CFD:
Computa1onal
Fluid
Dynamics
The
applica1on
of
techniques
of
numerical
analysis
and
computer
programming
to
the
solu1on
of
the
par1al
dieren1al
equa1ons
governing
uid
ow
Numerical
analysis
Branch
of
applied
mathema1cs
that
deals
with
issues
of
accuracy,
stability
and
convergence
proper1es
of
numerical
schemes
-
when
a
CFD
code
blows
up,
or
gives
inaccurate
solu1ons,
relying
on
numerical
analysis
is
the
only
op1on
-
we
do
not
dig
deep
into
the
mathema1cal
aspects.
We
will
do
Engineering
Numerical
Analysis
The
pay-o
of
studying
CFD
(properly)
The
process
of
modelling
Physical
phenomenon
(e.g.
ow
past
an
airfoil)
Mathema1cal
formula1on
Governing
equa1on
(an
ODE
or
PDE)
(e.g.the
Navier-Stokes
equa1on)
Discre1sa1on
Algebraic
equa1on
(a
system
of
equa1ons
solvable
on
a
computer)
Programming
Numerical
soRware
(e.g.
Fluent,
Open
Foam,
Abacus)
Sources
of
error
in
numerical
modelling
Errors
introduced
BEFORE
the
computa1on
Error
in
the
mathema1cal
model:
some
physical
features
of
the
problem
or
the
system
under
study
may
be
simplied
or
omiUed
in
the
mathema1cal
model
(e.g.
viscosity
is
neglected)
Error
in
the
empirical
measurement:
laboratory
instruments
have
nite
precision;
in
addi1on,
sta1s1cal
error
is
always
present
in
measurements
Errors
introduced
DURING
the
computa1on
Trunca1on
error:
the
process
of
discre1sa1on
(e.g.
replacing
deriva1ves
by
nite
dierences)
introduce
an
error
that
depends
on
the
grid
mesh
size
Rounding
error:
all
non-integer
numbers
represented
on
computers
are
rounded.
This
is
due
to
the
nite
precision
of
computers
Absolute
and
rela1ve
error
Absolute
error
=
approximate
value
true
value
E absolute = x approx x exact
Rela<ve
error
=
absolute
error
/
true
value
E relative
x approx x exact
=
x exact
(for
simple
model
problems
the
true
value
is
the
analy1cal
solu1on
of
the
governing
equa1on,
which
is
not
aected
by
trunca1on
error)
Signicant
gures
(signicant
digits)
of
a
number
are
those
digits
that
carry
meaning
contribu1ng
to
its
precision
1)
All
non-zero
digits
are
considered
signicant.
For
example,
91
has
two
signicant
gures
(9
and
1),
while
123.45
has
ve
signicant
gures
(1,
2,
3,
4
and
5).
2)
Zeros
appearing
anywhere
between
two
non-zero
digits
are
signicant.
Example:
101.1203
has
seven
signicant
gures:
1,
0,
1,
1,
2,
0
and
3.
3)
Leading
zeros
are
not
signicant.
For
example,
0.00052
has
two
signicant
gures:
5
and
2.
4)
Trailing
zeros
in
a
number
containing
a
decimal
point
are
signicant.
For
example,
12.2300
has
six
signicant
gures:
1,
2,
2,
3,
0
and
0.
The
number
0.000122300
s1ll
has
only
six
signicant
gures
(the
zeros
before
the
1
are
not
signicant).
In
addi1on,
120.00
has
ve
signicant
gures
since
it
has
three
trailing
zeros.
This
conven1on
claries
the
precision
of
such
numbers;
for
example,
if
a
measurement
precise
to
four
decimal
places
(0.0001)
is
given
as
12.23
then
it
might
be
understood
that
only
two
decimal
places
of
precision
are
available.
Sta1ng
the
result
as
12.2300
makes
clear
that
it
is
precise
to
four
decimal
places
(in
this
case,
six
signicant
gures)
Computer
representa<on
of
numbers
Computers
can
store
only
a
nite
number
of
signicant
digits
in
memory.
Numbers
with
a
number
of
signicant
digits
larger
than
those
that
can
be
stored
are
rounded.
Hence,
round-o
or
rounding
error
arises.
Example:
a
computer
with
4
memory
loca1ons
(assume
each
loca1on
can
store
only
a
number
between
0
and
9)
Largest
number
that
can
be
represented:
9999
Smallest
number
that
can
be
represented:
.0001
How
to
store
2.7947
with
4
memory
loca1ons?
Chop
(also
called
round
to
zero):
the
small
digits
that
do
not
t
into
the
memory
loca1on
are
truncated;
the
number
represented
in
computer
will
be
2.794
Round
to
nearest
:
the
number
is
the
rounded
to
the
closest
number
that
can
be
represented
on
the
computer.
If
the
number
ends
with
5,
the
computer
number
whose
last
digit
is
even
is
typically
used.
In
our
case,
the
computer
representa1on
will
be
2.795
This
was
just
an
example
illustra1ng
the
origin
of
rounding
error.
In
computers,
numbers
are
represented
using
a
nota1on
based
on
signicand,
base,
and
exponent
(similar
to
a
scien1c
nota1on):
Computers
use
a
binary
system,
where
the
only
digits
allowed
are
0
and
1
Each
binary
number
is
stored
in
a
bit.
8
bits
make
one
byte
Single
precision:
32
bits;
double
precision:
64
bits
Numbers
represented
on
computers
are
also
called
oa1ng-point
numbers
Exact
number
=
oa1ng-point
number
+
round-o
error
Machine
precision
The
absolute
value
of
the
rela1ve
error
due
to
round-o
is
given
by
the
machine
precision
(also
called
machine
epsilon):
oa$ng-point
(computer)
representa$on
of
x
fl(x) x
mach
x
a
generic
quan$ty
(e.g.
streamwise
velocity)
Single
precision:
mach
=
2-24
10-7
Double
precision:
mach
=
2-53
10-16
Machine
epsilon
is
a
very
small
number,
but
large
calcula1ons
oRen
involve
billions
of
grid
nodes
and
tens
of
thousands
of
1me-steps.
Rounding
error
cumulates,
and
can
become
important.
Test
u
2
( + u u) = p + u
t
1)
Describe
the
physical
meaning
of
the
term
in
parenthesis
2
2)
Write
the
Laplace
operator
in
Cartesian
coordinates
3)
Write
explicitly
the
x-component
of
the
term
u u
(you
can
use
the
symbols
u,v,
and
w
to
denote
the
x,
y,
and
z
components
of
the
velocity
vector)
4)
What
is
the
Reynolds
number?
5)
Expand
sin(x)
in
Taylor
series
around
x=0
up
to
the
linear
term
