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Article
Publication date: 24 August 2018

Hongbin Liu, Xinrong Su and Xin Yuan

Adopting large eddy simulation (LES) to simulate the complex flow in turbomachinery is appropriate to overcome the limitation of current Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes modelling…

Abstract

Purpose

Adopting large eddy simulation (LES) to simulate the complex flow in turbomachinery is appropriate to overcome the limitation of current Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes modelling and it provides a deeper understanding of the complicated transitional and turbulent flow mechanism; however, the large computational cost limits its application in high Reynolds number flow. This study aims to develop a three-dimensional GPU-enabled parallel-unstructured solver to speed up the high-fidelity LES simulation.

Design/methodology/approach

Compared to the central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs) can provide higher computational speed. This work aims to develop a three-dimensional GPU-enabled parallel-unstructured solver to speed up the high-fidelity LES simulation. A set of low-dissipation schemes designed for unstructured mesh is implemented with compute unified device architecture programming model. Several key parameters affecting the performance of the GPU code are discussed and further speed-up can be obtained by analysing the underlying finite volume-based numerical scheme.

Findings

The results show that an acceleration ratio of approximately 84 (on a single GPU) for double precision algorithm can be achieved with this unstructured GPU code. The transitional flow inside a compressor is simulated and the computational efficiency has been improved greatly. The transition process is discussed and the role of K-H instability playing in the transition mechanism is verified.

Practical/implications

The speed-up gained from GPU-enabled solver reaches 84 compared to original code running on CPU and the vast speed-up enables the fast-turnaround high-fidelity LES simulation.

Originality/value

The GPU-enabled flow solver is implemented and optimized according to the feature of finite volume scheme. The solving time is reduced remarkably and the detail structures including vortices are captured.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 35 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 March 2023

Jordi Vila-Pérez, Matteo Giacomini and Antonio Huerta

This study aims to assess the robustness and accuracy of the face-centred finite volume (FCFV) method for the simulation of compressible laminar flows in different regimes, using…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to assess the robustness and accuracy of the face-centred finite volume (FCFV) method for the simulation of compressible laminar flows in different regimes, using numerical benchmarks.

Design/methodology/approach

The work presents a detailed comparison with reference solutions published in the literature –when available– and numerical results computed using a commercial cell-centred finite volume software.

Findings

The FCFV scheme provides first-order accurate approximations of the viscous stress tensor and the heat flux, insensitively to cell distortion or stretching. The strategy demonstrates its efficiency in inviscid and viscous flows, for a wide range of Mach numbers, also in the incompressible limit. In purely inviscid flows, non-oscillatory approximations are obtained in the presence of shock waves. In the incompressible limit, accurate solutions are computed without pressure correction algorithms. The method shows its superior performance for viscous high Mach number flows, achieving physically admissible solutions without carbuncle effect and predictions of quantities of interest with errors below 5%.

Originality/value

The FCFV method accurately evaluates, for a wide range of compressible laminar flows, quantities of engineering interest, such as drag, lift and heat transfer coefficients, on unstructured meshes featuring distorted and highly stretched cells, with an aspect ratio up to ten thousand. The method is suitable to simulate industrial flows on complex geometries, relaxing the requirements on mesh quality introduced by existing finite volume solvers and alleviating the need for time-consuming manual procedures for mesh generation to be performed by specialised technicians.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 33 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 January 2016

Pier Luigi Vitagliano, Mauro Minervino, Domenico Quagliarella and Pietro Catalano

– This paper aims to simulate unsteady flows with surfaces in relative motion using a multi-block structured flow solver.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to simulate unsteady flows with surfaces in relative motion using a multi-block structured flow solver.

Design/methodology/approach

A procedure for simulating unsteady flows with surfaces in relative motion was developed, based upon a multi-block structured U-RANS flow solver1. Meshes produced in zones of the flow field with different rotation speed are connected by sliding boundaries. The procedure developed guarantees that the flux conservation properties of the original scheme are maintained across the sliding boundaries during the rotation at every time step.

Findings

The solver turns out to be very efficient, allowing computation in scalar mode with single core processors as well as in parallel. It was tested by simulating the unsteady flow on a propfan configuration with two counter-rotating rotors. The comparison of results and performances with respect to an existing commercial flow solver (unstructured) is reported.

Originality/value

This paper fulfils an identified need to allow for efficient unsteady flow computations (structured solver) with different bodies in relative motion.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal, vol. 88 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0002-2667

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 June 2021

Stavros N. Leloudas, Georgios N. Lygidakis, Argiris I. Delis and Ioannis K. Nikolos

This study aims to feature the application of the artificial compressibility method (ACM) for the numerical prediction of two-dimensional (2D) axisymmetric swirling flows.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to feature the application of the artificial compressibility method (ACM) for the numerical prediction of two-dimensional (2D) axisymmetric swirling flows.

