CFD and GFD Hybrid Approach for Simulation of Multi-Scale Coastal Ocean Flow

CFD and GFD Hybrid Approach for Simulation of Multi-Scale Coastal Ocean Flow

We propose to couple computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and geophysical fluid dynamics (GFD) methods to simulate multi-scale and multi-physics coastal flows. In particular, an unsteady, three-dimensional (3D), incompressible CFD model is coupled with the Unstructured Grid Finite Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM). The coupling is two-way and realized using domain decomposition method with Chimera overset grids, and the resulting hybrid system will be able to capture flow phenomena with spatial scales from centimeters to hundreds of kilometers. In order to demonstrate the feasibility and performance of the proposed hybrid system, simulations of effluents discharged into a river and a coastal region are presented, together with discussions on issues for its further development.