9 - DE - CFD - FVM For Convection Diffusion Problems

Computational Fluid Dynamics
Department Elective II
Final Year B Tech Mechanical
Semester VII
Department of Mechanical Engineering

CoEP, Pune
FVM for Convection-Diffusion Problems
• In problems where fluid flow plays a significant role effect of

convection must be accounted.
• Diffusion always occurs alongside convection in nature, hence it is
necessary to predict combined convection and diffusion.
• The steady convection-diffusion equation can be derived from the
transport equation for general property  by omission of transient
term.
• Net convective fluxes = net diffusive flux.
• The above equation represents the flux balance in a CV
• The discretization of convective term is a problem. The transported

property  at CV faces and its convective flux across these
boundaries.
• The central differencing method worked good for diffusion

problems as discussed earlier.
• Therefore, it is used for convective terms.
• However, the issue associated with convection is that it spreads

influence only in the flow direction. Whereas, diffusion process
involves transport quantity  along its gradients in all directions.
FVM for Steady One Dimensional Convection and Diffusion
• In absence of source, steady convection and diffusion of a property 
in a given one dimensional flow field u is governed by
• The flow must satisfy continuity, so
• We consider the one Dimensional CV, the general node P

neighboring nodes are W and E and the CV faces by w and e
• Integration of transport equation
• Integration of continuity equation
• It is convenient to define two variables F and D to represent the

convective mass flux per unit area and diffusion conductance at cell
faces: F=.u and D=  / x
• The cell face values of the variables F and D can be written as:
• Fw=(u)w Fe =(u)e Dw=/xWP De=/xPE

• Aw=Ae= A, De=/x PE , Dw=/x WP , Fw=(u)w Fe =(u)e
• Eq. 1 can be formulated as:
• Fe e - Fw w = De (E - P) - Dw (P - W) -----(3)
• In the discretization of diffusion terms in earlier sections, we employ

central differencing approach to represent contribution of diffusion
terms on RHS.
• The continuity equation as: Fe-Fw=0
• We need to calculate the transport property  at the east e, and west

w faces.
Fe e - Fw w = De (E - P) - Dw (P - W) -----(3)
• The central differencing approximation has been used to represent the
diffusion terms which appear on RHS of equation 3 , also
• Also, the linear interpolation to compute cell face values for convective
terms on LHS of eq. 3.
• For uniform grid, we can write,
• e = (P + E) /2, w = (P + W) / 2
• Equation 3 becomes, Fe e - Fw w = De (E - P) - Dw (P - W) -----(3)
• Fe (P + E) /2 - Fw (P + W) / 2 = De (E - P) - Dw (P - W)

• aP .P=aE. P+ aW. P
• This equation takes general form of pure-diffusion problem with a

difference that the coefficients contain additional terms to account
for convection.
• This equations to be formulated at each nodes, provides a set of

algebraic equations, subsequently, solved to obtain the distribution
of the transported property 
A property φ is transported by means of convection and diffusion
through the one-dimensional domain as following:
The governing equation:
The boundary conditions are: 0 = 1 at x=0, 0 = 0 at x=L

Using five equally spaced cells and the central differencing scheme for
convection and diffusion, calculate the distribution of  as a function
of x for
(i) Case 1: when u = 0.1 m/s, (ii) Case 2: when u = 2.5 m/s, and
compare the results with the analytical solution
A property φ is transported by means of convection and diffusion
through the one-dimensional domain as following:
The governing equation:
The boundary conditions are: 0 = 1 at x=0, 0 = 0 at x=L

Using five equally spaced cells and the central differencing scheme for
convection and diffusion, calculate the distribution of  as a function
of x for
(iii) Case 3: recalculate the solution for u = 2.5 m/s with 20 grid nodes
and compare the results with the analytical solution. The following
data apply: length L = 1.0 m, ρ = 1.0 kg/m3, Γ = 0.1 kg/m.s.
A property φ is transported by means of convection and diffusion through the one-dimensional domain as
following: The governing equation:
The boundary conditions are: 0 = 1 at x=0, 0 = 0 at x=L Using five equally spaced cells and the central
differencing scheme for convection and diffusion, calculate the distribution of  as a function of x for
(i) Case 1: when u = 0.1 m/s
Solution:
• The domain has been divided into 5 CVs giving x=0.2 m
• For node 2,3 and 4

Solution:
• For node 1
Solution:

• For node 1
Solution:
• For node 5
Solution:

