A mass-conserving level-set method for simulation of multiphase flow in geometrically complicated domains

Journal article (2016)

Authors

F. Raees NED University of Engineering and Technology, Numerical Analysis - EEMCS
D.R. van der Heul Numerical Analysis - EEMCS
Cornelis Vuik Numerical Analysis - EEMCS
Research Group
Numerical Analysis (EEMCS) (TU Delft)
Multiphase flow Discontinuous Galerkin Level-set Mass-conserving Volume of fluid
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Published Date

2016

Language

English

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Faculty

Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

Department

Delft Institute of Applied Mathematics

Research Group

Numerical Analysis

Abstract

The mass-conserving level-set (MCLS) method is a hybrid level-set (LS)/volume of fluid (VoF) based, interface capturing algorithm that combines the mass conserving properties of the VoF, with the benefits of having an explicit description of the interface of the LS method. The efficiency of the method is a result of the fact that the LS formulation allows evaluation of the VoF-field and VoF-fluxes without reconstruction of the interface in each cell. We present the extension of the MCLS method from its original formulation for Cartesian quadrilateral control volumes to triangular control volumes for optimal geometrical flexibility. The LS field is discretized using a second order discontinuous Galerkin method. After each time-step, a mass-conserving correction is imposed based on the simultaneously convected VoF field. This convection step is performed with a second-order Eulerian–Lagrangian approach, combined with a ‘clipping’ algorithm to project the advected field from the Lagrangian to the Eulerian grid. The MCLS method is shown to be
accurately mass conserving and shows second order convergence for three different test cases.