Simulation of incompressible two-phase flows with large density differences employing lattice Boltzmann and level set methods

A hybrid lattice Boltzmann and level set method (LBLSM) for two-phase immiscible fluids with large density differences is proposed. The lattice Boltzmann method is used for calculating the velocities, the interface is captured by the level set function and the surface tension force is replaced by an equivalent force field. The method can be applied to simulate two-phase fluid flows with the density ratio up to 1000. In case of zero or known pressure gradient the method is completely explicit. In order to validate the method, several examples are solved and the results are in agreement with analytical or experimental results.     

A finite element based level set method for two-phase incompressible flows

We present a method that has been developed for the efficient numerical simulation of two-phase incompressible flows. For capturing the interface between the phases the level set technique is applied. The continuous model consists of the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations coupled with an advection equation for the level set function. The effect of surface tension is modeled by a localized force term at the interface (so-called continuum surface force approach). For spatial discretization of velocity, pressure and the level set function conforming finite elements on a hierarchy of nested tetrahedral grids are used. In the finite element setting we can apply a special technique to the localized force term, which is based on a partial integration rule for the Laplace–Beltrami operator. Due to this approach the second order derivatives coming from the curvature can be eliminated. For the time discretization we apply a variant of the fractional step θ-scheme. The discrete saddle point problems that occur in each time step are solved using an inexact Uzawa method combined with multigrid techniques. For reparametrization of the level set function a new variant of the fast marching method is introduced. A special feature of the solver is that it combines the level set method with finite element discretization, Laplace–Beltrami partial integration, multilevel local refinement and multigrid solution techniques. All these components of the solver are described. Results of numerical experiments are presented.     

Vortex methods for incompressible flow simulations on the GPU

We present a remeshed vortex particle method for incompressible flow simulations on GPUs. The particles are convected in a Lagrangian frame and are periodically reinitialized on a regular grid. The grid is used in addition to solve for the velocity–vorticity Poisson equation and for the computation of the diffusion operators. In the present GPU implementation of particle methods, the remeshing and the solution of the Poisson equation rely on fast and efficient mesh-particle interpolations. We demonstrate that particle remeshing introduces minimal artificial dissipation, enables a faster computation of differential operators on particles over grid-free techniques and can be efficiently implemented on GPUs. The results demonstrate that, contrary to common practice in particle simulations, it is necessary to remesh the (vortex) particle locations in order to solve accurately the equations they discretize, without compromising the speed of the method. The present method leads to simulations of incompressible vortical flows on GPUs with unprecedented accuracy and efficiency.     

选择性自适应水平集演化模型

自适应距离保持水平集演化模型是在无需初始化模型基础上引入了可变权系数,从而很好地摆脱了演化曲线对初始位置的依赖。该模型存在着一些明显的不足:一是对噪声比较敏感;二是对灰度不均图像分割不准确。基于自适应距离保持水平集演化模型,引入了一个新的可变权系数,据此定义了一个新的边缘停止函数。实验表明,新的自适应距离保持水平集演化模型较好地克服上述两点不足。     

无需重新初始化的自适应快速水平集演化模型

水平集方法已被广泛地应用在图像分割中,传统的水平集方法需要通过周期性的初始化水平集函数使得它一直保持在符号距离函数附近,然而初始化与水平集理论和实现相违背。最近,Li C等人提出一种完全不需要初始化的变分模型,该模型的主要不足就是单方向演化,即演化曲线或收缩或扩张到目标边界。针对二值图像提出一种新的基于距离保持水平集方法的活动轮廓模型,它不依赖于初始位置,演化曲线准确地收敛在目标边界,更重要的是曲线演化只需一次迭代。     

Dynamic cluster formation using level set methods

Density-based clustering has the advantages for: 1) allowing arbitrary shape of cluster and 2) not requiring the number of clusters as input. However, when clusters touch each other, both the cluster centers and cluster boundaries (as the peaks and valleys of the density distribution) become fuzzy and difficult to determine. We introduce the notion of cluster intensity function (CIF) which captures the important characteristics of clusters. When clusters are well-separated, CIFs are similar to density functions. But, when clusters become closed to each other, CIFs still clearly reveal cluster centers, cluster boundaries, and degree of membership of each data point to the cluster that it belongs. Clustering through bump hunting and valley seeking based on these functions are more robust than that based on density functions obtained by kernel density estimation, which are often oscillatory or oversmoothed. These problems of kernel density estimation are resolved using level set methods and related techniques. Comparisons with two existing density-based methods, valley seeking and DBSCAN, are presented which illustrate the advantages of our approach.     

