NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF TWO-PHASE FLOW USING A FINITE-VOLUME FORMULATION OF THE LEVEL-SET METHOD

Abstract

The level set method is a numerical technique, which can follow the evolution of interfaces. It is used for capturing the interface between two fluids to allow for computation of a two phase flow where the interface can merge/break and the flow can have high Reynolds number. A distance function formulation of the level set method enables to compute flows with large density ratios and flows that are surface tension driven. But it has many errors associated with it. Finite volume formulation of the level set method is presented here. The additional level set equations are special cases of general transport equations (combined advection and diffusion equation). These equations are solved using finite volume method. It is used to simulate the evolution of the interface in an enclosure filled with two fluids under gravitational effect. The interface between the two fluids is considered to be sharp and is described as the zero level set of a smooth function. Surface tension is not accounted here.