• For node 5
Solution: • Summary of coefficients of Discretisation equations:
Node aW aE SP su ap
1 0 D-F/2 -(2D+F) (2D+F).A aE+aW-Fe-Fw
2,3,4 D+F/2 D-F/2 0 0 2D
5 D+F/2 0 -(2D-F) (2D-F).B aE+aW-Fe-Fw
Solution:
• Summary of coefficients of Discretisation equations:
Node aW aE SP su ap
u = 0.1, m / s F = .u = 0.1
1 0 0.45 -1.1 1.1A 1.55
 0 .1 F
D= = = 0 .5 = 0 .2 2,3,4 0.55 0.45 0 0 1.0
x 0.2 D
5 0.55 0 -0.9 0.9B 1.45
Solution:
Node Dist. FVM Analyti Diff. %
u = 0.1, m / s F = .u = 0.1 cal Error
 0 .1 F
1 0.1 0.9421 0.9387 -0.003 -0.36
D= = = 0 .5 = 0 .2
x 0.2 D
2 0.3 0.8006 0.7963 -0.004 -0.53
3 0.5 0.6276 0.6224 -0.005 -0.83
4 0.7 0.4163 0.41 -0.006 -1.53
5 0.9 0.1579 0.1505 -0.007 -4.91

Solution:
Node aW aE SP su ap
u = 2.5, m / s F = .u = 2.5
1 0 -0.75 -3.5 3.5A 2.75
 0 .1 F
D= = = 0 .5 =5 2,3,4 1.75 -0.75 0 0 1.0
x 0.2 D
5 1.75 0 1.5 -1.5B 0.25
Solution:
Node Dist. FVM Analyti %
u = 2.5, m / s F = .u = 2.5 cal Error
 0 .1 F
1 0.1 1.03 0.9387 -3.56
D= = = 0 .5 =5
x 0.2 D
2 0.3 0.86 0.7963 13.05
3 0.5 1.25 0.6224 -25.74
4 0.7 0.35 0.41 64.70
5 0.9 2.46 0.1505 -168.40

(i) Case 3: when u = 2.5 m/s with 20 grid nodes
Solution:
u = 2.5, m / s F = .u = 2.5 Node aW aE SP su ap
 0 .1 F
1 0 0.75 -6.5 6.5A 7.25
D= = = 2 .0 = 1.25
x 0.05 D 2,3,..19 3.25 0.75 0 0 4
20 3.25 0 -1.5 2.75.B 4.75
(i) Case 3: when u = 2.5 m/s with 20 grid nodes
Solution:
u = 2.5, m / s F = .u = 2.5
Node Dist. FVM Analyti
cal
%
Error
 0 .1 F 1 -16 - 1.0 1 0
D= = =2 = 1.25
x 0.05 D 17 0.85 0.99 0.7963 0
18 0.9 0.96 0.6224 0
19 0.95 0.85 0.41 51%
20 1 0.46 0.1505 67%

cal Error
1 0.1 1.03 0.9387 -3.56 Γ
𝐷=
𝛿𝑥
2 0.3 0.86 0.7963 13.05
Node Dist. FVM Analyti Diff. %
3 0.5 1.25 0.6224 -25.74 cal Error
4 0.7 0.35 0.41 64.70 1 0.1 0.9421 0.9387 -0.003 -0.36
5 0.9 2.46 0.1505 -168.40 2 0.3 0.8006 0.7963 -0.004 -0.53
F = .u = 2.5 F 3 0.5 0.6276 0.6224 -0.005 -0.83

=5
D 4 0.7 0.4163 0.41 -0.006 -1.53
5 0.9 0.1579 0.1505 -0.007 -4.91
cal Error
1 -16 - 1.0 1 0 F = .u = 0.1 F
= 0 .2
17 0.85 0.99 0.7963 0 D
18 0.9 0.96 0.6224 0 • The agreement between numerical
19 0.95 0.85 0.41 51% and analytical results is poor for
F/D ratio 5
20 1 0.46 0.1505 67%
F • The comparison is better at low F/D

F = .u = 2.5 = 1.25 ratio
D
• The influence of F/D ratio and the reasons for the appearance large
differences with analytical solution, using central difference solutions
particularly when F/D ratio is high.
• The failure of central differencing scheme in certain cases involving
combined convection and diffusion processes, requires to assess the
properties of discretization schemes.
• Numerical results will be physically realistic when the discretization
scheme has certain properties.
• Most important properties are:
Conservativeness
▪ Integration of the convection-diffusion equation over a finite
number of CVs yields a set of discretized conservation equations
involving fluxes of the transported property Ø through CV faces.
▪ To ensure conservation of Ø for whole solution domain the flux