Design/methodology/approach

The respective academic numerical solver, named IGal2D, is based on the axisymmetric Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations, arranged in a pseudo-Cartesian form, enhanced by the addition of the circumferential momentum equation. Discretization of spatial derivative terms within the governing equations is performed via unstructured 2D grid layouts, with a node-centered finite-volume scheme. For the evaluation of inviscid fluxes, the upwind Roe’s approximate Riemann solver is applied, coupled with a higher-order accurate spatial reconstruction, whereas an element-based approach is used for the calculation of gradients required for the viscous ones. Time integration is succeeded through a second-order accurate four-stage Runge-Kutta method, adopting additionally a local time-stepping technique. Further acceleration, in terms of computational time, is achieved by using an agglomeration multigrid scheme, incorporating the full approximation scheme in a V-cycle process, within an efficient edge-based data structure.

Findings

A detailed validation of the proposed numerical methodology is performed by encountering both inviscid and viscous (laminar and turbulent) swirling flows with axial symmetry. IGal2D is compared against the commercial software ANSYS fluent – by using appropriate metrics and characteristic flow quantities – but also against experimental measurements, confirming the proposed methodology’s potential to predict such flows in terms of accuracy.

Originality/value

This study provides a robust methodology for the accurate prediction of swirling flows by combining the axisymmetric RANS equations with ACM. In addition, a detailed description of the convective flux Jacobian is provided, filling a respective gap in research literature.

Article
Publication date: 31 July 2019

Mathieu Olivier and Olivier Paré-Lambert

This paper aims to present a fluid-structure coupling partitioned scheme involving rigid bodies supported by spring-damper systems. This scheme can be used with already existing…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present a fluid-structure coupling partitioned scheme involving rigid bodies supported by spring-damper systems. This scheme can be used with already existing fluid flow solvers without the need to modify them.

Design/methodology/approach

The scheme is based on a modified Broyden method. It solves the equations of solid body motion in which the external forces coming from the flow are provided by a segregated flow solver used as a black box. The whole scheme is implicit.

Findings

The proposed partitioned method is stable even in the ultimate case of very strong fluid–solid interactions involving a massless cylinder oscillating with no structural damping. The overhead associated with the coupling scheme represents an execution time increase by a factor of about 2 to 5, depending on the context. The scheme also has the advantage of being able to incorporate turbulence modeling directly through the flow solver. It has been tested successfully with URANS simulations without wall law, thus involving thin high aspect-ratio cells near the wall.

Originality/value

Such problems are known to be very difficult to solve and previous studies usually rely on monolithic approaches. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first time a partitioned scheme is used to solve fluid–solid interactions involving massless components.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 29 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2006

Oleg Iliev, Joachim Linn, Mathias Moog, Dariusz Niedziela and Vadimas Starikovicius

This study proposes to develop and investigate different iterative solvers for non‐Newtonian flow equations.

Abstract

Purpose

This study proposes to develop and investigate different iterative solvers for non‐Newtonian flow equations.

Design/methodology/approach

Existing approaches for the time discretization of the flow equation and for an iterative solution of the discrete systems are discussed. Ideas for further development of existing preconditioners are proposed, implemented and investigated numerically.

Findings

A two‐level preconditioning, consisting of a transformation of the original system in the first step and subsequent preconditioning of the transformed system is suggested. The GMRES iterative method, which usually performs well when applied to academic problems, showed dissatisfactory performance for the type of industrial flow simulations investigated in this work. It was found that the BiCGStab method performed best in the tests presented here.

Research limitations/implications

The iterative solvers considered here were investigated only for a certain class of polymer flows. More detailed studies for other non‐Newtonian flows should be carried out.

Originality/value

The work presented in this paper fills a gap related to the usage of efficient iterative methods for non‐Newtonian flow simulations.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 16 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 June 2019

Jory Seguin, Song Gao, Wagdi George Habashi, Dario Isola and Guido Baruzzi

This paper aims to describe the physical and numerical modeling of a new computational fluid dynamics solver for hypersonic flows in thermo-chemical non-equilibrium. The code uses…

270

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to describe the physical and numerical modeling of a new computational fluid dynamics solver for hypersonic flows in thermo-chemical non-equilibrium. The code uses a blend of numerical techniques to ensure accuracy and robustness and to provide scalability for advanced hypersonic physics and complex three-dimensional (3D) flows.

Design/methodology/approach

The solver is based on an edge-based stabilized finite element method (FEM). The chemical and thermal non-equilibrium systems are loosely-coupled to provide flexibility and ease of implementation. Chemical non-equilibrium is modeled using a laminar finite-rate chemical kinetics model while a two-temperature model is used to account for thermodynamic non-equilibrium. The systems are solved implicitly in time to relax numerical stiffness. Investigations are performed on various canonical hypersonic geometries in two-dimensional and 3D.

Findings

The comparisons with numerical and experimental results demonstrate the suitability of the code for hypersonic non-equilibrium flows. Although convergence is shown to suffer to some extent from the loosely-coupled implementation, trading a fully-coupled system for a number of smaller ones improves computational time. Furthermore, the specialized numerical discretization offers a great deal of flexibility in the implementation of numerical flux functions and boundary conditions.

