Assessment of global linear stability analysis using a time‐stepping approach for compressible flows

Summary Global linear stability analysis combined with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is considered useful for understanding the physics of fluid flows. However, the numerical techniques of global linear stability analysis for compressible flows have not been well established in comparison with those for incompressible flows. In this study, we develop and assess a set of appropriate numerical techniques required to conduct a global linear stability analysis for compressible flows. For the eigensystem analysis, the Arnoldi method combined with time integration is in effect to preserve the memory (RAM) size of the computer. The compact difference scheme is used for the CFD analysis from the viewpoints of computing accurate global modes and saving memory by reducing the number of grid points to obtain the necessary spatial resolution. To assess the proposed method, two‐dimensional compressible flow problems, including regularized cavity flow, flow around a square cylinder, and the compressible mixing layer, are analyzed, and it is confirmed that the proposed method can obtain accurate mode shapes, growth rate, and frequency of the corresponding global modes. In addition, influences and an appropriate formulation of the outflow boundary conditions are investigated. Results reveal that the outflow boundary causes spurious unstable modes in the global linear stability analysis, and the radiation and outflow boundary condition and the extension of the computational domain with grid stretching keep the spurious unstable modes to a minimum. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.