Face-centred cubic lattices and particle redistribution in vortex methods

Abstract

In vortex particle methods one is concerned with the problem of clustering and depletion of particles in different regions of the flow. The overlap of the vortex blobs is indeed of primary importance for the convergence of the method. In this paper we consider face-centred cubic (FCC) lattices for particle redistribution in three dimensions. This lattice is in fact the most natural way to pack spheres (the FCC is also known as a closest-sphere packing lattice). As a consequence, a point has 12 equidistant close neighbours rather than six for the cubic lattice. The FCC lattice thus offers some symmetry properties that should prove useful for a number of reasons, e.g., the core overlap issue. A few results for this scheme are presented. The problem of two colliding vortex rings at Re = 250 and 500 is studied with both the FCC and cubic lattice schemes. This problem subjects the vortex tubes to a quite strong stretching field and can amply test the quality of the lattice and the remeshing.

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