Coupling of Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics with Finite Volume method for free-surface flows

Abstract

A new algorithm for the solution of free surface flows with large front deformation and fragmentation is presented. The algorithm is obtained by coupling a classical Finite Volume (FV) approach, that discretizes the Navier-Stokes equations on a block structured Eulerian grid, with an approach based on the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method, implemented in a Lagrangian framework. The coupling procedure is formulated in such a way that each solver is applied in the region where its intrinsic characteristics can be exploited in the most efficient and accurate way: the FV solver is used to resolve the bulk flow and the wall regions, whereas the SPH solver is implemented in the free surface region to capture details of the front evolution. The reported results clearly prove that the combined use of the two solvers is convenient from the point of view of both accuracy and computing time. A new algorithm for coupling meshless Lagrangian methods and Eulerian grid-based methods is proposed.A detailed validation using Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) and Finite Volume (FV) solvers is provided.To our knowledge this is the first time that a coupling like the present one is proposed, implemented and validated.The intrinsic characteristics of both solvers can be exploited to efficiently and accurately solve complex free-surface flows.The results prove that the coupling strategy is convenient from the point of view of both accuracy and computing time.