Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “curvilinear coordinates”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2

TOMCAT - A code for numerical generation of boundary-fitted curvilinear coordinate systems on fields containing any number of arbitrary two-dimensional bodies

A method for automatic generation of boundary-fitted curvilinear coordinate systems, where the transformed coordinates are solutions of an elliptic differential system in the physical plane, and where the coordinate lines are coincident with all boundaries of a general multiply-connected, two-dimensional region containing any number of arbitrarily shaped bodies, and is described along with a suitable computer code for implementing the method. Any partial differential system can be solved on the boundary-fitted coordinate system by appropriate transformations. The transformed equations are approximated by finite differences and solved numerically in the transformed plane. All computations, whether for generating coordinate system or then solving the transformed equations, can be done on a rectangular field with square mesh with no interpolation required on the boundaries. The physical boundaries may even be time-dependent.

Thompson, J. F.↗

Boundary-layer equations in generalized curvilinear coordinates

A set of higher-order boundary-layer equations is derived valid for three-dimensional compressible flows. The equations are written in a generalized curvilinear coordinate system, in which the surface coordinates are nonorthogonal; the third axis is restricted to be normal to the surface. Also, higher-order viscous terms which are retained depend on the surface curvature of the body. Thus, the equations are suitable for the calculation of the boundary layer about arbitrary vehicles. As a starting point, the Navier-Stokes equations are derived in a tensorian notation. Then by means of an order-of-magnitude analysis, the boundary-layer equations are developed. To provide an interface between the analytical partial differentiation notation and the compact tensor notation, a brief review of the most essential theorems of the tensor analysis related to the equations of the fluid dynamics is given. Many useful quantities, such as the contravariant and the covariant metrics and the physical velocity components, are written in both notations.

Panaras, Argyris G.↗

An incompressible Navier-Stokes flow solver in three-dimensional curvilinear coordinate systems using primitive variables

An implicit, finite-difference computer code has been developed to solve the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in a three-dimensional, curvilinear coordinate system. The pressure-field solution is based on the pseudo compressibility approach in which the time derivative pressure term is introduced into the mass conservation equation to form a set of hyperbolic equations. The solution procedure employs an implicit, approximate factorization scheme. The Reynolds stresses, that are uncoupled from the implicit scheme, are lagged by one time-step to facilitate implementing various levels of the turbulence model. Test problems for external and internal flows are computed, and the results are compared with existing experimental data. The application of this technique for general three-dimensional problems is then demonstrated.

Kwak, D.↗

CurvilinearGrids.jl: A Julia package for curvilinear coordinate transformations

Finite-difference discretizations of partial differential equations are widespread throughout the scientific community. Oftentimes finite-differences are used to compute spatial gradients of fields on a discrete grid, which is typically a uniform or rectilinear Cartesian mesh. Arbitrary multidimensional geometry is difficult to discretize directly with finite differences, however, due to non-uniform grid spacing and non-orthogonality. Curvilinear coordinate transformations can be used as a strategy to enable arbitrary geometry. While these curvilinear transformations are straightforward, the governing PDEs require additional terms (metrics) and must adhere to strict conservation laws; these criteria complicate the application of the transformation and require careful implementation.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Equations of motion and two-equation turbulence model for plane or axisymmetric turbulent flows in body-oriented orthogonal curvilinear coordinates and mass-averaged dependent variables

The full Navier-Stokes time-dependent, compressible, turbulent, mean-flow equations in mass-averaged variables for plane or axisymmetric flow are presented. The equations are derived in a body-oriented, orthogonal, curvilinear coordinate system. Turbulence is modelled by a system of two equations for mass-averaged turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate proposed. These equations are rederived and some new features are discussed. A system of second order boundary layer equations is then derived which includes the effects of longitudinal curvature and the normal pressure gradient. The Wilcox and Chambers approach is used in considering effects of streamline curvature on turbulence phenomena in turbulent boundary layer type flows. Their two-equation turbulence model with curvature terms are rederived for the cases considered in the present report. The derived system equations serves as a basis for an investigation of problems where streamline curvature is of the order of the characteristic length in the longitudinal direction.

Sislian, J. P.↗

Finite-difference simulation and visualization of elastodynamics in time-evolving generalized curvilinear coordinates

Modeling and simulation of free and forced structural vibrations is essential to an overall structural health monitoring capability. In the various embodiments, a first principles finite-difference approach is adopted in modeling a structural subsystem such as a mechanical gear by solving elastodynamic equations in generalized curvilinear coordinates. Such a capability to generate a dynamic structural response is widely applicable in a variety of structural health monitoring systems. This capability (1) will lead to an understanding of the dynamic behavior of a structural system and hence its improved design, (2) will generate a sufficiently large space of normal and damage solutions that can be used by machine learning algorithms to detect anomalous system behavior and achieve a system design optimization and (3) will lead to an optimal sensor placement strategy, based on the identification of local stress maxima all over the domain.

Kaul, Upender K.↗

Assessing the quality of curvilinear coordinate meshes by decomposing the Jacobian matrix

An algebraic decomposition of the Jacobian matrix which relates physical and computational variables is presented. This invertible decomposition parameterizes the mesh by the physically intuitive qualities of cell orientation, cell orthogonality, cell volume, and cell aspect ratio. The decomposition can be used to analyze numerically generated curvilinear coordinate meshes and to assess the contribution of the mesh to the truncation error for any specific differential operator and algorithm. This is worked out in detail for Laplace's equation in nonconservative and conservative forms. The analysis is applied to the solution of the full potential code TAIR, showing grid plots, carpet plots, and truncation error for a NACA 0012 airfoil.

