Open Channel Two-Phase Flow in Rough Rivers CFD Simulation

This CFD simulation explores the complex dynamics of open-channel two-phase flow in rough rivers using ANSYS Fluent, combining the Volume of Fluid (VOF) model with the Open Channel Flow model. This approach allows for accurate representation of the water-air interface and specialized treatment of open channel hydraulics, while handling the complex geometry of rough river beds.

Key aspects of this simulation include:

VOF and Open Channel Model Setup: Configuring both the VOF model to represent the water-air interface and the Open Channel Flow model to capture specific open channel hydraulics. This involves defining water and air phases, setting up phase interactions, and specifying open channel parameters.

Rough River Bed Modeling: Incorporating the rough geometry of the river bed into the simulation domain, potentially using detailed topographical data or simplified roughness models.

Boundary Conditions: Defining appropriate inlet and outlet conditions for the river flow, considering both VOF and open channel model requirements. This includes specifying the interface between the rough bed and the fluid phases.

Turbulence Modeling: Selecting and configuring a suitable turbulence model to capture the complex flow patterns caused by the rough bed and the free surface in an open channel context.

Steady-State Approach: Setting up the simulation to capture the equilibrium state of the flow, focusing on the stable configuration of the water-air interface and flow patterns in the open channel.

Post-processing and Analysis: Examining results such as water surface profiles, velocity distributions, turbulence characteristics, and potential areas of air entrainment. This includes creating visualizations to illustrate the flow patterns and free surface behavior specific to open channel flows.

Performance Evaluation: Assessing the impact of bed roughness on flow characteristics, including changes in water depth, velocity profiles, and turbulence intensity under steady-state conditions in the open channel configuration.

This simulation provides valuable insights into the behavior of open-channel flows in natural river systems, helping to understand the influence of bed roughness on flow patterns, turbulence, and free surface dynamics in equilibrium conditions. Participants will gain skills in applying both the VOF and Open Channel Flow models to a complex environmental flow scenario, focusing on multiphase flow behavior in irregular geometries and interpretation of steady-state results in the context of river hydraulics and sediment transport.