CFD Online Discussion Forums - Is the surface normal gradient a vector or a scalar?

CFD Online Discussion Forums (https://www.cfd-online.com/Forums/)

- OpenFOAM Programming & Development (https://www.cfd-online.com/Forums/openfoam-programming-development/)

- - Is the surface normal gradient a vector or a scalar? (https://www.cfd-online.com/Forums/openfoam-programming-development/123421-surface-normal-gradient-vector-scalar.html)

sharonyue

September 12, 2013 09:12

Is the surface normal gradient a vector or a scalar?

Hi guys,

According to Rusche's thesis page 82,it said:

$\nabla _f^ \bot \phi = \vec n \cdot {\nabla _f}\phi$

So we know that the surface normal gradient is a vector.

But via the other paper it said:
$\underbrace {\nabla _f^ \bot \phi \left| {{{\vec S}_f}} \right|}_{vector} = \underbrace {{\nabla _f}\phi \cdot {{\vec S}_f}}_{scalar}?????$

Whats going on? Thanks in advance...

sharonyue

September 12, 2013 09:14

Sorry, my bad, the last term in the paper is a vector..So face normal gradient is a vector. It works.

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:10.