COUPLED SPACE-MARCHING METHOD FOR THE NAVIER-STOKES EQUATIONS FOR SUBSONIC FLOWS

An implicit space-marching finite-difference procedure is described for solving the compressible form of the steady, two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations in body-fitted curvilinear coordinates. The coupled system of equations is solved for the primitive variables of velocity and pressure by making multiple sweeps of the space-marching procedure. A new pressure correction method has been developed that significantly accelerates convergence of the iterative process. The scheme is used to compute incompressible flows by taking the low Mach number limit of the compressible formulation. Computed results are compared with other numerical predictions for low Reynolds number channel inlet flow, flow over a rearward-facing step in a channel, and external flow over a cylinder.