Using symbolic computation software packages in production of multidimensional finite volume-based large eddy simulation codes

The numerical simulation of turbulence is one of the most challenging tasks in the field of the modern computational science. At present, the most advanced approach is the large eddy simulation (LES) technique wherein a formal separation between resolved (large) and unresolved (small) scales of the motion is in effect by means of a filtering operation applied onto the governing equations. However, LES requires very sophisticated numerical discretizations in terms of both accuracy and efficiency. Often, the modelling of the unresolved subgrid scale terms adds further computational complexities. This paper illustrates the suitability in using software packages for symbolic computation (in the present case, Maple© for helping in the production of subroutines for a new multidimensional, high-order accurate finite volume-based LES code. Specifically, it will be detailed how producing, rapidly and efficiently, the routines for computing convective, diffusive as well as subgrid scale modelling fluxes. It is particularly detailed how exploiting the package for differential calculus and linear algebra for the analytical integration of the flux polynomials over the finite volume faces. The structure of the LES code is illustrated, and an accuracy analysis of the local truncation errors is performed comparing the third-order accurate multidimensional upwind and the classical second-order centred reconstruction in the wavenumbers space. Then, some numerical results for the turbulent plane channel and some brief points concerning the parallelization issue are addressed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.