Accurate adaptive level set method and sharpening technique for three dimensional deforming interfaces

In this paper, we demonstrate improved accuracy of the level set method for resolving deforming interfaces by proposing two key elements: (1) accurate level set solutions on adapted Cartesian grids by judiciously choosing interpolation polynomials in regions of different grid levels and (2) enhanced re-initialization by an interface sharpening procedure. The level set equation is solved using a fifth order WENO scheme or a second order central differencing scheme depending on availability of uniform stencils at each grid point. Grid adaptation criteria are determined so that the Hamiltonian functions at nodes adjacent to interfaces are always calculated by the fifth order WENO scheme. This selective usage between the fifth order WENO and second order central differencing schemes is confirmed to give more accurate results compared to those in literature for standard test problems. In order to further improve accuracy especially near thin filaments, we suggest an artificial sharpening method, which is in a similar form with the conventional re-initialization method but utilizes sign of curvature instead of sign of the level set function. Consequently, volume loss due to numerical dissipation on thin filaments is remarkably reduced for the test problems.     

Hybrid control synthesis for eventuality specifications using level set methods

This paper is concerned with the extraction of controllers for hybrid systems with respect to eventuality specifications. Given a hybrid system modelled by a hybrid automaton and a target set of states, the objective is to compute the maximal set of initial states together with the hybrid control policy such that all the trajectories of the controlled system reach the target in finite time. Due to the existence of set-valued disturbance inputs, the problem is studied in a game-theoretic framework. Having shown that a least restrictive solution does not exist, we propose a dynamic programming algorithm that computes the maximal initial set and a controller with the desired property. To implement the algorithm, reachable sets of pursuit-evasion differential games need to be computed. For that reason level set methods are employed, where the boundary of the reachable set is characterized as the zero level set of a Hamilton–Jacobi equation. The procedure for the numerical extraction of the controller is presented in detail and examples illustrate the methodology. Finally, to demonstrate the practical character of our results, a control design problem in the benchmark system of the batch evaporator is considered as an eventuality synthesis problem and solved using the proposed methodology.     

Computation of incompressible bubble dynamics with a stabilized finite element level set method

This paper presents a stabilized finite element method for the three dimensional computation of incompressible bubble dynamics using a level set method. The interface between the two phases is resolved using the level set approach developed by Sethian [Level Set Methods and Fast Marching Methods, Cambridge University Press, 1999], Sussman et al. [J. Comput. Phys. 114 (1994) 146], and Sussman et al. [J. Comput. Phys. 148 (1999) 81–124]. In this approach the interface is represented as a zero level set of a smooth function. The streamline-upwind/Petrov–Galerkin method was used to discretize the governing flow and level set equations. The continuum surface force (CSF) model proposed by Brackbill et al. [J. Comput. Phys. 100 (1992) 335–354] was applied in order to account for surface tension effects. To restrict the interface from moving while re-distancing, an improved re-distancing scheme proposed in the finite difference context [J. Comput. Phys. 148 (1999) 81–124] is adapted for finite element discretization. This enables us to accurately compute the flows with large density and viscosity differences, as well as surface tension. The capability of the resultant algorithm is demonstrated with two and three dimensional numerical examples of a single bubble rising through a quiescent liquid, and two bubble coalescence.     

Discontinuous Galerkin methods for incompressible and nearly incompressible elasticity by Nitsche's method

We propose and analyze a discontinuous finite element method for nearly incompressible linear elasticity on triangular meshes. We show optimal error estimates that are uniform with respect to Poisson's ratio. The method is thus locking free. We also introduce an equivalent mixed formulation, allowing for completely incompressible elasticity problems. Numerical results are presented.     

Spatially adaptive multi-scale contextual attention for image inpainting

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Image inpainting is the task to fill missing regions of an image. Recently, researchers have achieved a great performance by using convolutional neural networks...     

