The advantages of using mesh adaptivity when modelling the drainage of liquid in froths

A key factor in most computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques is the grid that contains the representation and connectivity of the elements into which the domain has been subdivided. Unstructured anisotropic meshes present benefits due to the fact that they are more easily adapted and allow higher resolution to be focused only where it is required, so the mesh can be optimised to adequately resolve local features occurring during the solution of the physical problem. This paper examines how transient simulations of the drainage of liquid in flotation froths can be benefited from using adaptive remeshing. Fluidity, a general purpose finite element method code capable of using anisotropic mesh adaptivity, is used to accurately resolve the boundary layers present at the liquid-foam interface as well as other strong gradients that can develop during the drainage process.

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► A model for froth drainage in up to three dimensions is described.
► The equations are solved on unstructured adaptive finite element meshes.
► Anisotropic mesh elements can efficiently capture strong liquid content gradients.
► Adaptive remeshing can significantly reduce computational cost for the simulations.