An improved particle correction procedure for the particle level set method

The particle level set method [D. Enright, R. Fedkiw, J. Ferziger, I. Mitchell, A hybrid particle level set method for improved interface capturing, I. Comput. Phys. 183 (2002) 83-116.] can substantially improve the mass conservation property of the level set method by using Lagrangian marker particles to correct the level set function in the under-resolved regions. In this study, the limitations of the particle level set method due to the errors introduced in the particle correction process are analyzed, and an improved particle correction procedure is developed based on a new interface reconstruction scheme. Moreover, the zero level set is anchored as the level set functions are reinitialized; hence the additional particle correction after the level set reinitialization is avoided. With this new scheme, a well-defined zero level set can be obtained and the disturbances to the interface are significantly reduced. Consequently, the particle reseeding operation will barely result in the loss of interface characteristics and can be applied as frequently as necessary. To demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of the proposed method, two extreme particle reseeding strategies, one without reseeding and the other with reseeding every time step, are applied in several benchmark advection tests and the results are compared with each other. Three interfacial flow cases, a 2D surface tension driven oscillating droplet, a 2D gas bubble rising in a quiescent liquid, and a 3D drop impact onto a liquid pool are simulated to illustrate the advantages of the current method over the level set and the original particle level set methods with regard to the smoothness of geometric properties and mass conservation in real physical applications. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.