Title: Simplified level set method coupled to stabilised finite element flow solver for moving boundaries

Authors: Ahmed Bayram Mohamed; Mohamed Abdulrahman; Amr Guaily

Addresses: Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada; Aerospace Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, 12613, Egypt ' Aerospace Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, 12613, Egypt ' Engineering Math and Physics Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, 12613, Egypt; Smart Engineering Systems Research Center (SESC), Nile University, 12588, Egypt

Abstract: A simplified version of the level set method (SLSM) is proposed for interfaces moving with prescribed motion e.g., deployment of a spoiler. The core of the proposed method is the signed distance function which is constructed by direct computation for all vertices in the mesh. The main advantage of the proposed algorithm is that it avoids the need for re-meshing and its associated problems as well as it could be used equally with all types of grids. The SLSM is successfully coupled to the finite element method flow solver, and the resulting hybrid solver is used to study the flow field during the spoiler deployment of a NACA0012 airfoil. Finally, two algorithms are proposed for force calculations over moving interfaces with new definitions for the smeared Dirac-Delta and Heaviside functions. At the moment of spoiler deployment, an abrupt rise in the lift force is observed and interpreted. The results assure the robustness of the proposed hybrid solver.

Keywords: simplified level set method; fluid-solid interaction; spoiler deployment; lift and drag computation.

DOI: 10.1504/PCFD.2022.120265

Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics, An International Journal, 2022 Vol.22 No.1, pp.1 - 14

Received: 19 Mar 2020
Accepted: 10 Jan 2021
Published online: 13 Jan 2022 *

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