Author(s): Michael Meister

Linked Author(s): Michael Meister

Keywords: Computational fluid dynamics (CFD); Meshless methods; Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH); Wastewater treatment; Water management;

Abstract: The application of computational fluid dynamics methods plays a major role in design and operation of wastewater treatment (WWT) and water management (WM) facilities. With traditional Eulerian methods like the finite volume method, the solution of pollutant transport problems and multiphase flows can be challenging. As an alternative, the meshless smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method, which solves the Lagrangian form of the Navier-Stokes equations by discretizing the fluid into a finite set of particles, is introduced. The latest developments of SPH for applications in WWT and WM are demonstrated for 3 sample test cases, which are suitable for discussing the advantages and disadvantages of the meshless SPH method in comparison with the finite volume method.
Firstly, the simulation of a multiphase dam-break flow demonstrates the SPH method’s strength for highly violent impact flows. It is further shown that the SPH method can easily be simplified to a single phase model if the interaction with the adjacent air phase is weak. Secondly, the filling of an initially empty reservoir with water is studied. Since the water is injected at the top-left of the simulation domain, the water jet heavily impacts the soil reservoir. Investigations focus on the prediction of the liquid level and the retention of a sharp phase interface. Thirdly, pollutant transport and degradation of a pollutant compound in a tank is investigated. This test case provides an insight into the simulation capabilities for surface dynamics and flow dependent transport processes.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3850/38WC092019-0214

Year: 2019