Kerlick, G. D.↗

Implicit TVD schemes for hyperbolic conservation laws in curvilinear coordinates

The Harten (1983, 1984) total variation-diminishing (TVD) schemes, constituting a one-parameter explicit and implicit, second-order-accurate family, have the property of not generating spurious oscillations when applied to one-dimensional, nonlinear scalar hyperbolic conservation laws and constant coefficient hyperbolic systems. These methods are presently extended to the multidimensional hyperbolic conservation laws in curvilinear coordinates. Means by which to linearize the implicit operator and solution strategies, in order to improve the computation efficiency of the implicit algorithm, are discussed. Numerical experiments with steady state airfoil calculations indicate that the proposed linearized implicit TVD schemes are accurate and robust.

Yee, H. C.↗

The piecewise-parabolic method in curvilinear coordinates

We derive interpolation formulae for a third-order finite difference method in curvilinear, orthogonal coordinate systems. These formulae serve as a supplement to Colella and Woodward's PPM scheme for problems where the coordinate origin is included in the computational domain. Numerical examples of the improved accuracy of the advection scheme near coordinate singularities are shown.

Blondin, John M.↗

Entropy Stable Nonconforming Discretizations with the Summation-By-Parts Property for Curvilinear Coordinates

The entropy conservative/stable algorithm of Friedrichet al.(2018) for hyperbolic conservation laws on nonconforming p-refined/coarsened Cartesian grids, is extended to curvilinear grids for the compressible Euler equations. The primary focus is on constructing appropriate coupling procedures across the curvilinear nonconforming interfaces. A simple and flexible approach is proposed that uses interpolation operators from one element to the other. On the element faces,the analytic metrics are used to construct coupling terms, while metric terms in the volume are approximated to satisfy a discretization of the geometric conservation laws. The resulting scheme is entropy conservative/stable, elementwise conservative, and freestream preserving. The accuracy and stability properties of the resulting numerical algorithm are shown to be comparable to those ofthe original conforming scheme (∼p+ 1 convergence) in the context of the isentropic Euler vortex and the inviscid Taylor–Green vortex problems on manufactured high order grids.

David Del Rey Fernandez↗

General curvilinear coordinate systems

The basic ideas of the construction and use of numerically-generated boundary-fitted coordinate systems for the numerical solution of partial differential equations are discussed. With such coordinate systems, all computation can be done on a fixed square grid in the rectangular transformed region regardless of the shape or movement of the physical boundaries. A number of different types of configurations for the transformed region and the basic transformation relations from a cartesian system to a general curvilinear system are given. The material of this paper is applicable to all types of coordinate system generation.

Thompson, J. P.↗

Inviscid transonic wing design using inverse methods in curvilinear coordinates

An inverse wing design method has been developed around an existing transonic wing analysis code. The original analysis code, TAWFIVE, has as its core the numerical potential flow solver, FLO30, developed by Jameson and Caughey. Features of the analysis code include a finite-volume formulation; wing and fuselage fitted, curvilinear grid mesh; and a viscous boundary layer correction that also accounts for viscous wake thickness and curvature. The development of the inverse methods as an extension of previous methods existing for design in Cartesian coordinates is presented. Results are shown for inviscid wing design cases in super-critical flow regimes. The test cases selected also demonstrate the versatility of the design method in designing an entire wing or discontinuous sections of a wing.

Gally, Thomas A.↗

Novel approach to general curvilinear coordinates for plasma fluid applications

In general geometry, plasma fluid equations include nonlinear geometric sources associated with fictitious forces, which pose significant challenges to computer simulations. We reformulate the plasma fluid hierarchy to rigorously preserve geometry and conservation properties critical to numerical simulations, while concealing the geometric sources. In their discrete form, the reformulated models conserve mass, angular momentum, and energy naturally, by simple analogy with the continuum equations. These conservation properties have minimal requirements in discrete space, namely, the anti-symmetry of the first derivative and the orthogonality of the scalar and cross products. By decoupling magnetic geometry, coordinate systems, and numerical discretization, this enables maximum flexibility while preserving physics fidelity. As a testbed, we apply the novel representation to the resistive magnetohydrodynamic system, which involves a complete set of curvilinear operations. We verify the correctness of the approach using steady state liquid metal flows and the classic Orszag–Tang vortex.

Halpern, Federico D. [General Atomics, San Diego, ↗

Elastic Wave Propagation in Curvilinear Coordinates with Mesh Refinement Interfaces by a Fourth Order Finite Difference Method

In this work, we develop a fourth order accurate finite difference method for the three dimensional elastic wave equation in isotropic media with the piecewise smooth material property. In our model, the material property can be discontinuous at curved interfaces. The governing equations are discretized in second order form on curvilinear meshes by using a fourth order finite difference operator satisfying a summation-by-parts property. The method is energy stable and high order accurate. The highlight is that mesh sizes can be chosen according to the velocity structure of the material so that computational efficiency is improved. At the mesh refinement interfaces with hanging nodes, physical interface conditions are imposed by using ghost points and interpolation. With a fourth order predictor-corrector time integrator, the fully discrete scheme is energy conserving. Numerical experiments are presented to verify the fourth order convergence rate and the energy conserving property.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