Numerical Simulation of Multiple Spheres Falling in Fully Periodic Domains

The goal of this NSF supported research is to simulate numerous spheres sedimenting in fully periodic 3D domains. These simulations will be an extension of the large-scale simulations of fluid-particle interactions with the additions needed to model the periodic domain. These direct numerical simulations will be used in the development of continuum models of fluid-particle mixtures by A. Prosperetti at Johns Hopkins University.

The additional capabilities that need to be added to our numerical methods for the simulation in periodic domains are:

Modification of my automatic mesh generator to generate meshes representing truly periodic domains in all three directions. This work is pretty much finished with and only minor final touches need to be added. The difficult part of generating the "periodicity" within the mesh is finished with, and the meshes that it generates are truly periodic in the most basic sense. Descriptions of how this is accomplished will be forthcoming. For now, here is a cross section of a small periodic mesh with a couple of spheres.
Modification of our stabilized space-time finite element formulation to handle periodic domains (and the periodic mesh). I am just beginning this process, but it shouldn't take long. Also, I want to do these simulations on the T3D so I will have to get this up-and-running on that computer, but again, that is not going to be difficult.

As this project progresses, more information will be added to this page.

Last updated 8-27-96