
investigations showed that complex physicochemical processes at the nearby
surface could lead to a change in the direction of rotation, both at solid
surfaces absorbing slip-inducing polymers and interfaces covered with
surfactants. Motivated by these results, we use a far-field hydrodynamic model
to predict the kinematics of swimming near three types of interfaces: clean
fluid-fluid interface, slipping rigid wall, and a fluid interface covered by
incompressible surfactants. Representing the helical swimmer by a superposition
of hydrodynamic singularities, we first show that in all cases the surfaces
reorient the swimmer parallel to the surface and attract it, both of which are
a consequence of the Stokes dipole component of the swimmer flow field. We then
show that circular motion is induced by a higher-order singularity, namely a
rotlet dipole, and that its rotation direction (CW vs. CCW) is strongly
affected by the boundary conditions at the interface and the bacteria shape.
Our results suggest thus that the hydrodynamics of complex interfaces provide a
mechanism to selectively stir bacteria
A general method to determine the stability of compressible flows
Several problems were studied using two completely different approaches. The initial method was to use the standard linearized perturbation theory by finding the value of the individual small disturbance quantities based on the equations of motion. These were serially eliminated from the equations of motion to derive a single equation that governs the stability of fluid dynamic system. These equations could not be reduced unless the steady state variable depends only on one coordinate. The stability equation based on one dependent variable was found and was examined to determine the stability of a compressible swirling jet. The second method applied a Lagrangian approach to the problem. Since the equations developed were based on different assumptions, the condition of stability was compared only for the Rayleigh problem of a swirling flow, both examples reduce to the Rayleigh criterion. This technique allows including the viscous shear terms which is not possible in the first method. The same problem was then examined to see what effect shear has on stability
The contact line behaviour of solid-liquid-gas diffuse-interface models
A solid-liquid-gas moving contact line is considered through a
diffuse-interface model with the classical boundary condition of no-slip at the
solid surface. Examination of the asymptotic behaviour as the contact line is
approached shows that the relaxation of the classical model of a sharp
liquid-gas interface, whilst retaining the no-slip condition, resolves the
stress and pressure singularities associated with the moving contact line
problem while the fluid velocity is well defined (not multi-valued). The moving
contact line behaviour is analysed for a general problem relevant for any
density dependent dynamic viscosity and volume viscosity, and for general
microscopic contact angle and double well free-energy forms. Away from the
contact line, analysis of the diffuse-interface model shows that the
Navier--Stokes equations and classical interfacial boundary conditions are
obtained at leading order in the sharp-interface limit, justifying the creeping
flow problem imposed in an intermediate region in the seminal work of Seppecher
[Int. J. Eng. Sci. 34, 977--992 (1996)]. Corrections to Seppecher's work are
given, as an incorrect solution form was originally used.Comment: 33 pages, 3 figure
Development of an integrated BEM approach for hot fluid structure interaction: BEST-FSI: Boundary Element Solution Technique for Fluid Structure Interaction
As part of the continuing effort at NASA LeRC to improve both the durability and reliability of hot section Earth-to-orbit engine components, significant enhancements must be made in existing finite element and finite difference methods, and advanced techniques, such as the boundary element method (BEM), must be explored. The BEM was chosen as the basic analysis tool because the critical variables (temperature, flux, displacement, and traction) can be very precisely determined with a boundary-based discretization scheme. Additionally, model preparation is considerably simplified compared to the more familiar domain-based methods. Furthermore, the hyperbolic character of high speed flow is captured through the use of an analytical fundamental solution, eliminating the dependence of the solution on the discretization pattern. The price that must be paid in order to realize these advantages is that any BEM formulation requires a considerable amount of analytical work, which is typically absent in the other numerical methods. All of the research accomplishments of a multi-year program aimed toward the development of a boundary element formulation for the study of hot fluid-structure interaction in Earth-to-orbit engine hot section components are detailed. Most of the effort was directed toward the examination of fluid flow, since BEM's for fluids are at a much less developed state. However, significant strides were made, not only in the analysis of thermoviscous fluids, but also in the solution of the fluid-structure interaction problem
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