TY - JOUR
T1 - A partitioned-monolithic finite element method for thermo-fluid–structure interaction
AU - Gravemeier, Volker
AU - Civaner, Sevket Mert
AU - Wall, Wolfgang A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2022/11/1
Y1 - 2022/11/1
N2 - In this study, a computational method for the coupled four-field problem of thermo-fluid–structure interaction (TFSI) using finite elements for all fields is proposed. Residual-based variational multiscale formulations are used for ensuring stable and accurate solutions of the flow as well as the temperature-transport problems. Adequate formulations for considering both the flow of gases and liquids are included in the computational method, with the most prominent representatives of each explicitly considered in the numerical examples contained in this article, that is, air and water, respectively. For air, a variable-density formulation of the Navier–Stokes equations at low Mach number, and for water, an incompressible formulation of the Navier–Stokes equations are utilized. Each of them is coupled to fully nonlinear dynamic equations for the structural field, along with the corresponding nonlinear dynamic equations for temperature transport in both fluid and solid domain. For the two surface couplings and the two volume couplings, a partitioned-monolithic strategy is pursued, in that the surface-coupled problems are solved monolithically, and the volume-coupled problems in partitioned form. On the one hand, choosing a monolithic scheme for the surface-coupled problems is particularly due to the improved performance of such a scheme compared to a partitioned scheme for FSI, as demonstrated by various studies published earlier. On the other hand, by using a partitioned algorithm for the volume-coupled problems, a potentially very large overall system of linear equations encompassing all fields can be avoided, for the time being, by splitting it up into two smaller monolithic systems. The choice is also motivated by the fact that the interaction is typically stronger for the surface-coupled fields in the applications of main interest. The computational method is applied to four numerical examples of increasing complexity, ranging from a rather simple problem of a plate which is subjected to tangential flow via channel flow with single and double elastic walls to the simplified configuration of a complex tube-bundle heat exchanger. The presented approach proves to be robust, and accurate results are obtained for all test cases. In particular, it is shown that the proposed method is capable of simulating a complex technical device such as a heat exchanger under its nominal working conditions.
AB - In this study, a computational method for the coupled four-field problem of thermo-fluid–structure interaction (TFSI) using finite elements for all fields is proposed. Residual-based variational multiscale formulations are used for ensuring stable and accurate solutions of the flow as well as the temperature-transport problems. Adequate formulations for considering both the flow of gases and liquids are included in the computational method, with the most prominent representatives of each explicitly considered in the numerical examples contained in this article, that is, air and water, respectively. For air, a variable-density formulation of the Navier–Stokes equations at low Mach number, and for water, an incompressible formulation of the Navier–Stokes equations are utilized. Each of them is coupled to fully nonlinear dynamic equations for the structural field, along with the corresponding nonlinear dynamic equations for temperature transport in both fluid and solid domain. For the two surface couplings and the two volume couplings, a partitioned-monolithic strategy is pursued, in that the surface-coupled problems are solved monolithically, and the volume-coupled problems in partitioned form. On the one hand, choosing a monolithic scheme for the surface-coupled problems is particularly due to the improved performance of such a scheme compared to a partitioned scheme for FSI, as demonstrated by various studies published earlier. On the other hand, by using a partitioned algorithm for the volume-coupled problems, a potentially very large overall system of linear equations encompassing all fields can be avoided, for the time being, by splitting it up into two smaller monolithic systems. The choice is also motivated by the fact that the interaction is typically stronger for the surface-coupled fields in the applications of main interest. The computational method is applied to four numerical examples of increasing complexity, ranging from a rather simple problem of a plate which is subjected to tangential flow via channel flow with single and double elastic walls to the simplified configuration of a complex tube-bundle heat exchanger. The presented approach proves to be robust, and accurate results are obtained for all test cases. In particular, it is shown that the proposed method is capable of simulating a complex technical device such as a heat exchanger under its nominal working conditions.
KW - Heat exchanger
KW - Partitioned-monolithic coupling
KW - Residual-based variational multiscale method
KW - Thermo-fluid–structure interaction (TFSI)
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85138098918&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cma.2022.115596
DO - 10.1016/j.cma.2022.115596
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85138098918
SN - 0045-7825
VL - 401
JO - Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering
JF - Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering
M1 - 115596
ER -