Abstract Solving computational fluid dynamics (CFD) problems requires the inversion of a linear system of equations, which can be done using a quantum algorithm for matrix inversion (Gilyén et al 2019 Proc. 51st Annual ACM SIGACT Symp. on Theory of Computing 193–204). However, the number of shots required to measure the output of the system can be prohibitive and remove any advantage obtained by quantum computing. In this work we propose a scheme for measuring the output of a quantum singular value transform (QSVT) matrix inversion algorithm specifically for the CFD use case. We use a quantum signal processing based amplitude estimation algorithm (Rall and Fuller 2023 Quantum 7 937) and show how it can be combined with the QSVT matrix inversion algorithm. We perform a detailed resource estimation of the amount of computational resources required for a single iteration of amplitude estimation, and compare the costs of amplitude estimation with the cost of not doing amplitude estimation and measuring the whole wavefunction. We also propose a measurement scheme to reduce the number of amplitudes measured in the CFD example by focussing on large amplitudes only. We simulate the whole CFD loop, finding that thus measuring only a small number of the total amplitudes in the output vector still results in an acceptable level of overall error.
Abstract Solving computational fluid dynamics (CFD) problems requires the inversion of a linear system of equations, which can be done using a quantum algorithm for matrix inversion (Gilyén et al 2019 Proc. 51st Annual ACM SIGACT Symp. on Theory of Computing 193–204). However, the number of shots required to measure the output of the system can be prohibitive and remove any advantage obtained by quantum computing. In this work we propose a scheme for measuring the output of a quantum singular value transform (QSVT) matrix inversion algorithm specifically for the CFD use case. We use a quantum signal processing based amplitude estimation algorithm (Rall and Fuller 2023 Quantum 7 937) and show how it can be combined with the QSVT matrix inversion algorithm. We perform a detailed resource estimation of the amount of computational resources required for a single iteration of amplitude estimation, and compare the costs of amplitude estimation with the cost of not doing amplitude estimation and measuring the whole wavefunction. We also propose a measurement scheme to reduce the number of amplitudes measured in the CFD example by focussing on large amplitudes only. We simulate the whole CFD loop, finding that thus measuring only a small number of the total amplitudes in the output vector still results in an acceptable level of overall error.
Many computational fluid dynamics (CFD) algorithms solve partial differential equations by discretization, resulting in large and sparse systems of linear equations. While iterative methods are widely used to solve these systems classically, most existing quantum linear system solvers target the solution through matrix inversion rather than approximating it using an iterative procedure. In this work, we develop a quantum implementation of the Jacobi method based on quantum singular value transformation (QSVT). By reformulating the Jacobi iteration as a polynomial transformation of a block-encoded operator, the algorithm requires only a constant ancilla overhead with respect to the number of iterations while maintaining a circuit depth that scales linearly with the iteration number. We demonstrate the algorithm for one- and two-dimensional Poisson problems, including the pressure Poisson equation arising in Chorin's projection method for the lid-driven cavity flow. The proposed algorithm provides a promising building block for future quantum implementations of multigrid methods and preconditioning techniques, bringing quantum algorithms closer to established CFD solution strategies.
Quantum linear solvers are well studied as standalone quantum algorithms; however, in hybrid classical-quantum routines, their practical value must be evaluated at the level of the full non-linear application. A central issue is whether the approximation error of the quantum linear solver remains controlled once embedded in a full iterative workflow. We study this question in the context of a hybrid computational fluid dynamics (CFD) scheme. Through numerical simulations, we analyze how an approximate quantum linear solver affects the convergence of the overall CFD iteration. We show that convergence can be preserved for a non-exact quantum solver with only a moderate overhead in iteration count, provided that the high-frequency components of the linear system are resolved with sufficient accuracy. In addition, we develop an approximate qubitization-based solver (Cheb-LCU) that can reduce quantum resource requirements relative to a Quantum Singular Value Transformation (QSVT)-based solver while inducing only a small loss in convergence performance. This claim is demonstrated through explicit implementation and compilation of the quantum algorithms and by examining their impact on the convergence of the full CFD scheme. We find that our approximate approach reduces the required number of single-qubit rotations by over an order of magnitude relative to the QSVT-based solver, while requiring only a modest increase in CFD iteration count.
