An Efficient Strategy to Deliver Understanding of Both Numerical and Practical Aspects When Using Navier-Stokes Equations to Solve Fluid Mechanics Problems

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Date

2019-10

Authors

Adair, Desmond
Jaeger, Martin

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

MDPI

Abstract

An efficient and thorough strategy to introduce undergraduate students to a numerical approach of calculating flow is outlined. First, the basic steps, especially discretization, involved when solving Navier-Stokes equations using a finite-volume method for incompressible steady-state flow are developed with the main aim being for the students to follow through from the mathematical description of a given problem to the final solution of the governing equations in a transparent way. The well-known ‘driven-cavity’ problem is used as the problem for testing coding written by the students, and the Navier-Stokes equations are initially cast in the vorticity-streamfunction form. This is followed by moving on to a solution method using the primitive variables and discussion of details such as, closure of the Navier-Stokes equations using turbulence modelling, appropriate meshing within the computation domain, various boundary conditions, properties of fluids, and the important methods for determining that a convergence solution has been reached. Such a course is found to be an efficient and transparent approach for introducing students to computational fluid dynamics.

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Keywords

meshing, computational fluid dynamics, finite-volume method, discretization, turbulence modelling, Research Subject Categories::TECHNOLOGY

Citation

Adair, & Jaeger. (2019). An Efficient Strategy to Deliver Understanding of Both Numerical and Practical Aspects When Using Navier-Stokes Equations to Solve Fluid Mechanics Problems. Fluids, 4(4), 178. https://doi.org/10.3390/fluids4040178

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