Development of a Variational Multiscale Large-Eddy Simulation Code ‘MISTRAL’ Using Double-Scale Finite Elements

A variational multiscale large-eddy simulation (VMS-LES) code, named MISTRAL, has been developed based upon the finite element method (FEM) for accurate and practical computation of geometrically complicated turbulent flow problems. The numerical strategy of the FEM-based VMS-LES is explained, especially focusing on the double-scale approximation for velocity and pressure in the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations, a pressure stabilization technique and a multiscale turbulence modeling. A unique technique is also employed in the time integration to realize an efficient inversion of the multiscale mass matrix and to form the multiscale pressure Poisson equation used in the approximate projection method for divergence-free constraint of velocity. As a numerical demonstration, a 2D driven cavity flow problem has been solved with the MISTRAL code in a wide range of Reynolds number (Re=1000 to 50000). The results are compared with reference data to quantitatively estimate the accuracy (magnitude of errors in terms of L ² norms) of the proposed VMS-LES method.