International Journal of Mathematical and Computer Sciences 6:2 2010

A Second Order Projection Scheme

for the k -epsilon Turbulence Model
Anirut Luadsong

Abstract—In this paper, we study the numerical method for solving must be due to discretization errors, it can be put to zero
the k- turbulence model. This model consists of the Reynold and remorselessly. One never touches the values of k, or , just
transport equations. The standard incremental pressure-correction the coefficients of the linearized equations. This trick, together
projection scheme is applied for solving the Reynold equations which
this numerical scheme has fully second-order accurate. For avoiding with an improved treatment of the wall-law, results in a very
the nonlinear terms of the system of algebraic equations, we introduce robust scheme. It was combined with a recent equal-order
the second-order semi-implicit for the transport equations for kinetic method introduced by Codina and Blasco [2], using linear
energy k and dissipation rate . For avoiding stability problems, the interpolation for all the unknowns. The following sections
convective terms in this model are discretizing with the mixed of describe the proposed method, with numerical tests assessing
central differences and donor-cell schemes which the accuracy can
be adjusted by the weight parameter γ ∈ [0, 1]. both its stability and accuracy.
Keywords—projection scheme, k-epsilon model, splitting scheme,
turbulence, Van Kan’s method. II. P ROBLEM F ORMULATION
Let u, p, and g be the velocity, the pressure, and the
right-hand side of the Navier-Stokes equations, which are
I. I NTRODUCTION decomposed into a mean part U , P, and G,  respectively, and
he numerical simulation of turbulent flows modeled by the small and smallest variations u , p , and g  known as
T the k- model has been the subject of much research
in the last years. This article is mainly focused on the
fluctuations, so that
 + u ,  + g  .
u = U p = P + p , g = G (1)
stability of numerical approximations for this model. Though
mathematical results exist ensuring the well-posedness of the In the most general formulation, the main part is formed by
Eq., the strong nonlinearities may interact with discretization applying a filter ·, i.e., it holds that
errors in such a way as to instabilize computations. This indeed
 := u,
U P := p,  := g ,
G (2)
happens if, as frequently occurs, no physically meaningful
initial condition is at hand. and hence
A typical behavior of unstable computations involves the
loss of positivity of k or . This changes the sign of several u = u − u, p = p + p, g  = g + g . (3)
terms in the equations, with disastrous effects. To avoid such The filter is applied to u and g componentwise.
loss of positivity is not an easy task. One may limit k and  The filter · should possed the following properties:
from below but the solution strongly depends on the limitation
1) · is a linear operator: for two quantities q and r and a
strategy and numerical results are frequently unacceptable. The
real constant α, there holds
failure of this simple approach motivates the use of numerical
techniques that preserve positivity, but in most unstructured q + r = q + r, αq = αq.
meshes obtuse angles exist that preclude these algorithms
from guaranteeing positive results. Though elaborate iterative 2) The time and spatial derivatives commute with the
techniques provide further improvement, the difficulty is not filtering operator:
   
removed. Another alternative is to solve for the logarithms of ∂q ∂q ∂q ∂q
= , = .
k, and , but one then deals with a modified set of equations ∂t ∂t ∂xi ∂xi
involving exponentials of the unknowns.
3) Filtered quantities remain invariant under additional fil-
The numerical trick we propose here is very simple and can
tering: q = q.
be implemented in most k- solvers. The idea is to look at the
4) The filtered product of a quantity with a filtered quantity
linearized equations for k and  as convection-diffusion reac-
is equal to the product of the two filtered quantities:
tion equations, and to notice that their coefficients are always
qr = qr.
positive for the exact solution. Since a negative coefficient
We now introduce the vector form of the Navier-Stokes
This work is supported by grants number MRG4680151 from Thailand equations as follows
Research Fund (TRF) and was encouraged from Department of Mathematics,
∂u
KMUTT. by providing the facilities for working and researching. + ∇ · (u ⊗ u) + ∇p = νu + g , (4)
A. Luadsong are with the Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, ∂t
King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), Bangkok
10140, THAILAND. where a ⊗ b denotes a tensor with elements (a ⊗ b)i,j := ai bj .

