COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS

CFD procedure
CFD procedure
• Identifying Problem
• Pre-Processing
1

• Solving • Creating Geometry

2

• Post-Processing • Generating Mesh

3

• Solving solution variables • Importing and checking mesh

• Specifying input files • Selecting numerical solver
• Monitoring solution progress • Selecting physical models
• Setting up parallel calculations • Defining material properties
(optional) • Prescribing operating conditions
• Prescribing boundary conditions
• Generating report • Providing initial solution
• Animation • Setting up solver controls
• Charts • Setting up convergence monitors
• Vector Plots • Initializing flow field
• Streamlines
• Quantitative numerical
calculations
• etc…
CFD procedure (contd..)
1. Geometry
2. Mesh
3. Setup
4. Solution
5. Result
Elements of CFD codes
• Pre-processor

• Solver

• Post-processor
ANSYS Workbench
1. Geometry (ANSYS DesignModeler)
2. Mesh (ANSYS Meshing)
3. Setup (ANSYS CFX / ANSYS FLUENT)
4. Solution (ANSYS CFX / ANSYS FLUENT)
5. Result (ANSYS CFD-Post)
CHE-437: COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS
Governing Equations
Continuity equation
Unsteady, three-dimensional mass conservation or continuity equation at a
point in a compressible fluid

For an incompressible fluid (i.e. a liquid) the density ρ is constant

 Momentum equation
The x-component of the momentum equation is found by setting the rate of change of
x-momentum of the fluid particle equal to the total force in the x-direction on the
element due to surface stresses plus the rate of increase of x-momentum due to
sources

y-component of the momentum equation is given by

z-component of the momentum equation is given by

Navier-Stokes equations for a Newtonian fluid
• The governing equations contain as further unknowns the
viscous stress components.

• The most useful forms of the conservation equations for

fluid flows are obtained by introducing a suitable model for
the viscous stresses.
Navier-Stokes equations for a Newtonian fluid
System of equations which governs the time dependent three-dimensional fluid flow
and heat transfer of a compressible Newtonian fluid
Turbulent flow representation
Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes
equations (RANS equations)
Turbulent flow equations for compressible flows
Turbulent flow calculations
• Turbulence models for Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes
(RANS) equations

• Large eddy simulation

• Direct numerical simulation (DNS)

RANS equations and classical turbulence
models
Governing equations (Laminar flow)
• Isothermal flow system (single component)
• Continuity
• Momentum equation
• Non-isothermal flow system (single component)
• Continuity
• Momentum equation
• Energy equation
• Isothermal flow system (multicomponent)
• Continuity
• Momentum
• Concentration
• Non-isothermal flow system (multicomponent)
• Continuity
• Momentum
• Energy
• Concentration
Governing equations (Turbulent flow)
• Isothermal flow system (single component)
• Continuity
• Momentum equation
• Turbulence model
• Non-isothermal flow system (single component)
• Continuity
• Momentum equation
• Energy equation
• Turbulence model
• Isothermal flow system (multicomponent)
• Continuity
• Momentum
• Concentration
• Turbulence model
• Non-isothermal flow system (multicomponent)
• Continuity
• Momentum
• Energy
• Concentration
• Turbulence model
CFD
Finite Volume Method (FVM) for diffusion problems
Objective
• To develop the numerical method based on the finite
volume (or control volume) method.
Navier-Stokes equations for a Newtonian fluid
System of equations which governs the time dependent three-dimensional fluid flow
and heat transfer of a compressible Newtonian fluid
General transport equation
• Significant commonalities between the various equations

• When we introduce a general variable φ, the conservative form

of all fluid flow equations, including equations for scalar
quantities such as temperature and pollutant concentration
etc., can usefully be written in the following form;

• Transport equation for property φ

• Above equation is used as the starting point for computational

procedures in the finite volume method.
General transport equation (contd..)
• Transport equation for property φ

Φ = 1 (mass)
Φ = u, v, w (momentum)
Φ = i (or T or h0) (energy)
• Left side: selecting appropriate values for diffusion
• the rate of change term coefficient Γ and source terms

• the convective term

• Right side:
• the diffusive term (Γ = diffusion coefficient)
• the source term
Steady state diffusion
• Transport equation for property φ

• Pure diffusion in the steady state

• The steady state diffusion of a property φ in:

