A toolkit for numerical simulation of PDEs. II. Solving generic multiphysics problems Original Research Article

Numerical simulations of partial different equations are used in a variety of domains, allowing complete testing and simulation of a product or process even before it is created. However, numerical solvers are not used in all the domains where such equations arise due to the lack of available software or knowledge of numerical methods by scientists. The difficulty of writing a numerical solver is even greater for multiphysics problems, which combine distinct but coupled physical phenomena into a single simulation. In this article, we demonstrate how an existing high-order accurate generic numerical toolkit based on the finite-volume method was modified to allow complex multiphysics problems to be solved easily. We describe how data exchange between the different physical phenomena, the most critical process of a generic multiphysics solver, was made possible using variable association. The modifications to the generic numerical toolkit are detailed and numerical results to both field and interface coupling problems are presented.