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The computation of turbulent flows of industrial complexity by the finite element method—progress and prospects
Author(s) -
Hutton A. G.,
Smith R. M.,
Hickmott S.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
international journal for numerical methods in fluids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.938
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1097-0363
pISSN - 0271-2091
DOI - 10.1002/fld.1650071109
Subject(s) - finite element method , turbulence , computation , computer science , flow (mathematics) , computational fluid dynamics , mathematics , field (mathematics) , element (criminal law) , calculus (dental) , mathematical optimization , algorithm , geometry , engineering , mechanics , aerospace engineering , structural engineering , physics , medicine , dentistry , law , pure mathematics , political science
This paper is an expanded version of that delivered at the recent Sixth International Symposium on Finite Element Methods in Flow Problems, Antibes, France. It begins by reviewing the role of the finite element method (FEM) in turbulent flow simulation during recent years. The difficulties in incorporating sufficiently general descriptions of turbulence (i.e. two‐equation models) into successful finite‐element‐based Navier‐Stokes codes are examined and analysed in some depth. Current progress by various workers in overcoming these difficulties is reviewed and, by concentrating on one particular approach, it is demonstrated that the FEM has now matured into a powerful and flexible tool for solving two‐dimensional turbulent flows of industrial complexity. The applications presented highlight those features which render the FEM attractive in this field (viz., minimal false diffusion, arbitrary local refinement, boundary fitting capabilities and non‐structured grids). Finally, the prospects and challenges for the future are briefly discussed. In particular, the urgency and difficulty of constructing a competitive three‐dimensional capability which preserves these features is examined.