58
 International Journal of Mathematical and Computer Sciences 6:2 2010

Following the application of the filtering operator, the we obtain

continuity equation becomes ∂U
+ ∇ · (U ⊗U ) + ∇P + 2 ∇k − ∇ · (ν ∗ (∇U
 + ∇U
 T )) = G,

 = 0,
∇ · u = ∇ · U (5) ∂t 3
(14)
and for the momentum equations, we obtain or, written out in component form in two dimensions,

∂u ∂U ∂(U 2 ) ∂(U V ) ∂P 2 ∂k

+ ∇ · u ⊗ u + ∇p = νu + g . (6) + + + + (15)
∂t ∂t ∂x ∂y ∂x 3 ∂x
    
∂ ∗ ∂U ∂ ∗ ∂U ∂V
Furthermore, it holds that − 2ν − ν + = Gx
∂x ∂x ∂y ∂y ∂x
u ⊗ u =  + u ) ⊗ (U
(U  + u ) ∂V ∂(U V ) ∂(V 2 ) ∂P 2 ∂k
+ + + + (16)
 ⊗U
= U   + U   + u ⊗ u 
 ⊗ u u ⊗ U ∂t ∂x ∂y ∂y 3 ∂y
    
 ⊗U
= U  + u ⊗ u .
  ∂ ∗ ∂V ∂U ∂ ∂V
− ν + − 2ν ∗ = Gy ,
∂x ∂x ∂y ∂y ∂y
Thus, the filter possesses properties can be used to derive
from the Navier-Stokes equations what are knows as the respectively.
Reynolds equations for the main velocity U: The following transport equations are derived to determine
k and :

∂U  2
 ⊗U
 ) + ∇P − νU
 − ∇ · R(  (7) ∂k
∂t
+ ∇ · (U u ) = G,  k) − νT
+ ∇ · (U
   T 
∇U + ∇U (17)
 ∂t 2
∇·U = 0, (8)
−∇ · (νT ∇k) +  = 0,
∂ c  2
where R(u ) be the Reynolds stresses are defined as the tensor 
 ) − k ∇U
1  + ∇U  T 
+ ∇ · (U (18)
  
∂t 2
R(u ) = −u ⊗ u . (9) c 2
−∇ · ( νT ∇) + c2 = 0.
cμ k
A. the k- Turbulence Model The components cμ , c , c1 , and c2 occurring here are usually
The k- model is a two-equation model, which means that chosen empirically in such a way that the model yields the
two additional variables k and  are introduced to model the correct results for three well-known flow case. This calibration
Reynolds stresses. Of there, k denotes the turbulent kinetics leads to
energy and  the dissipation rate: cμ = 0.09, c = 0.07, c1 = 0.126, c2 = 1.92. (19)
1 ν
k := |u |,  := |∇u + ∇uT |2 . (10)
2 2 B. Boundary Conditions for the k- Model
Two supplementary equations for the determination of k and The Navier-Stokes equations in the previous subsection are
 are also introduced, thereby closing the system of equations. defined on a domain Ω, that we assume bounded by ∂Ω. The
The following assumptions underly the k- model. portion of ∂Ω corresponding to solid walls is denoted by Γw ,
• The Reynolds hypothesis holds, namely, that R( u ) = along which a layer of thickness δ has been removed and
−u ⊗ u  depends exclusively on k, , and ∇U ; i.e., replaced by a wall law. This amounts to the imposition of the
no-penetration condition U · n = 0 (n is the normal), of a
 + ∇U
R(u ) ≈ R(∇U  T , k, ). tangential stress τ (opposite to local velocity) obeying
w
  

