A three-dimensional one-layer particle level set method

Abstract

Purpose

Moving interface problems exist commonly in nature and industry, and the main difficulty is to represent the interface. The purpose of this paper is to capture the accurate interface, a novel three-dimensional one-layer particle level set (OPLS) method is presented by introducing Lagrangian particles to reconstruct the seriously distorted level set function.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the interface is captured by the level set method. Then, the interface is corrected with only one-layer particles advected with the flow to ensure that the level set function value of the particle is equal to 0. When interfaces are merged, all particles in merged regions are deleted, while the added particles near the generated interface are used to determine the interface as the interface is separated.

Findings

The OPLS method is validated with well-known benchmark examples, such as the long-term advection of a sphere, the rotation of a three-dimensional slotted disk and sphere, single vortex in a box, sphere merging and separation, deformation of a sphere. The simulation results indicate that the proposed method is found to be highly reliable and accurate.

Originality/value

This method exhibits excellent conservation of the area bounded by the interface. The extraordinary performance is also shown in dealing with complex interface topological changes.

Citation

Zhao, L., Mu, K., Mao, J., Hongvan, K. and Peng, D. (2020), "A three-dimensional one-layer particle level set method", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 30 No. 7, pp. 3653-3684. https://doi.org/10.1108/HFF-07-2019-0547