[nauman maldar]

Why do most of the CFD studies for wind or tidal turbine simulations employ the Finite Volume method and not Volume of Fluid method.. I wanted to ask if ..is the VOF method unsuitable in terms of accuracy for such kind of studies ..?.. or is it due to some other reasons like higher computational or processing time ? or some other factors...?

[alexksei]

Originally Posted by nauman maldar

Why do most of the CFD studies for wind or tidal turbine simulations employ the Finite Volume method and not Volume of Fluid method.. I wanted to ask if ..is the VOF method unsuitable in terms of accuracy for such kind of studies ..?.. or is it due to some other reasons like higher computational or processing time ? or some other factors...?

FVM is a numerical method to solve differential equations, which are governing the physics of fluid motion. In most commercial and "classical" CFD codes FVM is used, though other computational methods can be employed (FDM, FEM).

VOF is a technique used by CFD solver (FVM solver) to track the motion of the free suirface. VOF is used within FVM methodology but specifically for multiphase flows.

All this means that VOF and FVM are not different methods, because they are used for different purposes. FVM for solving the equations, VOF to track the free surface.

[nauman maldar]

Originally Posted by alexksei

FVM is a numerical method to solve differential equations, which are governing the physics of fluid motion. In most commercial and "classical" CFD codes FVM is used, though other computational methods can be employed (FDM, FEM).

VOF is a technique used by CFD solver (FVM solver) to track the motion of the free suirface. VOF is used within FVM methodology but specifically for multiphase flows.

All this means that VOF and FVM are not different methods, because they are used for different purposes. FVM for solving the equations, VOF to track the free surface.

Thanks Aleksei