BEM simulation of transient fluid flow phenomena

Abstract

In this paper a Boundary Element Method based numerical algorithm is presented for the simulation of three-dimensional unsteady fluid flow and heat transfer. Four different time discretization techniques are considered and compared on a model unsteady heat diffusion problem. Analytical solution of the problem is used to designate the three point second-order finite different approximation of the accumulation term of the transport equations as the most accurate. This choice is incorporated into the flow solver and the developed algorithm is used to simulate Rayleigh-Bénard convection. Oscillatory and chaotic behaviour of the flow field and heat transfer are observed. Temperature slices and velocity vectors are presented. Heat flux is presented in terms of the Nusselt number.