Real-Time Grid-Based Eulerian Fluid Simulation in WebGPU
Solving incompressible Navier-Stokes equations and Jacobi pressure projections at 60 FPS using parallel WGSL compute workgroups.
Simulating realistic fluid dynamics requires executing heavy partial differential equations across spatial grids. Transitioning from CPU solvers to WebGPU compute pipelines allows processing multi-million cell grids in real time inside web browsers.
1. Eulerian Grid Discretization & Advection Passes
Eulerian fluid frameworks divide simulation volumes into static grid cells, evaluating velocity field advection via semi-Lagrangian back-tracing compute passes directly on GPU storage textures.
2. Divergence-Free Pressure Projection (Jacobi Solver)
Enforcing fluid incompressibility demands resolving Poisson pressure equations. Executing iterative Jacobi or Conjugate Gradient compute passes subtracts velocity field divergence across thousands of concurrent GPU threads.
3. Dynamic Obstacle Boundary Conditions
Injecting solid CAD geometry boundary masks into grid compute passes enforces zero normal velocity conditions along immersed structural obstacles, simulating realistic aerodynamic drag and hydrodynamic flow.