Do the Volume-of-Fluid and the Two-Phase Euler Compete for Modeling a Spillway Aerator?
Spillway design is key to the effective and safe operation of dams. Typically, the flow is characterized by high velocity, high levels of turbulence, and aeration. In the last two decades, advances in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) made available several numerical tools to aid hydraulic structur...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/21/3092 |
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| author | Lourenço Sassetti Mendes Javier L. Lara Maria Teresa Viseu |
| author_facet | Lourenço Sassetti Mendes Javier L. Lara Maria Teresa Viseu |
| author_sort | Lourenço Sassetti Mendes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Spillway design is key to the effective and safe operation of dams. Typically, the flow is characterized by high velocity, high levels of turbulence, and aeration. In the last two decades, advances in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) made available several numerical tools to aid hydraulic structures engineers. The most frequent approach is to solve the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations using an Euler type model combined with the <i>volume-of-fluid</i> (<i>VoF</i>) method. Regardless of a few applications, the <i>complete two-phase Euler</i> is still considered to demand exorbitant computational resources. An assessment is performed in a spillway offset aerator, comparing the <i>two-phase volume-of-fluid</i> (<i>TPVoF</i>) with the <i>complete two-phase Euler</i> (<i>CTPE</i>). Both models are included in the OpenFOAM<sup>®</sup> toolbox. As expected, the <i>TPVoF</i> results depend highly on the mesh, not showing convergence in the maximum chute bottom pressure and the lower-nappe aeration, tending to null aeration as resolution increases. The <i>CTPE</i> combined with the <i>k</i>–<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>ω</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula> <i>SST Sato</i> turbulence model exhibits the most accurate results and mesh convergence in the lower-nappe aeration. Surprisingly, intermediate mesh resolutions are sufficient to surpass the <i>TPVoF</i> performance with reasonable calculation efforts. Moreover, compressibility, flow bulking, and several entrained air effects in the flow are comprehended. Despite not reproducing all aspects of the flow with acceptable accuracy, the <i>complete two-phase Euler</i> demonstrated an efficient cost-benefit performance and high value in spillway aerated flows. Nonetheless, further developments are expected to enhance the efficiency and stability of this model. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:49:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d59334cb7f9f4ec08562c5d4118b65c5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:49:28Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-d59334cb7f9f4ec08562c5d4118b65c52023-11-22T21:55:09ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412021-11-011321309210.3390/w13213092Do the Volume-of-Fluid and the Two-Phase Euler Compete for Modeling a Spillway Aerator?Lourenço Sassetti Mendes0Javier L. Lara1Maria Teresa Viseu2IHCantabria—Instituto de Hidráulica Ambiental, Calle Isabel Torres 15, 39011 Santander, SpainIHCantabria—Instituto de Hidráulica Ambiental, Calle Isabel Torres 15, 39011 Santander, SpainLaboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil, Avenida do Brasil 101, 1700-066 Lisbon, PortugalSpillway design is key to the effective and safe operation of dams. Typically, the flow is characterized by high velocity, high levels of turbulence, and aeration. In the last two decades, advances in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) made available several numerical tools to aid hydraulic structures engineers. The most frequent approach is to solve the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations using an Euler type model combined with the <i>volume-of-fluid</i> (<i>VoF</i>) method. Regardless of a few applications, the <i>complete two-phase Euler</i> is still considered to demand exorbitant computational resources. An assessment is performed in a spillway offset aerator, comparing the <i>two-phase volume-of-fluid</i> (<i>TPVoF</i>) with the <i>complete two-phase Euler</i> (<i>CTPE</i>). Both models are included in the OpenFOAM<sup>®</sup> toolbox. As expected, the <i>TPVoF</i> results depend highly on the mesh, not showing convergence in the maximum chute bottom pressure and the lower-nappe aeration, tending to null aeration as resolution increases. The <i>CTPE</i> combined with the <i>k</i>–<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>ω</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula> <i>SST Sato</i> turbulence model exhibits the most accurate results and mesh convergence in the lower-nappe aeration. Surprisingly, intermediate mesh resolutions are sufficient to surpass the <i>TPVoF</i> performance with reasonable calculation efforts. Moreover, compressibility, flow bulking, and several entrained air effects in the flow are comprehended. Despite not reproducing all aspects of the flow with acceptable accuracy, the <i>complete two-phase Euler</i> demonstrated an efficient cost-benefit performance and high value in spillway aerated flows. Nonetheless, further developments are expected to enhance the efficiency and stability of this model.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/21/3092spillway aeratoraerationCFDtwo-phase Eulervolume-of-fluidhydraulic structures |
| spellingShingle | Lourenço Sassetti Mendes Javier L. Lara Maria Teresa Viseu Do the Volume-of-Fluid and the Two-Phase Euler Compete for Modeling a Spillway Aerator? Water spillway aerator aeration CFD two-phase Euler volume-of-fluid hydraulic structures |
| title | Do the Volume-of-Fluid and the Two-Phase Euler Compete for Modeling a Spillway Aerator? |
| title_full | Do the Volume-of-Fluid and the Two-Phase Euler Compete for Modeling a Spillway Aerator? |
| title_fullStr | Do the Volume-of-Fluid and the Two-Phase Euler Compete for Modeling a Spillway Aerator? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Do the Volume-of-Fluid and the Two-Phase Euler Compete for Modeling a Spillway Aerator? |
| title_short | Do the Volume-of-Fluid and the Two-Phase Euler Compete for Modeling a Spillway Aerator? |
| title_sort | do the volume of fluid and the two phase euler compete for modeling a spillway aerator |
| topic | spillway aerator aeration CFD two-phase Euler volume-of-fluid hydraulic structures |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/21/3092 |
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