From level set to volume of fluid and back again at second‐order accuracy

Summary We present methods for computing either the level set function or volume fraction field from the other at second‐order accuracy. Both algorithms are optimal in that O( N ) computations are needed for N total grid points and both algorithms are easily parallelized. This work includes a novel interface reconstruction algorithm in three dimensions that requires a smaller local block of volume fractions than existing algorithms. A compact local solver leads to better algorithm portability and efficiency: for example, fewer restrictions must be imposed on an adaptive mesh, and fewer grid cells must be communicated between processors in a parallel implementation. We also present a fast sweeping method for computing a unique approximation of the signed distance function to a piecewise linear interface. All of the numerical examples confirm second‐order accuracy on both uniform and tree‐based adaptive grids. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.