IMPROVEMENTS TO INCOMPRESSIBLE FLOW CALCULATION ON A NONSTAGGERED CURVILINEAR GRID

Abstract

The semi-implicit method for pressure-linked equations (SIMPLE) algorithm of Rhie and Chow [6] for flow problems on nonstaggered curvilinear grids is extended, and a SIMPLE-revised (SIMPLER) algorithm is formulated on nonstaggered curvilinear grids. In addition, a new algorithm, SIMPLE-modified (SIMPLEM), is formulated. The performance of these three algorithms is examined through two test problems (driven flow in a cavity and flow in a sudden expansion). The integral form of the continuity equation is shown to be not satisfied in the SIMPLE formulation. In the SIMPLER formulation, the residuals of the momentum equation do not decrease to acceptably low values. The SIMPLEM algorithm shows reasonably good convergence behavior and is superior to both the SIMPLE and SIMPLER algorithms. On the basis of these comparisons, the SIMPLEM algorithm is recommended for use in nonstaggered curvilinear meshes.