4
Computational Fluid Dynamics
4.1 Derivation of Computational Fluid
Dynamics
Computational fluid dynamics is a science rapidly evolving since 1960s,
which constitutes three branches of modern fluid dynamics with experimental
fluid dynamics as well as theoretical fluid dynamics. Moreover, computational
fluid dynamics play a more prominent role in industries, especially for aircraft
design, computational fluid dynamics is called an important flow simulation
and analysis tool.
The combination of computer technology and discrete numerical method
constitutes the basis of computational fluid dynamics. At the beginning of
the twentieth century, L.f. Richardson (1881–1953), the British meteorologist, first tried to make numerical weather forecast. In 1922, in his book
numerical method for weather forecast, he discussed the principle and possibility of numerical forecast, and applied complete primitive equations to
forecast the surface pressure field in Europe for six hours. But the result is
not ideal. He predicted that the pressure in the area would change by 154
mba (mill bar, or 100 Pa) in six hours, while the actual pressure would hardly
change. At that time, Richardson attributed the failure to the inaccuracy of
the initial value. His failure once made people doubt the possibility of numerical weather forecast. Until the end of World War II, due to the emergence
of computers and the development of meteorological observation network,
especially the high-altitude observation, the meteorological data have been
greatly improved, and the numerical weather forecast has attracted people’s
attention again. In particular, people realize that Richardson’s failure is mainly
© Science Press 2021
P. Liu, A General Theory of Fluid Mechanics,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6660-2_4
297
Computational Fluid Dynamics
4.1 Derivation of Computational Fluid
Dynamics
Computational fluid dynamics is a science rapidly evolving since 1960s,
which constitutes three branches of modern fluid dynamics with experimental
fluid dynamics as well as theoretical fluid dynamics. Moreover, computational
fluid dynamics play a more prominent role in industries, especially for aircraft
design, computational fluid dynamics is called an important flow simulation
and analysis tool.
The combination of computer technology and discrete numerical method
constitutes the basis of computational fluid dynamics. At the beginning of
the twentieth century, L.f. Richardson (1881–1953), the British meteorologist, first tried to make numerical weather forecast. In 1922, in his book
numerical method for weather forecast, he discussed the principle and possibility of numerical forecast, and applied complete primitive equations to
forecast the surface pressure field in Europe for six hours. But the result is
not ideal. He predicted that the pressure in the area would change by 154
mba (mill bar, or 100 Pa) in six hours, while the actual pressure would hardly
change. At that time, Richardson attributed the failure to the inaccuracy of
the initial value. His failure once made people doubt the possibility of numerical weather forecast. Until the end of World War II, due to the emergence
of computers and the development of meteorological observation network,
especially the high-altitude observation, the meteorological data have been
greatly improved, and the numerical weather forecast has attracted people’s
attention again. In particular, people realize that Richardson’s failure is mainly
© Science Press 2021
P. Liu, A General Theory of Fluid Mechanics,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6660-2_4
297