ADAPTIVE LINEARIZATION AND GRID ITERATIONS WITH THE TRI‐TREE MULTIGRID REFINEMENT–RECOARSEMENT ALGORITHM FOR THE NAVIER–STOKES EQUATIONS

The tri‐tree algorithm for refinements and recoarsements of finite element grids is explored. The refinement–recoarsement algorithm not only provides an accurate solution in certain parts of the grid but also has a major influence on the finite element equation system itself. The refinements of the grid lead to a more symmetric and linear equation matrix. The recoarsements will ensure that the grid is not finer than is necessary for preventing divergence in an iterative solution procedure. The refinement–recoarsement algorithm is a dynamic procedure and the grid is adapted to the instant solution. In the tri‐tree multigrid algorithm the solution from a coarser grid is scaled relatively to the increase in velocity boundary condition for the finer grid. In order to have a good start vector for the solution of the finer grid, the global Reynolds number or velocity boundary condition should not be subject to large changes. For each grid and velocity solution the element Reynolds number is computed and used as the grid adaption indicator during the refinement–recoarsement procedure. The iterative tri‐tree multigrid method includes iterations with respect to the grid. At each Reynolds number the same boundary condition s are applied and the grid is adapted to the solution iteratively until the number of unknowns and elements in the grid becomes constant. In the present paper the following properties of the tri‐tree algorithm are explored: the influence of the increase in boundary velocities and the size of the grid adaption indicator on the amount of work for solving the equations, the number of linear iterations and the solution error estimate between grid levels. The present work indicates that in addition to the linear and non‐linear iterations, attention should also be given to grid adaption iterations. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.