Higher-order accurate difference solutions of vortex generation from a circular cylinder in an oscillatory flow (Q1087076)

A higher-order difference solution method is presented for viscous flow around an oscillating body. The Navier-Stokes equation in a rotational form, which conserves both momentum and kinetic energy, is approximated into a difference form by a fourth-order compact differencing in a general boundary-fitted curvilinear coordinate system. A time-marching procedure is derived and the high resolution property is demonstrated with the computations of some simple problems. The simulation of a viscous flow around a circular cylinder sinusoidally oscillating at low Keulegan-Carpenter number elucidates fairly well the sequential viscous flow mechanism of boundary layer development, flow separation, and vortex shedding with pairing.