Lecture 33:

The SIMPLE Algorithm (Contd)

Last Time

Looked into problem of introducing pressure into

continuity equation for incompressible flows

Introduced SIMPLE algorithm

Derived the pressure correction equation

This Time

Look at the SIMPLE algorithm in detail

Examine auxilliary issues

Under-relaxation and convergence

Boundary conditions
Nature of pressure in incompressible flows

SIMPLE Algorithm

Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure-Linked Equations

Proposed by Patankar and Spalding (1972)

Idea is to start with discrete continuity equation

Substitute into it the discrete u and v momentum

equations
Discrete momentum equations contain pressure
differences

Hence get an equation for the discrete pressures

SIMPLE actually solves for a related quantity called
the pressure correction
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SIMPLE Algorithm

Solve momentum equations with guessed pressure

field p* -- resulting velocity fields are u* and v*
Do not satisfy continuity because p* is wrong

Propose corrections to velocities and pressure so that

corrected velocities satisfy discrete continuity

Let the corrected values be:

Velocity corrections

Pressure
correction
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SIMPLE Algorithm (Contd)

Also require that corrected velocities and pressures

satisfy momentum equations:

Subtracting starred momentum equations from above:

x pP pN
an vn anb vnb
nb

Velocity Correction Equation

Make an approximation:

an vn x pP pN

Dropped
'
'
nb anbunb
and nb anbvnb

Velocity Correction (Contd)

Define:

so that

vn dn pP pN
and

vn vn* dn pP pN
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Face Flow Rates

Corresponding, we have flow rates and corrections:

Fn n dn x pP pN

Pressure Correction Equation

Starred velocities do not satisfy discrete continuity

equation:

However, corrected velocities do:

10

Velocity Correction Equation

Make an approximation:

an vn x pP pN

Dropped
'
'
nb anbunb
and nb anbvnb

11

Velocity Correction (Contd)

Define:

so that

vn dn pP pN
and

vn vn* dn pP pN
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Pressure Correction Equation

Starred velocities do not satisfy discrete continuity

equation:

However, corrected velocities do:

13

Pressure Correction Equation (Contd)

Substituting for flow rate corrections:

Collect terms in pressure correction p to create

pressure correction equation

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Discrete Pressure Correction Equation

aP p anb p b
'
P

'
nb

Scarborough criterion
satisfied in the
equality

b term is the amount

by which the starred
velocities do not
satisfy continuity

nb

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SIMPLE Solution Loop

1. Guess velocities and pressure p*
2. Discretize and solve u momentum equation to obtain
u* using p* for pressure term
3. Discretize and solve v momentum equation to obtain
v* using p* for pressure term

4. Formulate p equation coefficients. In particular, find b

term in p equation using u* and v*:

b F F F F
*
w

*
e

*
s

*
n

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SIMPLE Solution Loop

5. Solve p equation to obtain the pressure correction at
all main control volume cell centroids
6. Correct velocity and pressure:

7. At this point, velocities satisfy continuity but not

momentum
8. Solve for other s
9. Check for convergence. If converged, exit. If not, go to
2.
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Discussion

Pressure correction equation nudges velocity and

pressure fields into satisfying both continuity and
momentum equations through a set of continuitysatisfying fields

At step 7, corrected velocities (u,v) satisfy discrete

continuity exactly every single iteration
However they dont satisfy momentum
Note how continuity-satisfying velocity fields are used
to solve for s in step 8
If this was not done, we wouldnt get bounded
during iteration even with UDS!

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Effect of Approximation

'
'
Dropping nb anbunb
in deriving p
, nb anb vnb
equation does not change the final answer

At convergence u and v are zero

Similarly, p becomes a constant

Can choose arbitrarily to be zero for all-velocity bc

Thus, approximations to primed equations cannot

change the converged solution

Approximations can change rate of convergence,

though
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Under-Relaxation

In reality, velocity correction consists of two parts:

x pP pN
an vn anb vnb
nb

Velocity part

Pressure part

'
'

a
u
,

a
v
Dropping nb nb nb
nb nb nb places the entire
burden of velocity correction on the pressure
correction

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Under-Relaxation (Contd)

Corrected velocities always satisfy continuity,

regardless of approximation

However, large pressure correction yields poor

pressure iterates

Under-relax pressure correction in correcting p*:

Do not under-relax velocity correction or else

corrected velocities will not satisfy continuity !
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Under-Relaxation (Contd)

That is, do not use:

u u* u '

Because of non-linearity, it is necessary to under-relax

momentum equations:

ae

(1 )

aeue*
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Nature of Pressure in Incompressible

Flows

Consider domain with all-velocity bc:

Pressure does not
appear except as
gradient
Wall

Inflow

Absolute value of
pressure does not
matter
Outflow

Wall

Only differences of
pressure are
meaningful
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Pressure in Incompressible Flows

(Contd)

What about pressure boundary conditions?

Say Pin =100, Pout
=50.
Wall
Pout

Pin

Wall

Compute velocity
field
Would velocity field
change if Pin =200,
Pout =150 ?

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Pressure in Incompressible Flows

What about mixed conditions?

Say

Would computed
velocity be different if

Wall

Pout

Vin

Vin =10, Pout =10

Vin =10, Pout =100 ?

Wall

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Discussion

Pressure does not change density

Absolute level of pressure does not matter

Only pressure differences matter in incompressible flows

When all bc are velocity bc, pressure level is indeterminate

p and p+c are solutions

When at least one pressure bc is present

Pressure level is fixed (not indeterminate)
But only differences of pressure determine solution
Changing pressure bc while keeping pressure
differences the same does not change velocity solution
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Closure
In this lecture:

We presented the SIMPLE solution loop

Found that the SIMPLE algorithm takes the iteration

through a set of continuity-satisfying fields to
convergence

Considered the nature of pressure in incompressible

flows

The next time, we will see how this pressure behavior is

reflected in boundary conditions for the p equation
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