A Hybrid Compressible–Incompressible Computational Fluid Dynamics Method for Richtmyer–Meshkov Mixing

Abstract

This paper presents a hybrid compressible–incompressible approach for simulating the Richtmyer–Meshkov instability (RMI) and associated mixing. The proposed numerical approach aims to circumvent the numerical deficiencies of compressible methods at low Mach (LM) numbers, when the flow has become essentially incompressible. A compressible flow solver is used at the initial stage of the interaction of the shock wave with the fluids interface and the development of the RMI. When the flow becomes sufficiently incompressible, based on a Mach number prescribed threshold, the simulation is carried out using an incompressible flow solver. Both the compressible and incompressible solvers use Godunovtype methods and highresolution numerical reconstruction schemes for computing the fluxes at the cell interfaces. The accuracy of the model is assessed by using results for a twodimensional (2D) singlemode RMI.