We present a comprehensive review of quantum approaches for solving partial differential equations (PDEs) arising in computational fluid dynamics (CFD). We examine fully quantum approaches, including quantum linear system algorithms (QLSAs), ranging from the Harrow--Hassidim--Lloyd (HHL) algorithm to quantum singular value transformation (QSVT), Hamiltonian simulation, and quantum lattice Boltzmann methods (QLBMs), while emphasizing hybrid quantum--classical approaches, including quantum physics-informed neural networks (QPINNs) and amplitude-encoded variational PDE solvers. We focus on hardware-agnostic algorithms compatible with present noisy processors and emerging fault-tolerant architectures. For each framework, we analyze the mathematical formulation, algorithmic structure, and principal limitations. We also examine tensor-network (TN) representations, since CFD fields, differential operators, and geometrical information can often be encoded efficiently in low-rank form. The TN formalism bridges CFD discretizations and quantum states, operators, and circuits, enabling compact representations to be translated into tensor-programmable variational quantum algorithms (TP-VQAs). We further review benchmark problems, including Poisson, reaction, diffusion, and nonlinear model equations, and assess how well quantum algorithms capture key features of fluid dynamics. Our analysis highlights that potential quantum advantage is highly problem dependent and governed by condition number, representational complexity, state preparation, and measurement constraints. We outline capabilities, limitations, and challenges toward scalable quantum algorithms for CFD.
For quantum algorithms for problems in which the task is to compute an entire field of values, like e.g. computational fluid dynamics (CFD), it is often proposed amplitude encoding w.r.t. multiple qubits; however, the efforts implied by it for initialization and read-out are not addressed. This work is devoted specifically to this issue: It reviews different encoding schemes in quantum computing, discussing their computational costs for initialization and read-out as well as resulting aspects for their usage via minimal examples. The considerations in previous literature on the required computational resources for amplitude encoding w.r.t. multiple qubits are extended in the presented quantification by explicitly deducing the circuit depth that results for the decomposed initialization procedure of V. V. Shende et al. [1, 2] and deriving an upper bound for the necessary number of executions of a quantum algorithm to extract the encoded values with a specific accuracy. For these two results, an empirical verification via the means provided by IBM's quantum computing simulation framework Qiskit [3] is given. In the framework of the study on the required number of runs to achieve a desired accuracy, it is however found that the derived upper bound, scaling like $ {\tilde{n}^2} ~ {\ln( {\tilde{n}} )} $ with the number of encoded values $ {\tilde{n}} $, is too conservative to be used for precise estimations. Therefore, a corresponding study of the required runs for the reference distribution of equal probabilities for all basis states is done in particular, which suggests $ {\tilde{n}} ~ { \ln( {\tilde{n}} ) } $ as an empirical scaling law. Since the view regarding CFD applications is taken here, it is presented in particular that the insights from this work lead to a new encoding approach, which is proposed specifically for a quantum algorithm for the lattice Boltzmann method.
The solution for non-linear, complex partial differential Equations (PDEs) is achieved through numerical approximations, which yield a linear system of equations. This approach is prevalent in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), but it restricts the mesh size since the solution of the linear system becomes computationally intractable when the mesh resolution increases. The reliance on the ability of High-Performance Computers (HPC) to scale up and meet these requirements is myopic; such very high-fidelity simulations require a paradigm shift in computing. This paper presents an exploration of quantum methodologies aimed at achieving high accuracy in solving such a large system of equations. Leveraging recent works in Quantum Linear Solver Algorithms (QLSA) and variational algorithms suitable for Quantum Simulation in HPC, we aspire to push the boundaries of CFD-relevant problems that can be solved on hybrid quantum-classical framework. To this end, we consider the 2D, transient, incompressible, viscous, non-linear coupled Burgers equation as a test problem and investigate the accuracy of our approach by comparing results with a classical linear system of equation solvers, such as the Generalized Minimal RESidual method (GMRES). Through rigorous testing, our findings demonstrate that our quantum methods yield results comparable in accuracy to traditional approaches. Additionally, we demonstrate the accuracy, scalability, and consistency of our quantum method. Lastly, we present an insightful estimation of the resources our quantum algorithm needs to solve systems with nearly 2 billion mesh points.
This paper presents a novel approach to simulating complex fluid dynamics, specifically turbulent flows, utilizing quantum-inspired algorithms. Traditional numerical methods, such as Navier-Stokes solvers, often struggle with the computational demands of accurately representing turbulence, leading to significant processing times and limitations in practical applications. We introduce a simulation strategy based on quantum amplitude estimation (QAE), a technique inspired by quantum computing principles, to accelerate the solution process. The core idea is to approximate the probability amplitude associated with different fluid states, thereby reducing the number of iterations required to reach a stable solution. We demonstrate, through theoretical analysis and a simplified numerical framework, that QAE offers a promising path toward more efficient and accurate simulations of turbulent flows, potentially bridging the gap between classical computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and the computational benefits anticipated from full-scale quantum simulation. This work lays the groundwork for future research exploring the full potential of quantum-inspired algorithms in tackling complex fluid dynamics problems.