# Presentation: 026991

- Finite-Volume Formulation

## Review of the Integral Equation    

- The integral equation for the conservation statement is:
- Equation applies for a control volume.
- Control surface bounds the control volume.
- Q is conserved quantity representing the flow.
- Flow can be through the control surface.
- Control volume and control surface can vary shape in time and space.
- Flow can be time-varying (unsteady).

***Time variation of Q in volume V***

***Flux of Q through surface S***

***Production of Q in volume V***

## Objective of the F-V Formulation

- Represent the integral equation as an ordinary differential equation (then eventually an algebraic equation) amenable to a solution using computational (numerical) methods.
- Thus, we need to approximate the *volume integrals* and the *surface integrals* to form algebraic expressions.
- Prior to discussing these approximations, lets examine the control volumes on which the integrals will be approximated...

## Domain, Zone, Grid, and Cell    

- The control volumes exists at several levels:
- Flow Domain, *Extent of CFD analysis*
- Zone,  *Divide domain for convenience, if needed*
- Grid,  *Divides the zone into cells*
- Cell,  *Smallest control volume, but “finite”*

- 1 Domain

- 4 Zones

- Grid in each zone with 1000s of cells

- Let’s Examine a hexahedral cell

*Each control volume is “air-tight”*

## General Classification of Grids    

- Grids can be classified as *Structured* or *Unstructured*:
- A *Structured Grid* uses a topology in which the cells are arranged in an array structure.  Location of neighboring cells is implicit in the array indices (i,j,k).  This allows efficient storage and book-keeping of cell information.
- An *Unstructured Grid* has no inherent ordering of the cells, and so, the arrangement of cells must be specified explicitly.  Unstructured grids allow greater flexibility in generating and adapting grids at the expense of greater storage of cell information.
- A *Hybrid Grid* contains both structured and unstructured grids, usually in separate zones.
*WIND currently only uses structured grids; however, the unstructured capability has *
*been used at Boeing and is being tested at AEDC and GRC.  This class will focus on *
_*structured grids*_*, but much of the material also applies to unstructured grids.*

## Structured Grid Example   

- Grid is “body-fitted” to the follow
- the shape of the body (wing).
- Grid points (vertices) are arranged
- in an array structure with indices
- (i,j,k).
- Transformation between physical
- space (x,y,z) and a Cartesian
- computational space with
- coordinates directions (, , ).
- Grid points are clustered to the
- wing to provide resolution of the
- boundary layer.
- Cells are hexahedral (6 quadrilateral
- sides).

## Unstructured Grid Example   

- Grid is “body-fitted” to the follow
- the shape of the body (duct).
- Grid points (vertices) are do not
- have any set structure.
- No transformation from physical
- space (x,y,z) and a computational
- Space.  Specify and store geometric
- and connectivity information.
- Grid points are clustered to the
- duct surfaces to provide resolution
- of the boundary layer.
- Cells are tetrahedral (4 triangular
- sides).

## Anatomy of a Finite-Volume Cell    

- Finite-Volume Cell:
- Cell can take on a generalized shape.
- Cell contains a finite (positive) volume.
- Integral equation will be approximated on the cell to form an algebraic relation.
- Size of cell indicates the level of computational resolution of the CFD analysis.
- Control surface is *faceted* into a finite number of faces.
- Faces can take on a variety of shapes.
- Face is bounded by edges.
- Edges are usually straight lines.

- _Hexahedral Cell_
- 6 Quadrilateral Faces
- 12 Linear Edges
- (4 per face, edges shared)

- Cell

- Face

- Edge

*As the cells become smaller and the number of cells in a grid increases, the computational effort increases.*

## Volume Integral Approximation  

- Approximation:  *Q is uniform within the finite-volume:*

- Cell *i*
*(i is an index for the cell)*

*The position of the solution point in the cell is not yet defined.*

## Surface Integral Approximation    

- Approximation:  *The flux is uniform over the surface of each **	**	**    face of the cell*:

- where the flux on the face is define as

*Computing the flux on the face is one of the most difficult and computationally intensive operations of a CFD code.*

## Resulting Equation    

- Start with the integral equation,
- and substitute in the volume and surface integral approximations
- to yield:
- This equation is a first-order, non-linear, ordinary differential
- equation for which various numerical methods exist for its
- solution.

## A Further Simplified Form    

- Further define
- which will result in the form
- This form will be used to simplify the discussion of the
- time-marching methods.

## Other Cell Shapes    

- A *structured grid* can only contain finite-volume cells with a
*hexahedral *shape.    *Unstructured grids* allow greater freedom
- for cell shapes.  Possibilities include:
- Generalized Cell   *(X quadrilateral faces, Y triangular faces)*
- Prismatic Cell   *(3 quadrilateral faces, 2 triangular faces)*
- Pyramidal Cell   *(1 quadrilateral face, 4 triangular faces)*
- Tetrahedral Cell   *(4 triangular faces)*
- To keep cell geometry simple, quadrilateral or triangular faces with straight-line
- edges are generally used.  The geometry and the normal area vector of a triangle
- is uniquely known, and so, quadrilaterals are usually divided into triangles to
- compute their geometric properties.

## Location of the Solution in the Cell

- The location of the flow solution and geometry of the finite
- volume cell with respect to the grid can be of two types:
- Cell-Vertex (Node-Centered) Cell.  The flow solution is located at the
- vertices of the grid.  The finite-volume cell is formed about the vertex.
- Cell-Centered Cell.  The flow solution is located at the centroid of the cell
- volume defined by the grid lines (primary grid).
*Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages, but if things are *
*done right, both approaches do well. *

## Cell-Vertex Cell

- ·  Solution located at vertices.
- ·  Cell formed about vertex.
- ·  Half-cell at the boundary.
- ·  Solution point at boundary.

- WIND uses a cell-vertex finite-volume cell.

## Cell-Centered Cell

- ·  Solution located at centroid.
- ·  Grid forms the cell.
- ·  Full cell at the boundary.
- ·  Flux at boundary.

## Simplified Cell Shapes    

- Often assumptions can be applied to simplify the geometry of the
- flow domain, grid, and cells from a three-dimensional geometry:
- Quasi-three dimensional cell.   Grid is planar (x,y) with the z-coordinate varying to indicate variable depth of the cell.
- Planar axisymmetric cell.  Grid is planar (x,y) with y indicating the distance from an axis-of-symmetry.  Angle of axisymmetric wedge indicates depth.
- Planar two-dimensional cell.  Grid is planar (x,y) with the z-coordinate indicating the fixed depth of the cell.
- Quasi-one-dimensional cell.  Grid is one-dimensional (x) with the cross-sectional area variable and specified along x.
- One-dimensional cell. Grid is one-dimensional (x) with the cross-sectional area constant along x.

- WIND needs at least a 2D grid (x,y).

## Degenerate Cell Shapes    

- Degenerate cell shapes are sometimes used to build in flexibility:
- Wedged-shaped cell.   The hexahedral has one face on the boundary that has
- collapsed to a line that is a singular axis.  Since face as zero area, the flux is
- zero, so all is fine with the numerical methods.  Special boundary condition
- is usually applied to handle these.
- Sharp Nose Cell.  The hexahedral has
- one edge that has collapsed to a point.
- This type of cell is used at a
- sharp nose (i.e. nose
- of a cone).

- Next 

- Nose