A finite volume coupled level set and volume of fluid method with a mass conservation step for simulating two-phase flows

TL;DR

This paper introduces a finite volume coupled level set and volume of fluid method that ensures accurate mass conservation in two-phase flow simulations without explicit interface reconstruction, suitable for complex cell geometries.

Contribution

A novel mass conservation correction algorithm using an iterative reaction-diffusion approach for coupled level set and volume of fluid methods.

Findings

Achieves high accuracy in interface representation.

Ensures mass conservation without explicit interface reconstruction.

Applicable to arbitrary polyhedral cells.

Abstract

This paper presents a finite volume method for simulating two-phase flows using a level set approach coupled with volume of fluid method capable of simulating sharp fluid interfaces. The efficiency of the method is a result of the fact that the interface is calculated in order to satisfy mass conservation with no explicit interface reconstruction step and the mass fluxes across cell-faces are corrected to respect the recovered volume fraction. The mass-conservation correction step proposed here, is utilised using an iterative algorithm which solves a reaction-diffusion equation for the mass correction of the level set. The re-sharpened volume fraction is used for the new volumetric fluxes at each cell which are calculated through the proposed algorithm that guarantees that they satisfy mass conservation. The algorithm is not limited in representing the interface with the 0.5-contour and is applicable for arbitrary polyhedral cells. Good accuracy and mass conservation are achieved when compared to other conservative approaches.