• The fluctuations u and hence turbulence are isotropic, |

|U 1 δ  τ w 
  − ln E =0 (20)
meaning they are uniform in all directions.
 τw  χ ν  ρ 
• Convective transport of the fluctuating quantities corre-  ρ 
sponds to a diffusive transport of the mean quantities.
• u ⊗ u  and ∇U + ∇U  T are proportional, and the and of Dirichlet-type values for k and 
proportionality factor is the turbulent eddy viscosity (u∗ )2 (u∗ )3
k= √ , = . (21)
k2 cμ χδ
νT := cμ . (11)
 In equations(20) and (21), E = 9 for smooth walls, χ =
w
The approximate Reynolds tensor 0.41, u∗ = |τρ | , and defining δ + = u∗ νδ , the inequalities
2 20 ≤ δ + ≤ 100 must hold.
R(u ) ≈ R(∇U  , k, ) = − 2 kI + cμ k (∇U
 + ∇U
 T ) (12) It is customary to specify the value for δ over Γw , so that in
3 
order to find τ w one must solve the nonlinear equation (20). A
thus obtained is now substituted in the momentum equations, second possibility has been successfully applied in this work:
so that, setting To specify the value of δ + over the boundary with wall law
k2 condition. The main advantage of this choice is that given δ +
ν ∗ := ν + νT = ν + cμ , (13) we can calculate τ w in a direct fashion (no iterations that could


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 International Journal of Mathematical and Computer Sciences 6:2 2010

fail to converge). As a balancing drawback, now δ depends on numerical boundary layer that prevents it to be fully second-
the solution, and can take different values at different points on order on the velocity in the H 1 -norm and on the pressure in
the boundary. This is however not an issue when δ is negligible the L2 -norm.
compared to the dimensions of the domain. The first substep of the incremental pressure-correction
projection scheme of the Reynold equations (22) can be
III. P ROJECTION S CHEME written in component form in two dimensions as follows
In this section, we consider the standard incremental
pressure-correction projection scheme for solving the k- 1
(3Ũ n+1 − 4U n + U n−1 )i,j
2Δt
turbulence model. This scheme was made popular by Van Kan n+1 n+1 n
who proposed a second-order incremental pressure-correction ∂(Ũ 2 )  ∂(Ũ Ṽ )  ∂P 
+  +  +
scheme in [3]. ∂x  ∂y  ∂x i,j
i,j i,j
n+1 
n+1
2 ∂k  ∂ 
∗ ∂ Ũ 
A. The Projection Scheme of the Reynold Equation + − 2ν  (26)
3 ∂x i,j ∂x ∂x 
Using the Backward Difference Formula of second-order i,j
(BDF2) to approximate the time derivative, the incremental  

n+1
∂ ∂ Ũ ∂ Ṽ 
pressure-correction projection scheme of the Reynold equation 
ν∗
n+1
− +  = Gx |i,j ,
(14) as follows: ∂y ∂y ∂x 
The first substep: i,j

⎫
1
1  n+1 n +U
 n−1 ) (3Ṽ n+1 − 4V n + V n−1 )i,j
(3Ũ − 4U ⎪
⎪ 2Δt
2Δt ⎪
⎪ n+1 n+1 n
∂(Ũ Ṽ )  ∂(Ṽ 2 ) 
 n+1 ) + 2 ∇kn+1
 n+1 ⊗ Ũ ⎪
⎪
+∇ · (Ũ ⎬ ∂P 
3 +  +  +
 T ))n+1 + ∇P n
 + ∇Ũ  n+1 , ⎪
(22) ∂x  ∂y  ∂y i,j
−∇ · (ν ∗ (∇Ũ = G ⎪
⎪ i,j i,j
 ⎪
⎪ 
n+1
 n+1  ⎪
⎭ n+1 
Ũ  = 0, 2 ∂k  ∂ ∗ ∂ Ṽ 
∂Ω + − 2ν  (27)
3 ∂y i,j ∂y ∂y 
The second substep: i,j
⎫
 

n+1
∂ ∂ Ṽ ∂ Ũ 
1  n+1  n+1 ) + ∇(P n+1 − P n ) 0, ⎪ 
⎪ ν∗
n+1
(3U − 3Ũ = ⎪ − +  = Gy |i,j .
2Δt ⎬ ∂x ∂x ∂y 
∇·U  n+1 = 0, (23) i,j
 ⎪
⎪
 n+1 · n
U = 0. ⎪
⎭
∂Ω
To evaluate U n+1 in the second substep of the incremental
The second substep is a projection since it is equivalent to pressure-correction projection scheme of the Reynold equa-

