lcs4Foam -- An OpenFOAM Function Object to Compute Lagrangian Coherent Structures

TL;DR

This paper introduces lcs4Foam, an OpenFOAM function object that computes Finite-Time Lyapunov Exponents (FTLE) during CFD simulations, enabling real-time analysis of Lagrangian Coherent Structures for understanding fluid transport.

Contribution

It presents a novel OpenFOAM tool for on-the-fly computation of FTLE, facilitating the analysis of material transport and coherent structures in fluid flows.

Findings

Enables real-time visualization of LCS in CFD simulations

Provides quantitative assessment of material transport

Integrates seamlessly with existing OpenFOAM solvers

Abstract

To facilitate the understanding and to quantitatively assess the material transport in fluids, a modern characterisation method has emerged in fluid dynamics in the last decades footed in dynamical systems theory. It allows to examine the most influential material lines which are called Lagrangian Coherent Structures (LCS) and order the material transport into dynamically distinct regions at large scales which resist diffusion or mixing. LCS reveal the robust skeleton of material surfaces and are essential to assess material transport in time-dependent flows quantitatively. Candidates of LCS can be estimated and visualised from finite-time stretching and folding fields by calculating the Finite-Time Lyapunov Exponents (FTLE). In this contribution, we provide an OpenFOAM function object to compute FTLE during CFD simulation. This enables the OpenFOAM community to assess the geometry of the material transport in any flow quantitatively on-the-fly using principally any OpenFOAM flow solver.