Two-Phase Flow Simulations of Surface Waves in Wind-Forced Conditions

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that a diffusive interface Cahn-Hilliard Volume-of-Fluid model, combined with advanced turbulence modeling, effectively simulates air-sea interface dynamics at realistic Reynolds numbers, aligning well with experimental data.

Contribution

It introduces a hybrid simulation approach that accurately captures surface wave dynamics and turbulence effects in wind-driven two-phase flows at geophysical scales.

Findings

Numerical results agree well with experimental data.

Reynolds stresses near the surface significantly influence wave dynamics.

The diffusive interface method is promising for future air-sea interaction studies.

Abstract

The paper is devoted to two-phase flow simulations and investigates the ability of a diffusive interface Cahn-Hilliard Volume-of-Fluid model to capture the dynamics of the air-sea interface at geophysically relevant Reynolds numbers. It employs a hybrid filtered/averaging Improved Detached Eddy Simulation method to model turbulence, and utilizes a continuum model to account for surface tension if the diffuse interface is under-resolved by the grid. A numerical wind-wave tank is introduced to limit computational costs and results obtained for two wind-wave conditions are analyzed in comparison to experimental data at matched Reynolds numbers. The focus of the comparison is on both time-averaged and wave-coherent quantities, and includes pressure, velocity as well as modeled and resolved Reynolds stresses. In general, numerical predictions agree well with the experimental measurements and reproduce many wave-dependent flow features. Reynolds stresses near the water surface are found to be especially important in modulating the critical layer height. It is concluded that the diffusive interface approach proves to be a promising method for future studies of air-sea interface dynamics in geophysically relevant flows.