U n+1 = PH Ũ n+1 , where P is the L2 -orthogonal projection
H tions (23), we can rearrange the first equation of (23) as
onto a solenoidal vector field H. follows
The incremental pressure-correction projection scheme
 1, U
needs to be initialized with (Ũ  1 , P 1 ) and they are com-  n+1 + 2 Δt ∇P n − ∇P n+1  .
 n+1 = Ũ
U (28)
puted as follows. Set U  = U
0  0 and P 0 = P (0), where 3
P (0) is determined by using (7) and (8) at t = 0, and
 1, U
evaluate (Ũ  1 , P 1 ) from the following first-order pressure-  n+1 into
We sustitute the relation (28) for the velocity field U
correction scheme: the continuity equation in (23) and obtain
⎫
1 1 0 ⎪
Δt (Ũ − U )
⎪
⎪
⎪
⎪ 3  n+1 .
  2 ⎪
⎪ ∇2 P n+1 = ∇2 P n + ∇ · Ũ (29)
1 1
+∇ · (Ũ ⊗ Ũ ) + 3 ∇k 1 ⎬ 2Δt
T (24)
−∇ · (ν ∗ (∇Ũ  + ∇Ũ  ))1 + ∇P 0 = G  1, ⎪
⎪
⎪
⎪
 ⎪
⎪
The Poisson equation (29) can be written in component form
 1
Ũ = 0, ⎪ ⎭
 in two dimensions as follows
∂Ω

and ⎫  n+1  n
 1 ) + ∇(P 1 − P 0 ) ∂2P ∂2P ∂2P ∂2P
1 1
Δt (U − Ũ = 0, ⎪
⎪
⎪ ∂x2
+
∂y 2
=
∂x2
+
∂y 2
⎬
∇·U 1 = 0, 
n+1
(25)
 ⎪
⎪ 3 ∂ Ũ ∂ Ṽ
 + + .(30)
 1 · n
U = 0. ⎪
⎭ 2Δt ∂x ∂y
∂Ω

The accuracy of the above algorithm has been proved by

J.L. Guermond [4]. The scheme (22)-(23) is the second-order In the same manner as the above, the equations (24) and
accurate on the velocity in the L2 -norm, it is plagued by a (25) can be written in component form of two dimensions as

60
 International Journal of Mathematical and Computer Sciences 6:2 2010

follows
v(i, j +1)

1 P(i, j +1) u(i, j +1 )

(Ũ 1 − U 0 )i,j j +1 v- CV
Δt
1 1 0
∂(Ũ 2 )  ∂(Ũ Ṽ )  ∂P  v(i-1, j ) v(i, j ) v(i+1, j )
+  +  +
∂x i,j
u- CV
∂x  ∂y 
i,j i,j
1 
1 P(i-1, j ) u(i-1, j ) P(i, j ) u(i, j ) u(i+1, j )
2 ∂k  ∂  j
∗ ∂ Ũ  P(i+1, j )
+ − 2ν  (31)
3 ∂x i,j ∂x ∂x  scalar
i,j CV
 

1
∂ ∂ Ũ ∂ Ṽ  v(i, j -1)
 1
− ν∗ +  = Gx |i,j , P(i, j -1) u(i,, j -1 )
∂y ∂y ∂x  j -1
i,j
1
(Ṽ 1 − V 0 )i,j
Δt
1 1 0
∂(Ũ Ṽ )  ∂(Ṽ 2 )  ∂P  y( j) i-1 i i+1
+  +  +
∂x  ∂y  ∂y i,j x(i)
i,j i,j

1 u-node v-node others
1 
2 ∂k  ∂ ∗ ∂ Ṽ 
+ − 2ν  (32) Fig. 1: Staggered locations for u, v and other variables
3 ∂y i,j ∂y ∂y 
i,j
 

1
∂ ∂ Ṽ ∂ Ũ 
 1
− ν∗ +  = Gy |i,j , first-order explicit scheme:
∂x ∂x ∂y 
i,j
k1 − k0
0
 k) + 0
+ ∇ · (U (37)
Δt
   2 0
νT    T 
− ∇U + ∇U − [∇ · (νT ∇k)]0 = 0,
2
1
U =  1 + Δt ∇P 0 − ∇P 1  ,
Ũ 1 − 0
0
(33) + ∇ · (U  )
1 Δt
∇ P2 1
= ∇2 P 0 +  1.
∇ · Ũ (34)
  2  0  0
c1    T  c
Δt − k ∇U + ∇U − ∇ · ( νT ∇) (38)
2 cμ
 2 0

