Eur. Phys. J. Special Topics 222, 211-239 (2013)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2013-01836-9

Review

Numerical simulation of continuum models for fluid-fluid interface dynamics

Institut für Geometrie und Praktische Mathematik, RWTH-Aachen, Germany

^a e-mail: gross@igpm.rwth-aachen.de
^b e-mail: reusken@igpm.rwth-aachen.de

Received: 16 April 2013
Revised: 23 April 2013
Published online: 17 June 2013

Abstract

This paper is concerned with numerical methods for two-phase incompressible flows assuming a sharp interface model for interfacial stresses. Standard continuum models for the fluid dynamics in the bulk phases, for mass transport of a solute between the phases and for surfactant transport on the interface are given. We review some recently developed finite element methods for the appropriate discretization of such models, e. g., a pressure extended finite element (XFE) space which is suitable to represent the pressure jump, a space-time extended finite element discretization for the mass transport equation of a solute and a surface finite element method (SurFEM) for surfactant transport. Numerical experiments based on level set interface capturing and adaptive multilevel finite element discretization are presented for rising droplets with a clean interface model and a spherical droplet in a Poisseuille flow with a Boussinesq-Scriven interface model.