Patent Document ID: 8577648
Application ID: 13066855
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of simulating fluid flow in a three-dimensional volume with a moving boundary, comprising the steps of: providing a moving boundary within a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) mesh, wherein said CFD mesh includes a plurality of mesh points that define three-dimensional mesh cells; revising, at prescribed intervals in time, locations of said mesh points at said moving boundary predicated on known motion characteristics thereof, wherein said CFD mesh undergoes distortion near said moving boundary; minimizing distortion of said three-dimensional mesh cells during said step of revising using an elastic deformation model that does not involve dimensional physical parameters, wherein said elastic deformation model comprises a modified Navier equation of the form 1 1 - 2 ⁢ ⁢ v ⁢ ∇ ( ∇ · u ) + ∇ · ∇ u = κ ⁢ ∇ · ∇ u _ _ where u is a displacement vector, ∇u is a displacement gradient tensor, ν is Poisson's ratio, ∇u is a modified displacement gradient tensor defined in Cartesian coordinates by ∇ u _ _ = [ 0 - ∂ v ∂ x - ∂ w ∂ x - ∂ u ∂ y 0 - ∂ w ∂ y - ∂ u ∂ z - ∂ v ∂ z 0 ] and κ is a dimensionless parameter, wherein, when said moving boundary is adjacent a freely moving surface, said displacement vector for said mesh points near said moving boundary is defined by 
 û=u *−( u*·{circumflex over (n)} ) {circumflex over (n)} where u* is computed using said elastic deformation model based on ones of said mesh points not at said moving boundary and {circumflex over (n)} is a normal vector at said moving boundary, wherein a revised CFD mesh is generated; and computing a fluid flow simulation for the three-dimensional volume using said revised CFD mesh.