Adaptive Cartesian cut-cell sharp interface method (aC3SIM) for three-dimensional multi-phase flows

Abstract

A sharp interface method has been developed for treating interfacial discontinuities in compressible multi-phase fluids on three-dimensional Cartesian cut-cell grids. The evolution of the interfacial discontinuities in the Cartesian grid is captured by the level-set method. The intersections between interfacial fronts and Cartesian grids are interpolated using level-set function values at the vertices of Cartesian grids. Triangular surfaces are then constructed on the interfacial fronts. A novel cell merge method is used for complex topological changes. Jump conditions across discontinuous interfaces are enforced by reconstruction of interfacial flow variables using a constrained least-squares method. The inviscid flux across internal faces of the same fluid is calculated by the local Lax–Friedrichs flux. Manufactured solutions for interfaces are suggested for validation of the reconstruction method. Laplace’s law test results show that the present method drastically reduces the parasite currents compared to conventional interface treatment methods. Bubble rise problems also show the validity and accuracy of the proposed sharp interface method for immiscible two-phase fluids.