A conservative level set method for contact line dynamics

A new model for simulating contact line dynamics is proposed. We apply the idea of driving contact-line movement by enforcing the equilibrium contact angle at the boundary, to the conservative level set method for incompressible two-phase flow [E. Olsson, G. Kreiss, A conservative level set method for two phase flow, J. Comput. Phys. 210 (2005) 225-246]. A modified reinitialization procedure provides a diffusive mechanism for contact-line movement, and results in a smooth transition of the interface near the contact line without explicit reconstruction of the interface. We are able to capture contact-line movement without loosing the conservation. Numerical simulations of capillary dominated flows in two space dimensions demonstrate that the model is able to capture contact line dynamics qualitatively correct. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.