What happens to SPH elements during SPH Adaptive refinement in Ansys FreeFlow?

When an SPH element is refined:

• It is replaced by smaller elements according to the selected refinement level
• The original element is replaced by multiple smaller elements
• The total volume (in 3D) remains unchanged

Example (3D case)

• Consider an SPH element whose size is equal to the SPH size.
• With refinement level 1:
  • The new SPH size becomes SPH Size / 2
  • The original element is replaced by 8 smaller elements
  • Each new SPH element occupies one eighth of the original volume
• With refinement level 2:
  • The original element is first subdivided into 8 smaller elements. Each resulting element is then further subdivided into 8 elements. After two levels of refinement, one SPH element is transformed into 64 elements.
  • Spacing between elements is reduced accordingly.

This structured refinement ensures numerical stability and consistent element spacing.