Method for Simulating Combustion in Digital Imagery with Real or Artist-Specified Components

Abstract

A combustion simulation system is provided. The combustion simulation system can be performed using a computing device operated by a computer user or artist. The computer-implemented method of simulating a combustion process includes receiving a set of data representing a fluid flow. The fluid flow can include combustion precursors comprising at least one arbitrary combustion precursor. The method includes simulating a chemical reaction representing simulated combustion involving the at least one arbitrary combustion precursor and generating combustion byproducts. The method can include determining a change in temperature of the combustion byproducts due to the chemical reaction, determining a change in molar mass of the combustion byproducts due to the chemical reaction, determining a divergence of the combustion byproducts based on a combination of the change in the temperature and the change in molar mass, and generating data structures of the simulated combustion based on values of the fluid flow.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method of simulating combustion processes, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions:
 receiving a first set of data representing a fluid flow including a plurality of combustion precursors comprising at least one arbitrary combustion precursor; 
 simulating a chemical reaction representing simulated combustion involving the at least one arbitrary combustion precursor and generating combustion byproducts; 
 determining a change in temperature and a molar mass of the combustion byproducts due to the chemical reaction; 
 determining a divergence of the combustion byproducts based on a combination of the change in the temperature and the change in molar mass; 
 generating one or more data structures of the simulated combustion based on values of at least a first portion of the fluid flow. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving user provided parameter values defining the at least one arbitrary combustion precursor, the chemical reaction being simulated based at least in part on the user provided parameter values.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 providing a user interface to a client computing device for display thereby, the user interface being configured to receive the user provided parameter values from a user.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of combustion precursors comprises at least one non-arbitrary combustion precursor. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein at least one non-arbitrary combustion precursor is a linear alkane having a chemical composition with a form “C n H 2n+2 .” 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the user provided parameter values defining the at least one arbitrary combustion precursor is changed such that the at least one non-arbitrary combustion precursor is converted into an arbitrary combustion precursor. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of combustion precursors comprises at least one non-combustible component. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the divergence is determined based on the change in temperature over time. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the divergence is determined based on the change in molar mass over time. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising simulating the combustion byproducts as a second portion of the fluid flow having a variable density, wherein the variable density of the fluid flow varies in response to the divergence of a velocity field pertaining to the fluid flow. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a second portion of the fluid flow is treated as incompressible. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a second portion of the fluid flow is treated as compressible. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more data structures are configured for use by an animation process for generating one or more visual representations of a combustion event. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 using a convolution kernel to simulate heat diffusion by blurring at least a portion of the one or more visual representations of the combustion event.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 deriving the convolution kernel from a heat equation.   
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method comprising the method of any preceding claim and for generating a graphics output with a simulated combustion using the one or more data structures. 
     
     
         17 . A computer system for simulating combustion processes, the system comprising:
 at least one processor; and   a computer-readable medium storing instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to carry out the method of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by at least one processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to carry out the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         19 . A computer-readable medium carrying instructions, which when executed by at least one processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to carry out the method of  claim 1 .