Fluid Flow:

Numerical Methods
Rita Schnipke
University of Virginia
Objectives

• Understand application of numerical methods

• Domain discretization
• Discretization of governing equations
• Compare different discretization techniques
• Understand the process of numerical analysis
• Application of numerical methods in CFD

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Rita Schnipke
Understanding Numerical Methods
• Numerical methods approximate complex physics
• Fluid flow equations are highly complex
• Very few exact solutions
• Simplifications required for numerical fluid flow
• Three discretization schemes:
• Finite Element Method (FEM)
• Finite Volume Method (FVM)
• Finite Difference Method (FDM)
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Rita Schnipke
Domain Discretization: Part I
• Continuous domain  discrete domain
Continuous Domain Discrete Domain

Continuous Velocity Distribution Discrete Velocity Distribution

40 40
35 35
30 30
25 25
20

V(x)
20
V(x)

15 15
10 10
5 5
0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 0 2 4 6 8 10 12

x x

Continuous domain  solution everywhere Discrete domain  solution at grid points

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Rita Schnipke
Domain Discretization: Part II

• CFD – discretize domain into grid points

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Discretization of Equations - Techniques
• Most common discretization techniques:
• Finite Element Method (FEM) – weighted integral over elements
• Finite Volume Method (FVM) – fluxes through volumes
• Finite Difference (FDM) – Taylor series

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Rita Schnipke
Discretization of Equations – Taylor Series I

• Convert partial derivatives to algebraic expression

• Taylor Series
df d 2 f ( x ) d n f (x) n
f ( x  x)  f ( x)  (x)  2  ......... n
dx dx 2 dx n!
• So derivatives become:
𝑑𝑓 { 𝑓 ( 𝑥 + ∆ 𝑥 ) − 𝑓 ( 𝑥) } 2
= +𝒪 ( ∆ 𝑥 )
𝑑𝑥 ∆𝑥

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Rita Schnipke
Discretization of Equations – Taylor Series II
• Replace continuum with discrete grid points: x  ...., xi 1 , xi , xi 1 ,....
u  ...., ui 1 , ui , ui 1 ,....
• Approximate derivatives:

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Rita Schnipke
Discretization of Equations – Taylor Series III

• PDE with space and time u u

a 0
t x
 u  ui  ui 1
• Space uses “i” – backward difference    a 
 t i x

• Time uses “n” – forward difference uin 1  uin uin  uin1

 a 
t x

• PDE is now algebraic equation n 1 n a  x n n

u i u 
i (ui  ui 1 )
t
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Discretization of Equations – FDM Part I
• 1D Flow Equation:
 u 
   ui  0 x
 x i 1 2 4

• Taylor Series:

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Rita Schnipke
Discretization of Equations – FDM Part II
• Boundary Condition:
1 0 0 0   u1  1
 1 1  x 0 0  u  0
  2    
0  1 1  x 0  u 3   0 
    
0 0  1 1  x  u4  0
• Solve matrix using direct (Gaussian) or iterative method
• More nodes  more equations  larger matrix
• More Taylor series terms  more equation terms  larger matrix
• Need a computer

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Rita Schnipke
 FDM vs FEM vs FVM
• FDM is an easy to implement, easy to understand and easy to program
scheme.
• FDM does not show good results for unstructured meshes.
• Compared to FEM and FVM, FDM is very a crude scheme.
• In-house CFD codes based on FDM do exist, but most commercial
software for CFD are based on either FEM or FVM.
• In the next slide, differences between FEM and FVM are explored.

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Rita Schnipke
Comparison between FEM and FVM for CFD

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Numerical Analysis Process
• Steps to perform a numerical analysis:
1. Establish solution domain (simplify geometry) and assumptions
2. Discretize domain
3. Discretize equations  matrix equation for grid points
4. Solve matrix equations

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Rita Schnipke
CFD Process

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Questions for Establishing Workflow
1. What is the objective of the analysis?
2. Any simplifications of Navier-Stokes equations?
• Incompressible or Compressible?
• Steady or unsteady?
• Inviscid, laminar or turbulent?
3. What geometry must be included?
• Symmetry
• Aspect Ratios
4. What are the operating and boundary conditions?
5. What material properties are needed?

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Rita Schnipke
Using CFD Software
• CFD Simulations have 3 steps:

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Summary
• Navier-Stokes Equation is complex and difficult to solve
• Replace partial derivatives in governing equations with
algebraic forms – discretize equations
• Discretize solution domain to accommodate discretized
equations
• Result in large matrix equations  need computer
• Discretization methods for CFD: FEM, FVM, FDM

July 1, 2016 © 2015 Autodesk Design Academy

Rita Schnipke