Implicit methods for viscous incompressible flows

Numerical methods and simulation tools for incompressible flows have been advanced largely as a subset of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) discipline. Especially within the aerospace community, simulation of compressible flows has driven most of the development of computational algorithms and tools. This is due to the high level of accuracy desired for predicting aerodynamic performance of flight vehicles. Conversely, low-speed incompressible flow encountered in a wide range of fluid engineering problems has not typically required the same level of numerical accuracy. This practice of tolerating relatively low-fidelity solutions in engineering applications for incompressible flow has changed. As the design of flow devices becomes more sophisticated, a narrower margin of error is required. Accurate and robust CFD tools have become increasingly important in fluid engineering for incompressible and low-speed flow. Accuracy depends not only on numerical methods but also on flow physics and geometry modeling. For high-accuracy solutions, geometry modeling has to be very inclusive to capture the elliptic nature of incompressible flow resulting in large grid sizes. Therefore, in this article, implicit schemes or efficient time integration schemes for incompressible flow are reviewed from a CFD tool development point of view. Extension of the efficient solution procedures to arbitrary Mach number flows through a unified time-derivative preconditioning approach is also discussed. The unified implicit solution procedure is capable of solving low-speed compressible flows, transonic, as well as supersonic flows accurately and efficiently. Test cases demonstrating Mach-independent convergence are presented.     

Hybrid spectral-element-low-order methods for incompressible flows

In this article we present a new formulation for coupling spectral element discretizations to finite difference and finite element discretizations addressing flow problems in very complicated geometries. A general iterative relaxation procedure (Zanolli patching) is employed that enforcesC ¹ continuity along the patching interface between the two differently discretized subdomains. In fluid flow simulations of transitional and turbulent flows the high-order discretization (spectral element) is used in the outer part of the domain where the Reynolds number is effectively very high. Near rough wall boundaries (where the flow is effectively very viscous) the use of low-order discretizations provides sufficient accuracy and allows for efficient treatment of the complex geometry. An analysis of the patching procedure is presented for elliptic problems, and extensions to incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are implemented using an efficient high-order splitting scheme. Several examples are given for elliptic and flow model problems and performance is measured on both serial and parallel processors.     

Morphological region-based initial contour algorithm for level set methods in image segmentation

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Initial Contour (IC) is the essential step in level set image segmentation methods due to start the efficient process. However, the main issue with IC is how to...     

Numerical simulations for the motion of soap bubbles using level set methods

In this paper, we develop appropriate equations for bubble motions depending on curvature using the level set methodology. Our method consists of an appropriate finite difference scheme for solving our model equations and a level set approach for capturing the complicated motion between the bubbles. Results indicate that our models and the level set methods can handle complicated interfacial motions and topology changes, and that they can numerically simulate many of the physical features of bubble motions.     

Phase field and level set methods for modeling solute precipitation and/or dissolution

The dynamics of solid–liquid interfaces controlled by solute precipitation and/or dissolution due to the chemical reaction at the interface were computed in two dimensions using a phase field models. Sharp-interface asymptotic analysis demonstrated that the phase field solutions should converge to the proper sharp-interface precipitation/dissolution limit. For the purpose of comparison, the numerical solution of the sharp-interface model for solute precipitation/dissolution was directly solved using a level set method. In general, the phase field results are found in good agreement with the level set results for all reaction rates and geometry configurations investigated. Present study supports the applications of both methods to more complicated and realistic reactive systems, including the nuclear waste release and mineral precipitation and dissolution.     

A scalable region-based level set method using adaptive bilateral filter for noisy image segmentation

Image segmentation plays an important role in the computer vision . However, it is extremely challenging due to low resolution, high noise and blurry boundaries. Recently, region-based models have been widely used to segment such images. The existing models often utilized Gaussian filtering to filter images, which caused the loss of edge gradient information. Accordingly, in this paper, a novel local region model based on adaptive bilateral filter is presented for segmenting noisy images. Specifically, we firstly construct a range-based adaptive bilateral filter, in which an image can well be preserved edge structures as well as resisted noise. Secondly, we present a data-driven energy model, which utilizes local information of regions centered at each pixel of image to approximate intensities inside and outside of the circular contour. The estimation approach has improved the accuracy of noisy image segmentation. Thirdly, under the premise of keeping the image original shape, a regularization function is used to accelerate the convergence speed and smoothen the segmentation contour. Experimental results of both synthetic and real images demonstrate that the proposed model is more efficient and robust to noise than the state-of-art region-based models.

     

Dynamical systems flow computation by adaptive triangulation methods

The behavior of a dynamical system can be studied by investigating the system’s flow. This paper presents new methods that are capable to reveal the evolution of points, curves, or surfaces in time. Adaptive triangulation methods and linear vertex splines are used for the numerical computation of flow approximations. The article provides a comparison between classical domain methods, which are convenient in finite element methods, and new approaches called image methods. Theoretical background and algorithms as well as illustrative examples for the Lorenz equation are included. Received: 3 September 1998 / Revised version: 12 May 1999