Simulation of surface tension in 2D and 3D with smoothed particle hydrodynamics method

• Published in: Journal of computational physics 2010-09, Vol.229 (19), p.7238-7259
• Main Author: Zhang, Mingyu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Boundaries; Computational techniques; Computer simulation; Exact sciences and technology; Fluid flow; Hydrodynamics; Interfacial flow; Mathematical methods in physics; Mathematical models; Moving least squares method; Physics; Smoothed particle hydrodynamics; Surface tension; Three dimensional; Two dimensional
• ISSN: 0021-9991; 1090-2716
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcp.2010.06.010

The methods for simulating surface tension with smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method in two dimensions and three dimensions are developed. In 2D surface tension model, the SPH particle on the boundary in 2D is detected dynamically according to the algorithm developed by Dilts [G.A. Dilts, Moving least-squares particle hydrodynamics II: conservation and boundaries, International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering 48 (2000) 1503–1524]. The boundary curve in 2D is reconstructed locally with Lagrangian interpolation polynomial. In 3D surface tension model, the SPH particle on the boundary in 3D is detected dynamically according to the algorithm developed by Haque and Dilts [A. Haque, G.A. Dilts, Three-dimensional boundary detection for particle methods, Journal of Computational Physics 226 (2007) 1710–1730]. The boundary surface in 3D is reconstructed locally with moving least squares (MLS) method. By transforming the coordinate system, it is guaranteed that the interface function is one-valued in the local coordinate system. The normal vector and curvature of the boundary surface are calculated according to the reconstructed boundary surface and then surface tension force can be calculated. Surface tension force acts only on the boundary particle. Density correction is applied to the boundary particle in order to remove the boundary inconsistency. The surface tension models in 2D and 3D have been applied to benchmark tests for surface tension. The ability of the current method applying to the simulation of surface tension in 2D and 3D is proved.