Ø leaving a CV across a certain face must be equal to the flux of
Ø entering the adjacent CV through the same face.
▪ To achieve this the flux through a common face must be

represented in a consistent manner by one and the same
expression-in adjacent CVs.
Conservativeness
▪ Consider the 1-D steady state diffusion problem
without source terms shown below.
Conservativeness
▪ The fluxes across the domain boundaries are denoted by
qAand qB .
▪ Let us consider 4 CVs and apply central difference to
calculate the diffusive flux across the cell faces. Гe1 =Гe2=
Гw1= Гw2= Г
Conservativeness
- Since Гe1 = Гw2 , Гe2 = Гw3 and Гe3 = Гw4 , the fluxes across CV
faces are expressed in a consistent manner and cancel out in
pairs when summed over the entire domain.
- Only the two boundary fluxes qA and qB remain in the

conservation of property Ø.
- Flux consistency ensures conservation of Ø over the entire

domain for central difference formulation of the diffusion flux.
Conservativeness
- Inconsistent flux interpolation formulae give rise to unsuitable
schemes that do not satisfy overall conservation .
- For example, let us consider the situation where a quadrate

interpolation formula , based on values at 1,2 and 3 is used for
control volume 2, and a quadrate profile , based on values at
points 2,3 and 4, is used for CV 3.
Conservativeness
- As shown above ,the resulting quadrate profiles can be quite
different.
- Consequently, the flux values calculated at the east face of CV2

and west face of CV3 may be unequal if the gradients of the two
curve are different at the cell face.
- If this is the case, the two fluxes do not cancel out when summed
and overall conservation is not satisfied.
- This at all does not suggest that quadratic interpolation is entirely

bad. A quadrate discretization scheme , QUICK scheme is
consistent.
Boundedness
- Normally iterative numerical techniques are used to solve large
equation sets.
- These methods starts the solution process form a guessed
distribution of the variable Ø and perform successive updates
until a converged solution is obtained.
▪ Scarborough(1958) has shown that a sufficient condition for a
convergent iterative method can be expressed in term of the
values of the coefficients of the discretized equation :
𝑛
σ 𝑎𝑛.𝑏 ≤ 1 𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑠
෍ 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 ቊ
𝑎𝑝 < 1, 𝑎𝑡 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑡
𝑘=0
- Here ap is the net coefficient of the central node P (i.e ap - sp ).

- Summation in the numerator is taken over all the neighboring
nodes (nb).
Boundedness
- If the above criterion is satisfied, then resulting matrix of
coefficients is diagonally dominant
- Large value of ap, so the linearization of practice of source terms
should ensure that Sp is always negative.
- If this is the case –Sp is always positive and adds to ap.
- Diagonal dominance desirable feature for satisfying the
boundedness criterion.
Transportiveness
- The transportiveness property of fluid flow can be illustrated by
considering effect at the point P due to two constant source of Ø
at nearby point W and E on either side.
- We define non dimensional cell Peclet number as relative
strength of convection and diffusion.
𝐹 𝜌.𝑈
- 𝑃𝑒 = = x – Characteristics length (cell width)
𝐷 Г/𝑥
- Diagram of pure diffusion
- In case of pure diffusion, the fluid is stagnant (Pe tends to ∞)

and the contours of constant Ø will be concentric circles
centered at W and E since diffusion process tends to spread Ø
equally in all directions.
Transportiveness
- As Pe increases the contours change shape from circular to
elliptical and are shifted in the direction of the flow.
- Influencing becomes increasingly biased towards the upstream

direction at large values of Pe.
- In present case where the flow is in the +ve x direction,

conditions at P will be mainly influenced by the upstream
source at W.
Transportiveness
- In case of pure convection Pe tends to ∞ the elliptical contours

are completely stretched out in the flow direction.
- Pure convection Pe tends to ∞
- The conditions at P are now unaffected by the downstream

source at E and completely dictated by the upstream source at
w. Since there is no diffusion, Øp=Øw.
Transportiveness
- It is very important that relationship between the directionality

of influencing and the flow direction and magnitude of the
Peclet number, known as transportiveness, is borne out in the
discretisation scheme.
Assessment of Central Differencing Scheme
Conservativeness:
The central differencing scheme uses consistent expressions to
evaluate convective and diffusive fluxes at CV faces.
∴ Conservative
Boundedness:
The interior nodes of discretised equation are:
𝐹𝑤 𝐹𝑒
𝑎𝑊 = + 𝐷𝑤 𝑎𝐸 = 𝐷𝑒 − 𝑎𝑝 = 𝑎𝑊 + 𝑎𝐸 + 𝐹𝑒 − 𝐹𝑤
2 2
To satisfy continuity equation: 𝐹𝑒 = 𝐹𝑤 ∴ 𝑎𝑝 = 𝑎𝑊 + 𝑎𝐸
With above expression for aE, the convective contribution to the

