NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL INCOMPRESSIBLE FLOW BY A NEW FORMULATION

Abstract

A new mathematical formulation, called the pseudovorticity–velocity formulation, of the three-dimensional incompressible Navier–Stokes equations is presented as an alternative to the vorticity–velocity approach. For the model lid-driven cavity flow problem in two and three dimensions, combined with an explicit mixed spectral /finite different numerical scheme the proposed formulation is found to be efficient and very accurate as compared with the results available in the literature. In particular, the simulation results demonstrate an attractive feature of the present formulation compared with the vorticity–velocity approach, namely that the divergence-free condition of the velocity field can always be achieved on a non-staggered mesh.