Numerical Methods for Compressible Fluid Mechanics

1. Introduction

NUMERICAL METHODS FOR COMPRESSIBLE FLOWS

Elizabeth Mickaily-Huber, Dominique Charbonnier, Jan B. Vos

[email protected]

CFS Engineering, PSE-

PSE-A, CH-
CH-1015 Lausanne

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Numerical Methods for Compressible Fluid Mechanics

1. Introduction

The course lecturers

Dr. Elizabeth Mickaily Huber Dr. Dominique Charbonnier Dr. Jan B. Vos

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Contents todays’ lecture

• Some words on who we are

• An example of studies we make

• Outline of the course

• Preparation of next week’s lecture

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1. Introduction
Practical details

Please switch off your mobile phones

Course notes (polycopies) are the ones prepared by Dr. Alain Drotz + copies of the
powerpoint presentations on the website of LIN
Please interrupt me to ask questions if something is not clear. Questions to me can be
asked in English, French, German and Dutch
Exercises: two of the course days are reserved for exercises in a computer room
Exam: orally, on the last day we will explain how the exam will be done

I have the habit to speak rapidly, please let me know if I go to fast !

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1. Introduction
Who I am

Some words about myself

Studied Aerospace Engineering at Delft University in the Netherlands,
specialization Theoretical Aerodynamics. Master degree in 1982 on the
development of a 1D CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) code for Magneto
Hydrodynamic Flow simulations
PhD in 1987 at the Delft University of Technology, topic Combustion in Solid Fuel
Ramjets (development of a 2D CFD code with combustion)
Worked at EPFL from 1987 to 1999, mainly on the development of 3D CFD
codes for Aerospace Applications
Founded CFS Engineering in 1999 and continued to work on the use and
development of CFD codes

A large experience in developing and using CFD codes for a wide variety of
applications
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1. Introduction
who we are: CFS Engineering

• CFS Engineering (Computational Fluids & Structures)

is a spin-off company created in 1999 and located at the Business park of
EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

• The major shareholder of CFS Engineering is RUAG Aerospace

Mission of CFS Engineering

To offer services in the numerical simulation of

Fluid Mechanics and Structural Mechanics problems

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1. Introduction
CFS Engineering

CFS Engineering – what do we do

Computational Fluid Dynamic simulations using the NSMB CFD

code
Grid generation for fluid mechanics problems

Post-processing and analysis of the results

Coupled fluid dynamics-structural mechanics simulations using NSMB

Adaptation of the NSMB code for specific applications

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1. Introduction
CFS Engineering

CFS Engineering – available tools

Ansys ICEM CFD Tetra, Prism and Hexa for mesh generation

Baspl++ and Paraview for visualization

B2000 for structural mechanics simulations

NSMB in house CFD code

Cluster of 10 Linux dual core PC’s for computing

Several Linux PC workstations (organized in a cluster too)

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1. Introduction
CFS Engineering: NSMB code

CFS Engineering: NSMB CFD code (1)

The NSMB code was initially developed at EPFL in 1991. From 1994 to 2003 it
was further developed in the so called NSMB project, composed of KTH
(Stockholm), SAAB Military Aircraft (Linkoping), CERFACS (Toulouse), Airbus
France (Toulouse) and EPFL (Lausanne).

Today NSMB is further developed in a consortium composed of RUAG

Aerospace (Emmen), IMFT (Toulouse), IMFS (Strassbourg), TU Munchen, Univ.
of the Army (Munchen), ASTRIUM-ST (Les Mureaux), EPFL, ETHZ and CFS
Engineering.

NSMB offers all functionalities which can be expected from a modern CFD tool
used in the Aerospace industry (turbulence modeling, numerical schemes,
moving grids, flexibility for complex geometries).

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CFS Engineering: NSMB code

CFS Engineering: NSMB code (2)

CFS Engineering maintains the NSMB code, and is responsible for the
parallelization of NSMB. CFS Engineering is working with PhD Students at
EPFL and ETHZ to extend the code with new turbulence and physical
models.

CFS Engineering is working with SMR SA in Bienne to extend NSMB for the
simulation of coupled engineering problems (fluid-heat transfer, fluid-
structure).

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1. Introduction
CFS Engineering: NSMB code

CFS Engineering: NSMB code (3)

NSMB has been used by Airbus-France in the design of aircraft (Airbus A330,
A340, A380, A400M).

NSMB is used by ASTRIUM-ST for flows over missiles and re-entry vehicles
(including CFD simulations over the Rafale Fighter Aircraft)

NSMB is used by IMFT in Toulouse to flows over oscillating airfoils and wings,
etc.

NSMB is used by KTH in Stockholm for unsteady simulations over delta wings.

NSMB is used by CFS Engineering and RUAG Aerospace to simulate the flow
over the FA-18 fighter, the flow over UAVs, the flow in base bleed units,
supersonic air intake flows, flows in nozzles, flows over re-entry vehicles, etc.

