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Generalized- <i>α</i> methods for the Navier–Stokes–Cahn–Hilliard equations

delete2026-02-16
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OA
AI
T
Tom van Sluijs
S
Stein Stoter
P
Pouria Behnoudfar
H
Harald van Brummelen
DOI:10.1108/hff-08-2025-0606delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
<jats:sec> <jats:title>Purpose</jats:title> <jats:p>Diffuse-interface models provide a versatile framework for simulating binary-fluid flows with complex interfacial dynamics, including topological changes and dynamic wetting. Numerical approximation of the underlying Navier–Stokes–Cahn–Hilliard (NSCH) equations is challenging due to spatiotemporal multiscale behavior, ε-conditional stability and ill-conditioning. The purpose of this work is to evaluate higher-order generalized-α time-integration methods, focusing on the third-order scheme, for approximating the time-evolution of the NSCH equations.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Design/methodology/approach</jats:title> <jats:p>The authors regard the application of higher-order generalized-α methods to the NSCH system. Their two-step single-stage form facilitates temporally varying spatial adaptivity, providing a framework for effectively resolving the spatiotemporal multiscale behavior of the NSCH equations. In addition, generalized-α schemes offer tunable numerical dissipation and built-in error estimates for adaptive time-stepping strategies. A one-dimensional numerical experiment is presented to elucidate the properties of the generalized-α scheme for the NSCH equations and to compare its performance to classical θ-methods.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Findings</jats:title> <jats:p>The generalized-α scheme attains its theoretical asymptotic convergence rate and high accuracy at small time-step sizes, outperforming classical θ-methods. However, at larger time steps, the accuracy of the method deteriorates and nonlinear instabilities arise. Moreover, higher-order generalized-α schemes entail substantial algorithmic complexity for NSCH systems, particularly with non-matching densities and viscosities, due to the systems’ many complex nonlinearities.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Originality/value</jats:title> <jats:p>Most investigations of time integrators for NSCH systems are limited to first- or second-order schemes. This work is the first to examine higher-order generalized-α methods for the NSCH system exhibiting both their advantages and limitations and providing valuable insights into trade-offs between accuracy, stability, efficiency, versatility and algorithmic complexity of the generalized-α scheme relative to classical time-integration methods.</jats:p> </jats:sec>

Journal

I
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NUMERICAL METHODS FOR HEAT & FLUID FLOW
IF:
5.1
Papers:
52
Citations:
0

Organization

U
university of winsconsin madison
Scholars:
2
Papers: 1
Citations: 0
E
Eindhoven University of Technology
Scholars:
1.6W
Papers: 1.5W
Citations: 2.2W
Cited Papers

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