+ c2 = 0.
k
B. The Semi-Implicit Scheme of the Transport Equations

The turbulent kinetic energy k and dissipation rate  are C. Discretization of the Reynolds Equations
discretized at the cell centers of the staggered grid as in Fig.
1. Using the Forward Difference Formula of second-order
(FDF2) to approximate the time derivative, the semi-implicit
scheme of the transport equations of k (17) and  (18) as We return to the discretization on the staggered grid as in
follows: Fig. 1. The Poisson equation (30) is discretized at the center
of each cell (i, j), i = 1, . . . , imax , j = 1, . . . , jmax , by
replacing the spatial derivative by central differences using
−kn+1 + 4kn − 3kn−1  n kn+1 ) + n+1
+ ∇ · (U (35) half the mesh width as follows
 2Δt 
 2  n
−
νT  
∇U + ∇U  T  − ∇ · (νTn ∇kn+1 ) = 0, ∂ Ũ  Ũi,j − Ũi−1,j
2  = ,
∂x  Δx
−n+1 + 4n − 3n−1  n n+1 ) i,j
+ ∇ · (U
 2Δt  ∂ Ṽ  Ṽi,j − Ṽi,j−1
 2 n  = ,
c1    T  c ∂y  Δy
− k ∇U + ∇U − ∇ · ( νTn ∇n+1 ) (36)
2 cμ  i,j

n ∂ 2 P  Pi+1,j − 2Pi,j + Pi−1,j

+c2 n n+1 = 0. = ,
k ∂x2 i,j Δx2

∂ 2 P  Pi,j+1 − 2Pi,j + Pi,j−1
= .
∂y 2 i,j Δy 2
The second-order semi-implicit forward scheme needs to be
initialized with (k 1 , 1 ) and they are computed as follows. Set In equation (26) for Ũ at the midpoint of the right edge of
k 0 = k0 and 0 = 0 then evaluate (k 1 , 1 ) from the following cell (i, j), i = 1, . . . , imax − 1, j = 1, . . . , jmax , by replacing

61
 International Journal of Mathematical and Computer Sciences 6:2 2010

 
∂ ∂ Ṽ 
 1  ∗
the spatial derivative by the donor-cell scheme using half the ν∗  = νi,j+1 (Ṽi,j+1 − Ṽi,j )
mesh width as follows ∂y ∂y i,j Δy 2
  2  2  
∗
∂(Ũ ) 
2
1 Ũi,j + Ũi+1,j Ũi−1,j + Ũi,j −νi,j (Ṽi,j − Ṽi,j−1 ) ,
= −
∂x i,j Δx 2 2

1 |Ũi,j + Ũi+1,j | (Ũi,j − Ũi+1,j )
+γ
Δx 2 2

|Ũi−1,j + Ũi,j | (Ũi−1,j − Ũi,j )
− ,   
2 2 ∂ ∂ Ũ ∂ Ṽ 
  ν∗ + 
∂y ∂y ∂x 
∂(Ũ Ṽ )  1 (Ṽi,j + Ṽi+1,j ) (Ũi,j + Ũi,j+1 ) i,j
=  
∂y i,j Δy 2 2 1 ∗ Ũi,j+1 − Ũi,j Ṽi+1,j − Ṽi,j
= νi+ 1 ,j+ 1 +
(Ṽi,j−1 + Ṽi+1,j−1 ) (Ũi,j−1 + Ũi,j ) Δy 2 2 Δy Δx
− 
2 2 ∗ Ũi,j − Ũi,j−1 Ṽi+1,j−1 − Ṽi,j−1
 −νi+ 1 ,j− 1 + ,
1 |Ṽi,j + Ṽi+1,j | (Ũi,j − Ũi,j+1 ) 2 2 Δy Δx
+γ
Δy 2 2

|Ṽi,j−1 + Ṽi+1,j−1 | (Ũi,j−1 − Ũi,j )
− , where
2 2

∂P  Pi+1,j − Pi,j
= ,
∂x i,j Δx  3
 0.05
∂k  ki+1,j − ki,j f1 |i,j = 1+ ,
= , fμ |i,j
∂x i,j Δx  
f2 |i,j = 1 − exp −Rt |2i,j ,
  
