Analysis of Two Finite Difference Schemes for a Channel Flow Problem

Abstract

Aims/ Objectives: To investigate the influence of a model parameter on the convergence of two finite difference schemes designed for a convection-diffusion-reaction equation governing the pressure-driven flow of a Newtonian fluid in a rectangular channel. Methodology: By assuming a uni-directional and incompressible channel flow with an exponentially time-varying suction velocity, we formulate a variable-coefficient convectiondiffusion- reaction problem. In the spirit of the method of manufactured solutions, we first obtain a benchmark analytic solution via perturbation technique. This leads to a modified problem which is exactly satisfied by the benchmark solution. Then, we formulate central and backward difference schemes for the modified problem. Consistency and convergence results are obtained in detail. We show, theoretically, that the central scheme is convergent only for values of a model parameter up to an upper bound, while the backward scheme remains convergent for all values of the parameter. An estimate of this upper bound, as a function of the mesh size, is derived. We then conducted numerical experiments to verify the theoretical results. Results: Numerical results showed that no numerical oscillations were observed for values of the model parameter less than the theoretically derived bound. Conclusion: We therefore conclude that the theoretical bound is a safe value to guarantee non-oscillatory solutions of the central scheme.