A comprehensive generalized mesh system for CFD applications

The numerical approaches used for the solution of governing equations of fluid flow are dictated highly by the topology of the domain discretization. Two of the most commonly used discretization approaches are the structured and unstructured topologies. This paper describes the discretization of the domain using generalized elements with an arbitrary number of nodes to combine the advantages of both the structured and unstructured methodologies. Numerical algorithms for the solution of the governing equations for generalized mesh, an approach for handling mesh movement applicable to rotating machineries, and the application of this framework for overset meshes to handle moving body problems are discussed. A library-based approach has been adopted for the implementation of overset capability for the framework. The results from the application of this framework for various applications are presented. © 2008 IMACS. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.