 
∂ ∂ Ũ  1 20.5
ν∗ = ∗
νi+1,j (Ũi+1,j − Ũi,j ) fμ |i,j = (1 − exp(−0.0165Rδ |i,j ))2 1 + ,
∂x ∂x i,j Δx2 Rt |i,j
 2
∗
−νi,j (Ũi,j − Ũi−1,j ) , ki,j
Rt |i,j = ,
νi,j i,j
    δi,j
∂ ∂ Ṽ ∂ Ũ 
ν∗ +  Rt |i,j = ki,j ,
∂x ∂x ∂y  νi,j
i,j
  2
ki,j
1 ∗ Ṽi+1,j − Ṽi,j Ũi,j+1 − Ũi,j νT |i,j = cμ fμ |i,j ,
= νi+ 1 ,j+ 1 +
Δx 2 2 Δx Δy i,j
 ∗
∗ Ṽi,j − Ṽi−1,j Ũi−1,j+1 − Ũi−1,j νi,j = ν + νT |i,j ,
−νi− 1 ,j+ 1 + . ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗
2 2 Δx Δy νi+1,j+1 + νi,j+1 + νi+1,j + νi,j
∗
νi+ 1
,j+ 1 = ,
In equation (27) for Ṽ at the midpoint of the upper edge of 2 2 4
cell (i, j), i = 1, . . . , imax , j = 1, . . . , jmax − 1, by replacing
the spatial derivative by the donor-cell scheme using half the
mesh width as follows in which δ denotes the distance to the nearest wall. The
  2  2 
∂(Ṽ 2 )  1 Ṽi,j + Ṽi,j+1 Ṽi,j−1 + Ṽi,j parameter γ in the above formulas lies between 0 and 1. For
= − γ = 0, we recover the central difference discretization, and
∂y  i,j Δy 2 2
 for γ = 1, a pure donor-cell scheme results. According to [9],
1 |Ṽi,j + Ṽi,j+1 | (Ṽi,j − Ṽi,j+1 ) γ should be chosen such that
+γ
Δy 2 2

|Ṽi,j−1 + Ṽi,j | (Ṽi,j−1 − Ṽi,j )
− ,  

2 2 2 Δt   Δt


 
 γ≥ max Ũi,j  , Ṽ
 i,j 
∂(Ũ Ṽ )  1 (Ũi,j + Ũi,j+1 ) (Ṽi,j + Ṽi+1,j ) 3 i,j Δx Δy
=
∂x  i,j Δx 2 2

(Ũi−1,j + Ũi−1,j+1 ) (Ṽi−1,j + Ṽi,j )
− is satisfied.
2 2

1 |Ũi,j + Ũi,j+1 | (Ṽi,j − Ṽi+1,j )
+γ
Δx 2 2

|Ũi−1,j + Ũi−1,j+1 | (Ṽi−1,j − Ṽi,j )
− ,
2 2

∂P  Pi,j+1 − Pi,j D. Discretization of the Transport Equations for k and 
= ,
∂y i,j Δy

∂k  ki,j+1 − ki,j The Semi-Implicit Scheme of the Transport Equations (35)
= ,
∂y  i,j Δy and (36) can be written in component form in two dimensions

62
 International Journal of Mathematical and Computer Sciences 6:2 2010

as follows
  
1
(−kn+1 + 4kn − 3k n−1 )i,j ∂ ∂ 1 
f μ νT = fμ |i,j νT |i+ 1 ,j (i+1,j − i,j )
2Δt   ∂x ∂x i,j Δx2 2

