Simulations of free surface flows with implementation of surface tension and interface sharpening in the two-fluid model

Two-fluid model used for free surface flows with large characteristic scales is improved; the smeared interface is sharpened with conservative level set method and the surface tension force with wetting angle is implemented. Surface tension force is split between two phases with several models. Detailed analysis showed the splitting of surface tension force with volume averaging as the most appropriate. The improved two-fluid model with interface sharpening and implemented surface tension is validated on several test cases. The pressure jump over a droplet interface test case showed that the pressure jump in simulation converges with grid refinement to the analytical one. The parasitic currents in simulation are one order of magnitude larger than in simulation with volume of fluid model. In the oscillating droplet test case the time period of oscillating droplet with initially ellipsoid or square shape is similar to the analytical time period. In the rising bubble test case, the rising bubble position, terminal velocity, and circularity are similar to the one observed in simulations with level set model. The wetting angle is implemented in the two-fluid model with interface sharpening and surface tension force. Model is tested in the simulation of droplet in contact with wall with different wetting angles. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.