One-dimensional domain Two-dimensional domain

Three-dimensional domain
Finite Volume Method (FVM)
• Transport equation for property φ

• The key step of the finite volume method is the integration

of above equation over a three-dimensional control
volume (CV):
Finite volume method for diffusion problems
• To develop the numerical method based on the finite
volume (or control volume) method

• Consider a simplest transport process: pure diffusion in

the steady state
Finite volume method for one dimensional
steady state diffusion
• Pure diffusion in the steady state

• Consider the steady state diffusion of a property φ in a

one-dimensional domain

• The equation governing one-dimensional steady state

conductive heat transfer is
Worked example: one dimensional steady
state diffusion
• Application of the finite volume method to simple one
dimensional steady state heat transfer problem
• Example: One-dimensional heat conduction in a rod

• Comparing numerical results with analytical solutions

Worked example: one dimensional steady
state diffusion
Consider the problem of source-free heat conduction in an
insulated rod whose ends are maintained at constant
temperatures of 100°C and 500°C respectively. The one-
dimensional problem sketched is governed by

Calculate the steady state temperature distribution in the rod.

Thermal conductivity k equals 1000 W/m.K, cross-sectional area
A is 10 × 10−3 m2.
• Comparison of the numerical result with the analytical
solution
Example
Now we discuss a problem that includes sources other than those arising from
boundary conditions. Figure shows a large plate of thickness L = 2 cm with
constant thermal conductivity k = 0.5 W/m.K and uniform heat generation q =
1000 kW/m3. The faces A and B are at temperatures of 100°C and 200°C
respectively. Assuming that the dimensions in the y- and z-directions are so
large that temperature gradients are significant in the x-direction only, calculate
the steady state temperature distribution. Compare the numerical result with
the analytical solution.
CFD
The finite volume method for convection-diffusion problems
Introduction
• In problems where fluid flow plays a significant role we
must account for the effects of convection.

• Diffusion always occurs alongside convection in nature.

• To predict combined convection and diffusion.

• Diffusion process affects the distribution of a transported

quantity along its gradients in all directions.

• Convection spreads influence only in the flow direction.

Steady convection-diffusion
• Transport equation for property φ

• The steady convection-diffusion equation for a general

property φ

• Formal integration over a control volume gives

(flux balance in a
control volume)

Left side: net convective flux

Right side: net diffusive flux and generation or destruction of property φ
Steady one-dimensional convection and
diffusion
• In the absence of sources, steady convection and diffusion of a
property φ in a given one-dimensional flow field u is governed by

The flow must also satisfy continuity

• Integration of above transport equations over control volume

• Integrated convection-diffusion equation and integrated continuity
equation.
CFD
The finite volume method for unsteady flows
Unsteady system
• Time-dependent problems

• The conservation law for the transport of a scalar in an

unsteady flow has the general form
Transient three-dimensional convection-
diffusion
• General transport equation:

• Transient three-dimensional convection-diffusion of a

general property φ in a velocity field u is governed by:
Transient diffusion in three dimensions
• General transport equation:

• Transient diffusion in three dimensions is governed by:

Unsteady one-dimensional heat conduction
• General transport equation:

• Unsteady one-dimensional heat conduction is governed

by the equation:
Finite volume method for unsteady flows
• General transport equation:

• The finite volume integration of above equation over a

control volume (CV) must be augmented with a further
integration over a finite time step ∆t:
Finite volume method for unsteady flows
• The control volume integration is essentially the same as
in steady flows.

• The measures explained previously are again adopted to

ensure successful treatment of convection, diffusion and
source terms.

• Here, we focus our attention on methods necessary for

the time integration.
Example
A thin plate is initially at a uniform temperature of 200°C. At a certain
time t = 0, the temperature of the east side of the plate is suddenly
reduced to 0°C. The other surface is insulated. Use the finite volume
method to calculate the transient temperature distribution of the slab
and compare it with the analytical solution at time (i) t = 40 s, (ii) t = 80
s and (iii) t = 120 s.
The data are: plate thickness L = 2 cm, thermal conductivity k = 10
W/m.K and ρc = 10 × 106 J/m3.K.
CFD
Pressure-velocity coupling in steady flows
Introduction
• Transport equation for property φ

• The convection of a scalar variable φ depends on the

magnitude and direction of the local velocity field.