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1. Introduction
CFD: Introduction

Some figures (1)

Question: a numerical simulation that took 24 hours, 365 days in 1980 took how
much time in 2005 ??
1 second (a factor 32 million).

EPFL bought in 1989 a Cray 2 computer for more than 10 Million CHF. Today’s
PC’s cost less than 1’000 CHF and deliver more computing power (a factor
10’000 in price).

CFS Engineering: first PC cluster (1999) costed 20’000 CHF (6 PCs, 3GB total
memory), last PC cluster (2008) costed 10’000 CHF (10 dual core PCs, 40 GB
total memory) and is about 100 times faster.

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1. Introduction
CFD: Introduction

Some figures (2)

Over the last 20 years, large investments were made in developing CFD codes:

Improvement of numerical methods including parallel computing

Improvement of physical modeling (turbulence, transition, ..)

The cost reduction of computing power, combined with more efficient numerical
schemes has lead to an increase of use of CFD in industry, since it is cheaper
and faster than experimental testing, and provides better understanding of the
physics.

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1. Introduction
CFD: Example of application

An example of an application studied at CFS Engineering

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CFD: Example of application

Example of Application: FA-18 Fighter

Motivations to discuss this example:

• Is concerned with CFD for compressible flows
• Shows an example of the use of CFD in industry
• Contains elements to future simulation environments

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1. Introduction
CFD: Example of application

FA-18 studies
RUAG Aerospace and CFS Engineering performed CFD simulations from 2001
to 2007 on the FA-18 fighter.
2001: Compare CFD with Wind tunnel experiments.
2002: Extract Aerodynamic loads from CFD and compare with the
Boeing Loads data base
2003: Sensitivity analysis different aircraft configurations
2004: Develop tool for static wing deformation
2005: New grid, study influence LEX fence, unsteady CFD for loads
2006: Dynamic Fluid Structure Interaction, influence SIWA fins on
loads
2007: Study of Vertical Tail Buffeting

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CFD: Example of application

Components FA-
FA-18 Fighter – CFD model 2005

VTAIL

aft fuselage
center fuselage
HSTAB

TEF

forward fuselage

SIWA

OLEF
wing root ILEF
wing fold LEX

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1. Introduction
CFD: Example of application

Grid Generation FA-

FA-18
Different aircraft configurations with and without weapons or fuel tanks
! various control surfaces deflections

Grid generated by ICEM CFD Hexa

contains ~ 14.0 Million grid points
contains around 3000 blocks
Replay files for control surface deflections and components
addition or removal
To permit loads calculation on each aircraft component,
each aircraft component
CAD surface families =
single CAD surface family
Mesh topology faces of a block = single CAD surface family

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CFD: Example of application

Cut on wing

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1. Introduction
CFD: Example of application

Comparison CFD and Experiments, Mach=0.5

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CFD: Example of application

Flow Features

Streamlines
Mach = 0.95

Mach number contours

symmetry plan,
Mach = 0.95

Shock wave
canopy and fuselage
near vertical fin

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1. Introduction
CFD: Example of application

Aerodynamic Load Studies for the FA-

FA-18 fighter
The US Navy executed in the 1980s a flight test program with an
instrumented FA-18 fighter yielding the so called F4 Flight Test Data Base.
Boeing used this data base to define different load cases for the Swiss
FA-18 fleet, this is the Boeing Loads data base.

These data bases are incomplete for the conditions and usage of
the Swiss FA-18 fighter (Swiss usage of the FA-18 fighter is three
times more severe).

A Full Scale Fatigue Test (FSFT) facility was build at RUAG.

CFD is used to provide the aerodynamic loads for different configurations

(flap deflections, with/without fuel tanks), and flight conditions to
complement the available load data bases.

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1. Introduction
CFD: Example of application

Full Scale Fatigue Test rig at RUAG Aerospace

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1. Introduction
CFD: Example of application

CFD – Boeing - and Flight data base correlation

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CFD: Example of application

Conclusions Aerodynamic Loads Studies

CFD – Flight load data base correlation:
Much better than CFD Boeing load data base

Computed aerodynamic loads in good agreement with measured loads in

particular for AoA < 10

At AoA > 10: buffet, wing deformation, flow separation, unsteady effects
become important

CFD data makes more sense than Boeing loads data base, in particular on aft
fuselage and horizontal stabilizer

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1. Introduction
CFD: Example of application

Wing deformation – Tool Chain (1/4)

CFD NSMB calculation

Transfer CSM grid

Transfer deformation into CFD
CFD loads to surface mesh
CSM loads using FSCON displacement using
FSCON

Fluid solution

CSM calculation

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1. Introduction
CFD: Example of application

Wing deformation – Tool Chain (2/4)

