2D lid-driven cavity flow at high Reynolds numbers: Some interesting fluid-dynamical issues

Solutions currently considered to provide the bench-mark for 2-D lid-driven cavity flow are shown here to be are not grid-independent. Using clustered grids and a time-accurate multi-grid code, grid-independent solutions are reported here at Reynolds number Re=100 and 400 (based on lid velocity and cavity size). Preliminary solutions are presented also at Re=3200 and 10000. It is found that fine resolution near the wall is necessary to obtain the solution accurately even in the core of the cavity. The solutions presented here call into question both the theories proposing an asymptotically constant core vorticity in the limit of infinite Reynolds numbers, and current interpretations of experimental data.