• In general, the velocity field is not known.

• We look at the most popular strategies for computing the

entire flow field.
Introduction
• Transport equation for property φ

• Transport equations for each velocity component –

momentum equations can be derived from the general
transport equation by replacing the variable φ by u, v and
w respectively.

• The velocity field must also satisfy the continuity equation.

Two-dimensional laminar steady flow
• Transport equation for property φ

• Two-dimensional laminar steady flow is governed by;

Two-dimensional laminar steady flow

• The pressure gradient term forms the main momentum source term in
most flows of engineering importance.
• In general-purpose flow computations we also wish to calculate the
pressure field as part of the solution, so its gradient is not normally
known beforehand.
Pressure-velocity coupling in steady flows

• The solution of above equations presents us with two new problems:

1. The convective terms of the momentum equations contain non-linear quantities:
for example, the first term of above equation is the x-derivative of ρu2.
2. All three equations are intricately coupled because every velocity component
appears in each momentum equation and in the continuity equation. The most
complex issue to resolve is the role played by the pressure. It appears in both
momentum equations, but there is evidently no (transport or other) equation for
the pressure.
Pressure-velocity coupling in steady flows
Compressible flow:
• The continuity equation may be used as the transport equation
for density. The pressure may then be obtained from density
and temperature by using the equation of state p = p(ρ, T ).

Incompressible flow:
• Density is constant and hence by definition not linked to the
pressure.
• In this case coupling between pressure and velocity introduces
a constraint in the solution of the flow field: if the correct
pressure field is applied in the momentum equations the
resulting velocity field should satisfy continuity.
The SIMPLE algorithm
• The acronym SIMPLE stands for Semi-Implicit Method for
Pressure-Linked Equations.

• The algorithm was originally put forward by Patankar

and Spalding (1972).

• A guess-and-correct procedure for the calculation of pressure

and velocities.

• Iterative method

• Both the problems associated with the non-linearities in the

equation set and the pressure–velocity linkage can be resolved
by adopting this iterative solution strategy.
The SIMPLE algorithm
The SIMPLE algorithm
• In this algorithm the convective fluxes per unit mass F through
cell
faces are evaluated from so-called guessed velocity
components.

• Furthermore, a guessed pressure field is used to solve the

momentum equations, and a pressure correction equation,
deduced from the continuity equation, is solved to obtain a
pressure correction field, which is in turn used to update the
velocity and pressure fields.

• To start the iteration process we use initial guesses for the

velocity and pressure fields.

• As the algorithm proceeds our aim must be progressively to

improve these guessed fields. The process is iterated until
convergence of the velocity and pressure fields.
The SIMPLER algorithm
• The SIMPLER (SIMPLE Revised) algorithm of Patankar
(1980) is an improved version of SIMPLE.

• In this algorithm, the discretised continuity equation is

used to derive a discretised equation for pressure,
instead of a pressure correction equation as in SIMPLE.

• The intermediate pressure field is obtained directly

without the use of a correction.

• Velocities are, however, still obtained through the velocity

corrections of SIMPLE.
The SIMPLER algorithm
The SIMPLEC algorithm
• The SIMPLEC (SIMPLE-Consistent) algorithm of Van
Doormal and Raithby (1984)

• The sequence of operations of SIMPLEC is identical to

that of SIMPLE.

• The momentum equations are manipulated so that the

SIMPLEC velocity correction equations omit terms that
are less significant than those in SIMPLE.
The PISO algorithm
• The PISO algorithm of Issa (1986).

• PISO stands for Pressure Implicit with Splitting of Operators.

• A pressure–velocity calculation procedure developed originally

for non-iterative computation of unsteady compressible flows.

• Adapted successfully for the iterative solution of steady state

problems.

• An extension of SIMPLE with a further corrector step to

enhance it.

• PISO involves one predictor step and two corrector steps.

The PISO algorithm
General comments
• It is unclear which of the procedures is the best for
general-purpose computation.

• The SIMPLE algorithm is relatively straightforward and

has been successfully implemented in numerous CFD
procedures.

• The performance of each algorithm depends on

• the flow conditions
• the degree of coupling between the momentum equation and scalar
equations (in combusting flows, for example, due to the
dependence of the local density on concentration and temperature)
• the amount of under-relaxation used
• the details of the numerical technique used for solving the algebraic
equations