Finite Difference Scheme for the Numerical Solution of Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer Problems on Nonstaggered Grids

A new finite difference method, which removes the need for staggered grids in fluid dynamic computations, is presented. Pressure checkerboarding is prevented through a differencing scheme that incorporates the influence of pressure on velocity gradients. The method is implemented in a SIMPLE-type algorithm, and applied to three test problems: one-dimensional flow through an actuator disk, plane stagnation flow, and free convection in a square cavity. Good agreement is obtained between the numerical solutions and the corresponding analytical or benchmark solutions