CFD NSMB calculation

Transfer CSM grid

Transfer deformation into CFD
CFD loads to surface mesh
CSM loads using FSCON displacement using
FSCON

Red points are the CSM grid

nodes

CSM calculation

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1. Introduction
CFD: Example of application

Wing deformation – Tool Chain (3/4)

CFD NSMB calculation

Transfer CSM grid

Transfer deformation into CFD
CFD loads to surface mesh
CSM loads using displacement using
FSCON FSCON

Structural deformation

CSM calculation

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1. Introduction
CFD: Example of application

Wing deformation – Tool Chain (4/4)

Remeshing and
CFD NSMB calculation

deformed
Transfer CSM grid
Transfer deformation into CFD
CFD loads to surface mesh
CSM loads using FSCON displacement using
FSCON

undeformed

Adaptation of the mesh

CSM calculation

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1. Introduction
CFD: Example of application

Wing deformation – pressure on wing of FA-

FA-18 Fighter

undeformed wing

deformed wing

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CFD: Example of application

Static Deformation – Wing elastic axis

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CFD: Example of application

FA-
FA-18 Unsteady flow simulations
Objective: Assess the influence of unsteady aerodynamic effects on the
aerodynamic loads

How: Unsteady simulations using NSMB

Dual time stepping approach
Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) for the turbulence
Strategy: Result of steady calculation used as initial solution
Assume flow symmetric
0.5 seconds real time simulated
Computing time in the order of 3 weeks (2005)
Pressure and skin friction saved each time step
Complete solution every 20 steps
Amount of data generated in the order of 350 Gbyte per case
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CFD: Example of application

FA-
FA-18 Unsteady flow simulations

Mean value

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CFD: Example of application

Dynamic Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI)

Ingredients for dynamic Fluid Structure Interaction:

- Unsteady CFD solver with ALE formulation

- FSI transfer tool
- CSM solver (modal integration)
- Volume mesh deformation tool

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1. Introduction
CFD: Example of application

AGARD 445.6 Wing

The AGARD 445.6 wing was has a 45o quarter chord sweep, and a
constant NACA64A004 symmetric profile

Measurements were made in the NASA Langley Transonic wind

tunnel in 1963 to determine stability characteristics

Most published results are available for the so-called weakened wing
in air

For FSI calculations, four modes are considered, 2 bending modes

and 4 torsional modes

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1. Introduction
CFD: Example of application

AGARD 445.6 Wing

Mode 1

Mode 2

Mode 3 Mode 4

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CFD: Example of application

AGARD 445.6 Wing

CFD Parameters:

Mach = 0.95
Rho_inf = 0.061 kg/m3
P_inf = 3500/4600/7000 Pa
Flutter index = 0.27/0.31/0.37

For this case the flutter boundary has a flutter index of 0.32.

Tests were made using different grid densities, different outer time
steps, different time integration scheme, different values of the
structural damping, different values of inner loop convergence
criterium.

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1. Introduction
CFD: Example of application

AGARD 445.6 Wing

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CFD: Example of application

AGARD 445.6 Wing

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CFD: Example of application

FA-
FA-18 C2S825 Load case
Unsteady calculation with and without dynamic FSI

2000 time steps made to simulate 0.5 seconds of real time

Calculation time: about 10 days on a cluster of 10 PCs

Generated more than 1.4 TeraByte of data

Post processing took 2 days

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CFD: Example of application

Flight results

Source: NASA

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CFD: Example of application

Final Remarks FA-

FA-18 studies
An example of the use of CFD in industry has been discussed

In 2001 we used CFD to predict steady aerodynamic forces and loads

In 2007 we used CFD to study coupled CFD-CSM unsteady phenomena

Today people are planning the simulation of the so called digital aircraft (CFD +
Structures + Flight Mechanics)

The way industry is using CFD is changing rapidly !

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1. Introduction
CFD: Course Outline

Outline of the Course

The course contains 3 modules

I Introduction to unsteady flows

II Construction of higher order schemes
III Monotonic schemes of higher order

Which corresponds to the modules of the course given by Dr. Alain Drotz in
previous years.

We modified the course, less theory, more directed to the use of numerical
methods in practice.

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CFD: Course Outline

Outline of the Course

Module I: Introduction to unsteady flows

1. Introduction to the course (today)

2. 3D Euler equations
3. 1D Euler equations
4. Unsteady 1 dimensional flows
5. Introduction to the Riemann problem

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CFD: Course Outline

Outline of the Course

Module II Construction of higher order schemes

6. Conservative discretization schemes

7. Exercises
8. Classical finite difference schemes
9. Riemann problem and Roe scheme

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CFD: Course Outline

Outline of the Course

Module III Construction of higher order schemes

10. Roe and AUSM schemes

11. Higher order monotonic schemes
12. Boundary conditions and preparation exercise 2
13. Exercises 2
14. Preparation of Exam and Assessing the quality of numerical
simulations

The order of the lectures may change somewhat !

