Solution adaptive grids applied to low Reynolds number flow

A numerical study has been undertaken to investigate the use of a solution adaptive grid for flow around a cylinder in the laminar flow regime. The main purpose of this work is twofold. The first aim is to investigate the suitability of a grid adaptation algorithm and the reduction in mesh size that can be obtained. Secondly, the uniform asymmetric flow structures are ideal to validate the mesh structures due to mesh refinement and consequently the selected refinement criteria. The refinement variable used in this work is a product of the rate of strain and the mesh cell size, and contains two variables C_m and C_str which determine the order of each term. By altering the order of either one of these terms the refinement behaviour can be modified. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.