Error estimators for adaptive simulation of rarefied gases using hyperbolic moment models

In this paper, error estimators for hyperbolic moment models are reviewed and investigated. The simulation of rarefied gases using moment models has gained a lot of attention recently due to the development of new hyperbolic moment models that overcome the stability problems of Grad’s original moment equations. The new hierarchical models can be used for adaptive control of the number of moments provided suitable error estimators are available. This work presents a review of previous attempts for adaptive simulation of rarefied gases and the error estimators used therein, before desired properties of error estimators are discussed and three different error estimators are proposed. The error estimators are used for a 1D shock tube test case. It is shown that especially the size of the last moment as well as the deviation from equilibrium yield suitable error estimators.