∂U n kn+1  ∂V n kn+1  n+1


+  +  + i,j − fμ |i,j νT |i− 1 ,j (i,j − i−1,j )
∂x ∂y 2
  
i,j
 
i,j
   
∂ ∂kn+1 ∂ ∂kn+1 ∂ ∂ 1 
− νTn − νTn (39) fμ ν T = fμ |i,j νT |i,j+ 1 (i,j+1 − i,j )
∂x ∂x ∂y ∂y ∂y ∂y i,j Δy 2 2
i,j

i,j 
2  n
1 n    
T  − fμ |i,j νT |i,j− 1 (i,j − i,j−1 ) ,
− νT |i,j ∇U + ∇U = 0, 2
2 i.j
1 
(−n+1 n
+ 4 − 3 n−1
)i,j 2   2
2Δt    T  ∂U

n n+1  n n+1 
 n ∇U + ∇U = 4
∂x
+
∂U   + ∂V   + c2 f2 |n i,j n+1 i.j

i,j
∂x  ∂y  i,j n i,j
ki,j    2  2
i,j

i,j
  ∂U ∂V ∂V
c ∂ ∂ n+1 +2 + +4 ,
− fμn νTn (40) ∂y i,j ∂x i,j ∂y i,j
cμ ∂x ∂x i,j
  n+1
 
c ∂ n n ∂ ∂U  Ui,j − Ui−1,j
− fμ νT = ,
cμ ∂y ∂y i,j ∂x i,j Δx
 2  n 
1 n n    
T  ∂U  (Ui,j+1 + Ui−1,j+1 ) − (Ui,j−1 + Ui−1,j−1 )
− f1 |i,j k|i,j ∇U + ∇U = 0. = ,
2 i.j ∂y i,j 4Δy

The equation (39) and (40) are discretized at the cell center ∂V  Vi,j − Vi,j−1
= ,
of cell (i, j), i = 1, . . . , imax , j = 1, . . . , jmax , by replacing ∂y i,j Δy
the spatial derivative by the donor-cell scheme using half the 
mesh width as follows ∂V  (Vi+1,j + Vi+1,j−1 ) − (Vi−1,j + Vi−1,j−1 )
= ,
  ∂x  4Δx
∂U k  1 ki,j + ki+1,j ki−1,j + ki,j i,j
= Ui,j − Ui−1,j
∂x i,j Δx 2 2 where the parameter γ ∈ [0, 1] determines a weighted average

γ ki,j − ki+1,j of discretizing with central differences and the donor-cell
+ |Ui,j | discretization. Since the transport equations for k and  is
Δx 2
discretized at cell centers, the averaging of U and V necessary
ki−1,j − ki,j
− |Ui−1,j | , in the discretization of the Reynold equations is not necessary
2
  here.
∂V k  1 ki,j + ki,j+1 ki,j−1 + ki,j
= Vi,j − Vi,j−1
∂y i,j Δy 2 2

γ ki,j − ki,j+1 E. The Algorithm for solving k- Turbulence Model
+ |Vi,j |
Δy 2 The sequence of computations to be performed is summa-

ki,j−1 − ki,j rized as follows.
− |Vi,j−1 | ,
2
Algorithm 1 The Algorithm for solving k- Turbulence Model

∂U   1  i,j + i+1,j i−1,j + i,j  Set t = 0, n = 0
= Ui,j − Ui−1,j
∂x i,j Δx 2 2 Assign initial values to U 0 , V 0 , P 0 , k 0 , and 0
γ  i,j − i+1,j Set the boundary values for U 1 , V 1 , P 1 , k 1 , and 1
+ |Ui,j |
Δx 2 Compute k 1 and 1 according to the linear system (37)-(38)
i−1,j − i,j   1 according to the linear system (24)
− |Ui−1,j | , Compute Ũ
 2
∂V   1  i,j + i,j+1 i,j−1 + i,j  Compute P 1 according to (34)
= Vi,j − Vi,j−1  1 according to (33)
∂y i,j Δy 2 2 Compute U
γ  i,j − i,j+1 while t < tend do
+ |Vi,j | Set the boundary values for U n+1 , V n+1 , P n+1 , k n+1 ,
Δy 2
i,j−1 − i,j  and n+1
− |Vi,j−1 | ,
2 Compute k n+1 and n+1 according to the linear system
(35)-(36)
    n+1 according to the linear system (22)
∂ ∂k 1  Compute Ũ
νT = νT |i+ 1 ,j (ki+1,j − ki,j )
∂x ∂x i,j Δx2 2 Compute P n+1 according to (29)
 Compute U  n+1 according to (28)
− νT |i− 1 ,j (ki,j − ki−1,j )
   2 t = t + Δt
∂ ∂k 1  n=n+1
νT = νT |i,j+ 1 (ki,j+1 − ki,j )
∂y ∂y i,j Δy 2 2
end while

