A Framework for Mesh Refinement Suitable for Finite-Volume and Discontinuous-Galerkin Schemes with Application to Multiphase Flow Prediction

Abstract

Modelling multiphase flow, more specifically particle-laden flow, poses multiple challenges. These difficulties are heightened when the particles are differentiated by a set of “internal” variables, such as size or temperature. Traditional treatments of such flows can be classified in two main categories, Lagrangian and Eulerian methods. The former approaches are highly accurate but can also lead to extremely expensive computations and challenges to load balancing on parallel machines. In contrast, the Eulerian models offer the promise of less expensive computations but often introduce modelling artifacts and can become more complicated and expensive when a large number of internal variables are treated. Recently, a new model was proposed to treat such situations. It extends the ten-moment Gaussian model for viscous gases to the treatment of a dilute particle phase with an arbitrary number of internal variables. In its initial application, the only internal variable chosen for the particle phase was the particle diameter. This new polydisperse Gaussian model (PGM) comprises 15 equations, has an eigensystem that can be expressed in closed form and also possesses a convex entropy. Previously, this model has been tested in one dimension. The PGM was developed with the detonation of radiological dispersal devices (RDD) as an immediate application. The detonation of RDDs poses many numerical challenges, namely the wide range of spatial and temporal scales as well as the high computational costs to accurately resolve solutions. In order to address these issues, the goal of this current project is to develop a block-based adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) implementation that can be used in conjunction with a parallel computer. Another goal of this project is to obtain the first three-dimensional results for the PGM. In this thesis, the kinetic theory of gases underlying the development of the PGM is studied. Different numerical schemes and adaptive mesh refinement methods are described. The new block-based adaptive mesh refinement algorithm is presented. Finally, results for different flow problems using the new AMR algorithm are shown, as well as the first three-dimensional results for the PGM.