SUPG finite element computation of compressible flows with the entropy and conservation variables formulations

Abstract SUPG-stabilized finite element formulations of compressible Euler equations based on the conservation and entropy variables are investigated and compared. The formulation based on the conservation variables consists of the formulation introduced by Tezduyar and Hughes plus a shock capturing term. The formulation based on the entropy variables is the same as the one by Hughes, Franca and Mallet, which has a shock capturing term built in. These formulations are tested on several subsonic, transonic and supersonic compressible flow problems. It is shown that the stabilized formulation based on the conservation variables gives solutions which are just as good as those obtained with the entropy variables. Furthermore, the solutions obtained using the two formulations are very close and in some cases almost indistinguishable. Consequently, it can be deduced that the relative merits of these two formulations will continue to remain under debate.

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