Robust a Posteriori Error Estimates of Time-Dependent Poisson–Nernst–Planck Equations

Abstract

The paper considers the a posteriori error estimates for fully discrete approximations of time-dependent Poisson–Nernst–Planck (PNP) equations, which provide tools that allow for optimizing the choice of each time step when working with adaptive meshes. The equations are discretized by the Backward Euler scheme in time and conforming finite elements in space. Overcoming the coupling of time and the space with a full discrete solution and dealing with nonlinearity by taking G-derivatives of the nonlinear system, the computable, robust, effective, and reliable space–time a posteriori error estimation is obtained. The adaptive algorithm constructed based on the estimates realizes the parallel adaptations of time steps and mesh refinements, which are verified by numerical experiments with the time singular point and adaptive mesh refinement with boundary layer effects.

Keywords

• Poisson–Nernst–Planck equations
• a posteriori error estimates
• full discrete approximations
• finite element method
• robustness