− νT |i,j− 1 (ki,j − ki,j−1 ) ,
2

63
 International Journal of Mathematical and Computer Sciences 6:2 2010

IV. C ONCLUSION AND D ISCUSSION
We study the numerical method for solving the k- turbu-
lence model. This model consists of the Reynold and transport
equations. The standard incremental pressure-correction pro-
jection scheme is applied for solving the Reynold equations
which this numerical scheme has fully second-order accurate.
For avoiding the nonlinear terms of the system of algebraic
equations, we introduce the second-order semi-implicit for the
transport equations for kinetic energy k and dissipation rate .
For avoiding stability problems, the convective terms in this
model are discretizing with the mixed of central differences
and donor-cell schemes which the accuracy can be adjusted
by the weight parameter γ ∈ [0, 1].
The standard incremental pressure-correction projection
scheme (22)-(23) is second-order accurate on the velocity in
the L2 -norm, it is plagued by a numerical boundary layer that
prevents it to be fully second-order on the velocity in the h1 -
norm and on the pressure in the L2 -norm. Actually, from (23)
we observe that ∇(P n+1 − P n ) · n|∂Ω = 0 which implies that
[5] Jian-Guo Liu, Jie Liu, Robert L. Pego, Stable and accurate pressure
approximation for unsteady incompressible viscous flow, Journal of
Computational Physics, Volume 229, Issue 9, 1 May 2010, Pages 3428-
3453.
[6] Jie Shen, Projection methods for time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations,
Applied Mathematics Letters, Volume 5, Issue 1, January 1992, Pages 35-
37.
[7] John B. Bell, Phillip Colella, Harland M. Glaz, A second-order projection
method for the incompressible navier-stokes equations, Journal of Com-
putational Physics, Volume 85, Issue 2, December 1989, Pages 257-283.
[8] Long Lee, A class of high-resolution algorithms for incompressible flows,
Computers & Fluids, Volume 39, Issue 6, June 2010, Pages 1022-1032.
[9] M. Griebel, T. Dornseifer, and T. Neunhoeffer, Numerical Simulation in
Fluid Dynamics: a practical introduction, Siam monographs on mathe-
matical modeling and computation, 1997.
[10] N.N. Yanenko, The method of fractional steps, the solution of problems
of Mathematical Physics in several variables, Springer-Verlag New York
Heidelberg Berlin, 1971.
[11] Stefan Turek, On discrete projection methods for the incompressible
Navier-Stokes equations: an algorithmical approach Computer Methods
in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, Volume 143, Issues 3-4, 30 April
1997, Pages 271-288.

∇P n+1 · n|∂Ω = ∇P n · n|∂Ω = · · · = ∇P 0 · n|∂Ω .

It is a non-physical Neumann boundary condition enforced
on the pressure that introduces the numerical boundary layer
referred to above and consequently limits the accuracy of the
scheme.
The algorithm is implemented with any A-stable second-
order time stepping which has been prove by Guermond
[4]. Since this scheme has an irreducible splitting error of
O(Δt2 ), using a higher than second-order time stepping for
approximating the operator ∂t − ν∇2 does not improve the
overall accuracy.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The author is very thankful to his mentor, Prof. Dr. Som- Anirut Luadsong is with the Department of
chai Wongwises who directed his attention to fluid mechanics Mathematics, Faculty of Science, King Mongkut’s
and heat transfer, and whose influence in the formation of University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT),
THAILAND, Email: anirut.lua@kmutt.ac.th. His
his research interests can not be over estimated. This research current research interests include computer aided
was supported by grants number MRG4680151 from Thailand geometric design (CAGD), parallel numerical al-
Research Fund (TRF) and was encouraged from Department of gorithms and computing, and computational fluid
dynamics.
Mathematics, KMUTT by providing the facilities for working
and researching. Finally, I would like to thank my family,
whose continuous encouragement and support sustained me
through the preparation of this work.

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