Speaker
Description
We develop a computational approach for two-phase interfacial flows by applying the diffuse interface (DI) method based on the conservative Allen–Cahn equation. The weak compressibility (WC) is assumed in order to model low-speed flows; the mass and momentum are conserved. We report some modelling and numerical issues which are due to the WC assumption, along with the remedies proposed. In particular, the interface region needs to be uniquely identified from the density field that serves as the phase indicator in the present one-fluid formulation. The standard numerical techniques, i.e. the finite volume method and explicit time integration, are applied for the numerical solution. Therefore, the approach allows for efficient computations on multicore CPU and can readily be implemented in other, existing flow solvers. A successful validation is reported for a selection of 2D and 3D benchmark cases. For a prospective use of the proposed method for flows with phase change, such as nucleate boiling, a physical equation of state and the source terms need to be properly dealt with. The DI will capture the vapour-liquid interface treated as a macroscopic transition layer.
