A component-splitting implicit time integration for multicomponent reacting flows simulations

A component-splitting method is proposed to improve convergence characteristics for implicit time integration of compressible multicomponent reactive flows. The characteristic decomposition of flux jacobian of multicomponent Navier-Stokes equations yields a large sparse eigensystem, presenting challenges of slow convergence and high computational costs for implicit methods. To addresses this issue, the component-splitting method segregates the implicit operator into two parts: one for the flow equations (density/momentum/energy) and the other for the component equations. Each part's implicit operator employs flux-vector splitting based on their respective spectral radii to achieve accelerated convergence. This approach improves the computational efficiency of implicit iteration, mitigating the quadratic increase in time cost with the number of species. Two consistence corrections are developed to reduce the introduced component-splitting error and ensure the numerical consistency of mass fraction. Importantly, the impact of component-splitting method on accuracy is minimal as the residual approaches convergence. The accuracy, efficiency, and robustness of component-splitting method are thoroughly investigated and compared with the coupled implicit scheme through several numerical cases involving thermo-chemical nonequilibrium hypersonic flows. The results demonstrate that the component-splitting method decreases the required number of iteration steps for convergence of residual and wall heat flux, decreases the computation time per iteration step, and diminishes the residual to lower magnitude. The acceleration efficiency is enhanced with increases in CFL number and number of species.