east coefficient is negative, if the convection dominates it is
possible that aE to be negative.
Boundedness:
The interior nodes of discretised equation are:
𝐹𝑤 𝐹𝑒
𝑎𝑊 = + 𝐷𝑤 𝑎𝐸 = 𝐷𝑒 − 𝑎𝑝 = 𝑎𝑊 + 𝑎𝐸 + 𝐹𝑒 − 𝐹𝑤
2 2
• If Fw and Fe are > 0, i.e. flow is unidirectional for aE to be positive De and Fe
𝐹𝑒
must satisfy the following condition: = 𝑃𝑒 < 2
𝐷𝑒
• If cell Peclet number, Pec is greater than 2 the east coefficient will be
negative. This violets one of the requirements for boundedness and may lead
to physically impossible solution.
• In case 2, Pe=5, the consequence were evident in the results , which shows
large variations with analytical solution.
• Taking Pe less than 2 in cases 1 and 3 gave bounded answers close to the
analytical solutions.
Transportiveness:
▪ The central differencing scheme introduces influencing at

node P from the directions of all its neighbors to calculate the
convective and diffusive fluxes.
▪ Thus the scheme dos not recognize the direction of the flow
or the strength relative to diffusion.
▪ It does not possess the transportiveness property at high Pe.

Accuracy
▪ The Taylor series truncation error of the central differencing scheme is
2nd order.
▪ The scheme will be stable and accurate only if Pe = F/D < 2.
▪ Therefore, combination of fluid properties ( and U) and the conduction

coefficient , and a property of computational grid(x) reflects in Pe
number.
▪ The scheme is suitable for diffusion dominated low Reynolds number

flow or if the grid spacing is small.
▪ Due to this limitations, Central differencing scheme is not a suitable

discretization practice for general purpose flow calculations.

9 - DE - CFD - FVM For Convection Diffusion Problems

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Computational Fluid Dynamics

Department of Mechanical Engineering

• In problems where fluid flow plays a significant role effect of

• The above equation represents the flux balance in a CV

• The discretization of convective term is a problem. The transported

• The central differencing method worked good for diffusion

• Therefore, it is used for convective terms.

• However, the issue associated with convection is that it spreads

• The flow must satisfy continuity, so

• We consider the one Dimensional CV, the general node P

• Integration of transport equation

• Integration of continuity equation

• It is convenient to define two variables F and D to represent the

• Fw=(u)w Fe =(u)e Dw=/xWP De=/xPE

• Aw=Ae= A, De=/x PE , Dw=/x WP , Fw=(u)w Fe =(u)e

• Eq. 1 can be formulated as:

• Fe e - Fw w = De (E - P) - Dw (P - W) -----(3)

• In the discretization of diffusion terms in earlier sections, we employ

• The continuity equation as: Fe-Fw=0

• We need to calculate the transport property  at the east e, and west

• For uniform grid, we can write,

• e = (P + E) /2, w = (P + W) / 2

• Equation 3 becomes, Fe e - Fw w = De (E - P) - Dw (P - W) -----(3)

• Fe (P + E) /2 - Fw (P + W) / 2 = De (E - P) - Dw (P - W)

• aP .P=aE. P+ aW. P

• This equation takes general form of pure-diffusion problem with a

• This equations to be formulated at each nodes, provides a set of

The governing equation:

The boundary conditions are: 0 = 1 at x=0, 0 = 0 at x=L

The governing equation:

The boundary conditions are: 0 = 1 at x=0, 0 = 0 at x=L

• The domain has been divided into 5 CVs giving x=0.2 m

• For node 2,3 and 4

• The domain has been divided into 5 CVs giving x=0.2 m

• The domain has been divided into 5 CVs giving x=0.2 m

• The domain has been divided into 5 CVs giving x=0.2 m

• The domain has been divided into 5 CVs giving x=0.2 m

3 0.5 0.6276 0.6224 -0.005 -0.83

4 0.7 0.4163 0.41 -0.006 -1.53

5 0.9 0.1579 0.1505 -0.007 -4.91

3 0.5 1.25 0.6224 -25.74

4 0.7 0.35 0.41 64.70

5 0.9 2.46 0.1505 -168.40

18 0.9 0.96 0.6224 0

19 0.95 0.85 0.41 51%

20 1 0.46 0.1505 67%

4 0.7 0.35 0.41 64.70 1 0.1 0.9421 0.9387 -0.003 -0.36

5 0.9 2.46 0.1505 -168.40 2 0.3 0.8006 0.7963 -0.004 -0.53

F = .u = 2.5 F 3 0.5 0.6276 0.6224 -0.005 -0.83

F • The comparison is better at low F/D

▪ To ensure conservation of Ø for whole solution domain the flux

▪ To achieve this the flux through a common face must be

- Only the two boundary fluxes qA and qB remain in the

- Flux consistency ensures conservation of Ø over the entire

- For example, let us consider the situation where a quadrate

- Consequently, the flux values calculated at the east face of CV2

- This at all does not suggest that quadratic interpolation is entirely

- Here ap is the net coefficient of the central node P (i.e ap - sp ).

- If the above criterion is satisfied, then resulting matrix of

coefficients is diagonally dominant

- Large value of ap, so the linearization of practice of source terms

should ensure that Sp is always negative.