Flow Simulation based on Bivariate Splines

Fluid Flow Simulations We use bivariate splines to solve 2D steady-state Navier-Stokes equations. The main features of our methods are (1) the stream function formulation that is used so that the divergent free condition is satisfied exactly; (2) splines of higher degree and more smoothness are used so that the vorticity is a continuous function; (3) the solutions with higher Reynolds numbers can be computed easily (see examples below); (4) Navier-Stokes equations over arbitrary polygonal domains can be solved; (5) our methods are very efficient and effective. All the following numerical experiments were performed on a Sun workstation with 172 Mhz and a PC laptop with 400 Mhz. I did not use any supercomputers nor any parallel processes.

Cavity Driven Flow The following are standard cavity driven flows with various Reynolds numbers: 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000, 10000, 11000, 12000, 13000, 14000, 15000, 16000, 17000, 18000, 19000, 20000.

The vorticity of the cavity driven flows can be found here. 1, 100, 1000.

Flows on a "W" shaped Channel

The following flow image is of flow stream lines over a "W" shaped channel.W Flow

 

Flows on FEM-shape Channel

THe following are flow streamlines over an FEM-shape Channel

Flow FEM

 

 

Backward Facing Step Flows

The backward facing step flows with various Reynold numbers are given below.

Backward facing flow



Backward 500



Flow over a backward



Flow over a backward



Flow over a backward



Flow over a backward

 

 

Flows Pass an Inclined Plate

The following is the water flow around an inclined plate.

Flow incline

 

Wind Flows Past a House

The Following is the wind flow around a house.

Flow

 

Flows Past a Rectangular Box

The following is the water flow pass a rectangular box.

Flow

 

Flows around Circular Obstacle

The following are flows are circular obstacle with various Reynold numbers.

Flow around a disk



Flow around a disk



Flow



flow around a disk



Flow

 

I also used bivariate splines to simulate the air flows around two cars. See more fluid flow simulations in a paper by Lai and Wenston in 2004.

Hummer



Ferrari