Originality/value

The FEM is often disregarded in hypersonics. This paper demonstrates that this method can be used successfully for these types of flows. The present findings will be built upon in a later paper to demonstrate the powerful numerical ability of this type of solver, particularly with respect to robustness on highly stretched unstructured anisotropic grids.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 29 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 October 2013

Lelanie Smith, Oliver Oxtoby, A. Malan and Josua Meyer

– The purpose of this paper is to introduce a unique technique to couple the two-integral boundary layer solutions to a generic inviscid solver in an iterative fashion.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a unique technique to couple the two-integral boundary layer solutions to a generic inviscid solver in an iterative fashion.

Design/methodology/approach

The boundary layer solution is obtained using the two-integral method to solve displacement thickness point by point with a local Newton method, at a fraction of the cost of a conventional mesh-based, full viscous solution. The boundary layer solution is coupled with an existing inviscid solver. Coupling occurs by moving the wall to a streamline at the computed boundary layer thickness and treating it as a slip boundary, then solving the flow again and iterating. The Goldstein singularity present when solving boundary layer equations is overcome by solving an auxiliary velocity equation along with the displacement thickness.

Findings

The proposed method obtained favourable results when compared with the analytical solutions for flat and inclined plates. Further, it was applied to modelling the flow around a NACA0012 airfoil and yielded results similar to those of the widely used XFOIL code.

Originality/value

A unique method is proposed for coupling of the boundary layer solution to the inviscid flow. Rather than the traditional transpiration boundary condition, mesh movement is employed to simulate the boundary layer thickness in a more physically meaningful way. Further, a new auxiliary velocity equation is presented to circumvent the Goldstein singularity.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 23 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 1992

MICHAEL J. BOCKELIE and PETER R. EISEMAN

An adaptive grid solution method is described for computing the time accurate solution of an unsteady flow problem. The solution method consists of three parts: a grid point…

Abstract

An adaptive grid solution method is described for computing the time accurate solution of an unsteady flow problem. The solution method consists of three parts: a grid point redistribution method; an unsteady Euler equation solver; and a temporal coupling routine that links the dynamic grid to the flow solver. The grid movement technique is a direct curve by curve method containing grid controls that generate a smooth grid that resolves the severe solution gradients and the sharp transitions in the solution gradients. By design, the temporal coupling procedure provides a grid that does not lag the solution in time. The adaptive solution method is tested by computing the unsteady inviscid solutions for a one‐dimensional shock tube and a two‐dimensional shock vortex interaction. Quantitative comparisons are made between the adaptive solutions, theoretical solutions and numerical solutions computed on stationary grids. Test results demonstrate the good temporal tracking of the solution by the adaptive grid, and the ability of the adaptive method to capture an unsteady solution of comparable accuracy to that computed on a stationary grid containing significantly more grid points than used in the adaptive grid.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 2 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 August 2019

Song Gao, Jory Seguin, Wagdi G. Habashi, Dario Isola and Guido Baruzzi

This work aims to describe the physical and numerical modeling of a CFD solver for hypersonic flows in thermo-chemical non-equilibrium. This paper is the second of a two-part…

233

Abstract

Purpose

This work aims to describe the physical and numerical modeling of a CFD solver for hypersonic flows in thermo-chemical non-equilibrium. This paper is the second of a two-part series that concerns the application of the solver introduced in Part I to adaptive unstructured meshes.

Design/methodology/approach

The governing equations are discretized with an edge-based stabilized finite element method (FEM). Chemical non-equilibrium is simulated using a laminar finite-rate kinetics, while a two-temperature model is used to account for thermodynamic non-equilibrium. The equations for total quantities, species and vibrational-electronic energy conservation are loosely coupled to provide flexibility and ease of implementation. To accurately perform simulations on unstructured meshes, the non-equilibrium flow solver is coupled with an edge-based anisotropic mesh optimizer driven by the solution Hessian to carry out mesh refinement, coarsening, edge swapping and node movement.

Findings

The paper shows, through comparisons with experimental and other numerical results, how FEM + anisotropic mesh optimization are the natural choice to accurately simulate hypersonic non-equilibrium flows on unstructured meshes. Three-dimensional test cases demonstrate how, for high-speed flows, shocks resolution, and not necessarily boundary layers resolution, is the main driver of solution accuracy at walls. Equally distributing the error among all elements in a suitably defined Riemannian space yields highly anisotropic grids that feature well-resolved shock waves. The resulting high level of accuracy in the computation of the enthalpy jump translates into accurate wall heat flux predictions. At the opposite end, in all cases examined, high-quality but isotropic unstructured meshes gave very poor solutions with severely inadequate heat flux distributions not even featuring expected symmetries. The paper unequivocally demonstrates that unstructured anisotropically adapted meshes are the best, and may be the only, way for accurate and cost-effective hypersonic flow solutions.

Originality/value

Although many hypersonic flow solvers are developed for unstructured meshes, few numerical simulations on unstructured meshes are presented in the literature. This work demonstrates that the proposed approach can be used successfully for hypersonic flows on unstructured meshes.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 30 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

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