Numerical study of the Navier-Stokes equations using the Fractional Step Method. Application to the laminar flow around a square cylinder.

The numerical resolution of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations with the Fractional Step Method, based on the Helmholtz-Hodge theorem, is studied. Basic benchmark problems are solved previously, such as a generic transient 2D heat conduction problem, potential flow around a rotating and non-rotating cylinder and a generic convection-diffusion equation; with excellent agreement with the results obtained and the ones on the literature. The code for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equation is verified using the benchmark results of the Lid-driven cavity problem with really good agreement as well. Finally, laminar flow around a confined square cylinder is studied and compared with the results from Breuer et. al. The drag coefficient and Strouhal number are computed finding good agreement for Reynolds numbers lower than 100 but important discrepancies for higher Reynolds