A high order 3D FEM-Level Set approach for multiphase flows with application to monodisperse droplet generation

Numerical simulation of incompressible multiphase flows with immiscible fluids is still a challenging field, particularly for 3D configurations undergoing complex topological changes. In this paper, we discuss a 3D FEM approach with high order Stokes elements (Q2/Q1) for velocity and pressure on hexahedral meshes. A discontinuous Galerkin approach with piecewise linear polynomials (dG(1)) is used to treat the Level Set function. This new methodology allows the application of special redistancing algorithms which do not change the position of the interface. We explain the corresponding FEM techniques for treating the advection steps and surface tension effects, and validate the corresponding 3D code with respect to both numerical test cases and experimental data. The corresponding applications describe the generation of monodisperse droplets which vary with regard to different flow rates and can be used for rigorous benchmarking of 3D multiphase flow simulations. Copyright c © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.