An implicit surface tension algorithm for picard solvers of surface-tension-dominated free and moving boundary problems

One of the methods for solving a free or moving boundary problem is the use of Picard solvers which solve the geometry and the velocity field successively. When, however, the kinematic condition is used for updating the geometry in this technique, numerical stability problems occur for surface-tension-dominated flow. These problems are shown here to originate from the unstable integration of the local smoothing of the surface by surface tension. By an extension of the surface tension contribution to the flow field an implicit treatment of surface tension is obtained which overcomes these stability problems. The algorithm is applicable to both free and moving boundary problems, as will be shown by examples in this paper.