Cellular-automaton simulations of simple boundary-layer problems

Journal Article · Sat Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · Phys. Rev. A; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.40.968· OSTI ID:5874700

Lim, H A

A lattice-gas automaton is a variant of a cellular automaton. Its cellularuniverse is a regular triangular lattice, and particles reside on the latticenodes. The time evolution of this discrete dynamical system of particlesproceeds in two alternating phases: collision and propagation. Such a model,though very simple and deterministic, is capable of producing very complexbehaviors. A boundary layer develops whenever a real, viscous fluid flows alonga solid boundary. We simulate boundary-layer and related problems in theincompressible limit of fluid dynamics using a lattice-gas automaton. Ourlattice-gas automaton simulations show that viscosity effects on Couette flows(flows between parallel plates), Stokes flows, and Blasius flows (flows acrossa plate) give results as predicted by the Navier-Stokes equations. Byconsidering different geometries and by carefully varying the gas properties,we obtain in particular the time-dependent velocity profiles, which are in goodagreement with theoretical predictions. These inferences may be viewed asfurther support for the internal consistency of the lattice-gas approach, andthey also substantiate the belief that the lattice-gas automaton can be auseful, viable tool for simulating fluid dynamics.

• Research Organization: Supercomputer Computations Research Institute, The Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4052 (US)
• OSTI ID: 5874700
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. A; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. A; (United States) Vol. 40:2; ISSN PLRAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640410* -- Fluid Physics-- General Fluid Dynamics
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BOUNDARY LAYERS
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS
FLOW RATE
FLUID FLOW
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
INCOMPRESSIBLE FLOW
LAYERS
MECHANICS
NAVIER-STOKES EQUATIONS
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
SIMULATION
VISCOUS FLOW