MCE521

Advanced Computational Dynamics

Lecture 05: 20/02/2019

Dr. Ayokunle O. Balogun

balogun.ayokunle@lmu.edu.ng

Class: Wednesday (8 – 10 am)

Venue: A04

MCE521: ADVANCED COMPUTATIONAL DYNAMICS

 Lecture content
Discretization of Governing Equations
 Introduction
 Finite-Difference Method
 Finite-Volume Method
 Finite-Element Method
 Spectral Method

Recommended textbooks
1. Computational Fluid Dynamics: A Practical Approach by Tu J., Yeoh
G., and Liu C. 2nd Edition
2. Numerical Methods for Engineers by Chapra S., and Canale R.P. 5th
Edition
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ADVANCED COMPUTATIONAL DYNAMICS
INTRODUCTION
 Really fluid problems are mostly
multidimensional, which are not amenable to
analytical solutions. Hence, the need to resort
to computational solutions.
 The first stage of obtaining a computational
solution is called discretization.
 The process of discretization is
undertaken by some common methods
(finite difference and finite volume) as
shown in Fig 1.
 Other discretization methods include
finite element and spectral methods.
Fig 1: Overview of the computational solution procedure

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ADVANCED COMPUTATIONAL DYNAMICS
INTRODUCTION
 The finite-difference method is reputed for its simplicity and it also provides
the foundation for understanding the discretization process.

 However, the finite-volume method is employed mostly in all commercial

CFD codes today because of its applicability to both structured and
unstructured meshes.

 The second stage of obtaining a computational solution is to implement a

numerical method to solve the systems of algebraic equations.

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ADVANCED COMPUTATIONAL DYNAMICS
FINITE-DIFFERENCE METHOD (FDM)
 For the FDM, the computational domain is delineated into a numerical grid
with nodal points as shown in Fig 2.
 In contrast to closed-form expressions
that provide the variation of the
variable continuously across the
domain, numerical solution provides
answers only at discrete points (open
symbols) in the geometric domain.
 Formulate the finite-differences from
Taylor’s series expansion and replace
the partial derivatives for a generic
flow field variable, ∅.
Fig 2: 1-D and 2-D uniformly distributed Cartesian grids for the FDM (full symbols
denote boundary nodes, while open symbols denote computational nodes.

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ADVANCED COMPUTATIONAL DYNAMICS
FINITE-VOLUME METHOD (FVM)
 FVM was introduced by researchers like McDonald (1971) and MacCormack
and Paullay (1972) for the solution of two-dimensional time-dependent
Euler equations.
 The computational domain is subdivided into finite number of contiguous
control volumes.
 At the centroid of each control volume, the variable values are computed.
 Interpolation is used to express variable values at the control volume surface
in terms of the center values, and suitable quadrature formulae are applied
to approximate the surface and volume integrals
 An algebraic equation for each of the control volumes is obtained, in which
a number of the neighboring nodal values appear
 Since FVM works with control volumes and not grid intersection points, it
has the capacity to accommodate any type of grid (A major merit of FVM).

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ADVANCED COMPUTATIONAL DYNAMICS
FINITE-VOLUME METHOD
 Since the grid defines only the control volume boundaries, the method is
conservative so long as the surface integrals that are applied at these
boundaries are the same as the control volumes sharing the boundary.
 We start by defining a numerical grid.
 A major demerit of FVM over FDM is that higher-order differencing
approximations greater than the second order are more difficult to develop
in three dimensions.
 However, FVM allows the use of unstructured meshes and this offers
greater flexibility for handling complex geometries.
 Another attractive feature is that the method requires no transformation of
the equations in terms of a body-fitted coordinate system, as is required in
the finite-difference method.

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ADVANCED COMPUTATIONAL DYNAMICS
DISCRETIZATION OF GOVERNING EQUATIONS

EXAMPLE 1
 Consider the conservation of mass described in Chapter 3. Determine the
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑣
discretized form of the two-dimensional continuity equation, + ; by the
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
finite volume method in a structured uniform grid arrangement.

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ADVANCED COMPUTATIONAL DYNAMICS
CONVERTING GOVERNING EQUATIONS TO ALGEBRAIC SYSTEMS OF EQUATION

 We look at the pure diffusion process. A steady-state diffusion of the generic

variable ∅ in a one-dimensional domain is governed by the equation below.

 Where Γ is the diffusion coefficient and 𝑆∅ is the source term. This equation
is typical of one-dimensional steady heat conduction process.
 It should be noted that the FDM generally requires a uniformly distributed
mesh in order to apply the first- and second-order derivative
approximations to the governing equation. For a non-uniform grid
distribution, some mathematical manipulation (e.g.,transformation
functions) is required to transform non-conserved equation into a
computational domain in generalized coordinates before applying the FDM.
This requirement is not a prerequisite for the finite-volume method because
of the availability of different control volume sizes, any non-uniform grid
can therefore be easily accomodated.
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ADVANCED COMPUTATIONAL DYNAMICS
CONVERTING GOVERNING EQUATIONS TO ALGEBRAIC SYSTEMS OF EQUATION

EXAMPLE 2
 Consider the problem of steady heat conduction in
a large brick plate with uniform heat generation.
The faces A and B, as shown in the Fig, are
maintained at constant temperatures. The
governing equation is of the generic form
presented in Eq. 1. The diffusion coefficient, Γ,
governing the heat-conduction problem becomes
the thermal conductivity k of the material. For a
given thickness L = 2 cm with constant thermal
conductivity k = 5 W/m K, determine the steady-
state distribution in the plate. Temperatures at TA
and TB are, respectively, 100 °C and 400 °C, and
heat generation q is 500 kW/m3.

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Fig. 1 A representation of structured
and unstructured mesh for the finite-
volume method (full symbols denote
element vertices and open symbols at
the center of the control volumes
denote computational nodes)

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