Residual-based Methods for Controlling Discretization Error in CFD

Abstract

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has enormous potential to impact the analysis, design, and optimization of U.S. Air Force flight systems. The objective of our work is to develop and demonstrate methods for the reliable and automatic control of discretization error in CFD. Our approach will provide designers and analysts with techniques to quantify and reduce discretization error in CFD predictions without the overhead of creating, and solving on, multiple meshes. Our work will lead to significant improvements in the accuracy and efficiency of CFD predictions of aerodynamic loads. We will investigate the following residual-based discretization error estimation techniques unified within the PI's generalized truncation error estimation framework: discretization error transport equations, defect correction methods, and adjoint methods. We will also develop mesh adaptation techniques wherein the mesh is automatically adapted to reduce discretization error in the solution or solution functionals (i.e., aerodynamic loads). The adaptation will be driven by the residuals/truncation errors, which serve as the local source of discretization error, rather than ad hoc solution features (e.g., gradients, shock waves).

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 24, 2015
Accession Number
ADA622729

Entities

People

  • Chris Roy
  • Jeff Borggaard

Organizations

  • Virginia Tech

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Boltzmann Equation
  • Boundary Layer
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Computational Science
  • Differential Equations
  • Equations
  • Euler Equations
  • Finite Element Analysis
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Measurement Transportation Algorithms
  • Numerical Analysis
  • Physics Laboratories
  • Smoothing (Mathematics)
  • Three Dimensional
  • Two Dimensional
  • Viscous Flow

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
  • Finite Element Method (FEM) for solving Partial Differential Equations (PDEs)