An adaptive-correction algorithm for suppressing interface smearing in incompressible multiphase flows with complex interfacial behavior

Abstract

In this paper, a numerical framework for modelling multiphase flows with interface correction is proposed. In original Volume-of-Fluid method, the interface smearing may appear since the interface profile deviates from its equilibrium state, especially in the simulations of complex interface deformation. To solve this problem, a novel correction step is introduced into the procedure after solving the volume fraction transport equation, and this step just works on the region of phase interface. The difference between the current method and the previous work is that the correction coefficient can be adjusted adaptively with the gradient of normal velocity at the interface, which is strongly correlated to the intensity of interface smearing and changes with the computational time and interface position. The validation computations are performed for bubble deformation (initial shapes of two-dimensional four-lobed-star and three-dimensional (3D) box with holes), bubble rising in a channel and Rayleigh–Taylor instability problems (Reynolds number of 100 and 1000). The obtained results show that the unphysical phenomenon of interface smearing is suppressed effectively, and the interface sharpness is improved greatly by the present method. In addition, the mass of bubble deformation by the original method will decrease by 13.3%. While these results obtained by the present method are in good agreement with the analytical solutions or published data.