Towards Solving the Navier-Stokes Equation on Quantum Computers

In this paper, we explore the suitability of upcoming novel computing technologies, in particular adiabatic annealing based quantum computers, to solve fluid dynamics problems that form a critical component of several science and engineering applications. We start with simple flows with well-studied flow properties, and provide a framework to convert such systems to a form amenable for deployment on such quantum annealers. We analyze the solutions obtained both qualitatively and quantitatively as well as the sensitivities of the various solution selection schemes on the obtained solution.