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Numerical Methods for Compressible Fluid Mechanics
1. Introduction
CFD: Course Outline

What is a compressible flow?

A compressible flow is a flow for which the density can not be considered
constant.
In general this occurs for air flows with a free stream Mach number larger than
0.3

What is a hypersonic flow?

Flows with a free stream Mach number larger than 5. At very high free stream
Mach numbers chemistry effects become important.

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CFD: Course Outline

Flow over an Airfoil – Mach number contours

Free stream
Mach 0.745

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CFD: Course Outline

Flow over an Airfoil - Cp

Free stream
Mach 0.745

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1. Introduction
Navier Stokes equations

The Navier Stokes equations in vector & differential form

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Navier Stokes equations

Closure relations for the Navier Stokes equations

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Navier Stokes equations

How to solve these equations?

1. The difficulty of solving the Navier Stokes equations are the inviscid or
convective terms => ignore for the moment the viscous terms (they are in
general approximated using 2nd order differences)
2. The compressible Euler and Navier Stokes equations permit
discontinuities in the solution (shock waves, expansion waves). The
numerical formulation needs to resolve these discontinuities.
3. Often different strategies for incompressible or compressible flows due to
the nature of the equations

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1. Introduction
Navier Stokes equations

The Euler equations – conservative format

Incompressible flows: ρ is
constant, energy equation is
often not needed
Unknowns: p, u, v, w

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Navier Stokes equations

To summarize (1)

1. Compressible Euler equations: hyperbolic in time, unknowns are ρ, ρu,

ρv, ρw, ρE, 5 partial differential equations + 2 closure relations. Methods
solving the compressible Euler (or Navier Stokes) equations are in
general called density based.
2. Incompressible Euler equations: mixed parabolic-hyperbolic character,
unknowns are p, u, v, w. The continuity equation is a constraint to find
the pressure, and one can derive a pressure equation from the
continuity and momentum equations. Methods for solving the
incompressible Euler (or Navier Stokes equations) are often called
pressure based due to the solution of a Poisson type equation for the
pressure.

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1. Introduction
Navier Stokes equations

To summarize (2)

In the last 10 years convergence of the methods

• Incompressible, pressure based methods are extended to compressible
flows by including density gradients in the formulation for the pressure
equation
• Compressible, density based methods are extended to the
incompressible flow regime using pre-conditioning techniques

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Solution methods

Terminology (1)

Partial differential equation

Time discretization

Explicit scheme

Implicit scheme

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Solution methods

Terminology (2)
Spatial discretization: central schemes vs upwind schemes. In the group of
upwind schemes one has also TVD schemes and ENO schemes.
Order of the schemes (spatial and/or in time): is linked to the truncation error
of the numerical discretization. Examples: first order, second order, third
order, etc.
Weak solution: solution which permits discontinuities (shock waves,
expansion waves)
Numerical flux: discretization of the physical flux f(U)
Limiter: is used with upwind schemes, and is a function of gradients to
eliminate oscillations. May give an upwind scheme the TVD property
Monotonic scheme: is represented by a monotonic decreasing or increasing
function

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Solution methods

Terminology (3)
Properties Total Variation Diminishing (TVD) schemes:
• Are monotonic
• Should in principle not generate oscillations near shock waves
• Are stable
• Up to higher order (depends partly on the limiters)
• Are first order near extrema
• Do not always satisfy the entropy condition and thus may lead to wrong
solutions
• Are very suitable for flows with shock waves
• Do not always give good results for low Mach number and incompressible
flows

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Examples

Upstream oscillation,
decrease in amplitude,
wrong location

Uncontrolled
oscillations

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Examples

Dissipation :

smearing out of the solution due to the numerical

viscosity introduced by the space discretization
scheme

Dispersion :

Lagging of the solution due to a numerical

propagation velocity different from the exact one

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Examples

Over/under shoots near shock and expansion waves which are

typical for higher order schemes

Lax - Wendroff

Warming & Beam

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Examples

MacCormack scheme without artificial dissipation

MacCormack scheme with artificial dissipation

TVD scheme of Harten

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Terminology

From PDE to Numerical Solution (1)

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Terminology

From PDE to Numerical Solution (2)

Stability: ensures that the numerical scheme does not permit errors to grow
indefinitely (errors should not be amplified by the numerical scheme)

Consistency: expresses that the discretized equations tend to the differential

equations from which they are derived when ∆t and ∆x tend to zero

Convergence: the numerical solution should approach the exact solution of the
partial differential equation at any point and at any time when ∆t and
∆x tend to zero (ie when the mesh is refined or the time step
reduced)

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1. Introduction
The end for today

That’s it for today

Any questions ?

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