Three-Dimensional Viscous Flow Through a Rotating Channel: a Pseudospectral Matrix Method Approach

A Fourier–Chebyshev pseudospectral method is used for the numerical simulation of incompressible flows in a three-dimensio nal channel of square cross-section with rotation. Realistic, non-periodic boundary conditions that impose no-slip conditions in two directions (spanwis e and vertical directions) are used. The Navier–Stokes equations are integrated in time using a fractional step method. The Poisson equations for pressure and the Helmholtz equation for velocity are solved using a matrix diagonalization (eigenfunction decomposition) method, through which we are able to reduce a three-dimensional matrix problem to a simple algebraic vector equation. This results in signficant savings in computer storage requirement, particularly for large-scale computations. Verification of the numerical algorithm and code is carried out by comparing with a limiting case of an exact steady state solution for a one-dimensional channel flow and also with a two-dimensional rotating channel case. Two-cell and four-cell two-dimensional flow patterns are observed in the numerical experiment. It is found that the four-cell flow pattern is stable to symmetri cal disturbances but unstable to asymmetrical disturbances.