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Application of the level set method to the finite element solution of two‐phase flows
Author(s) -
Quecedo M.,
Pastor M.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
international journal for numerical methods in engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.421
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1097-0207
pISSN - 0029-5981
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0207(20010130)50:3<645::aid-nme42>3.0.co;2-2
Subject(s) - finite element method , position (finance) , set (abstract data type) , context (archaeology) , function (biology) , node (physics) , coupling (piping) , level set method , level set (data structures) , phase (matter) , mathematics , mathematical optimization , algorithm , computer science , engineering , structural engineering , physics , mechanical engineering , paleontology , finance , segmentation , quantum mechanics , evolutionary biology , artificial intelligence , economics , image segmentation , biology , programming language
This paper presents a method to solve two‐phase flows using the finite element method. On one hand, the algorithm used to solve the Navier–Stokes equations provides the neccessary stabilization for using the efficient and accurate three‐node triangles for both the velocity and pressure fields. On the other hand, the interface position is described by the zero‐level set of an indicator function. To maintain accuracy, even for large‐density ratios, the pseudoconcentration function is corrected at the end of each time step using an algorithm successfully used in the finite difference context. Coupling of both problems is solved in a staggered way. As demonstrated by the solution of a number of numerical tests, the procedure allows dealing with problems involving two interacting fluids with a large‐density ratio. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.