P. Raiskinmäki

Lattice-Boltzmann Simulation of Capillary Rise Dynamics

We report results of extensive two-phase lattice-Boltzmann simulations of capillary rise dynamics. We demonstrate that the method can be used to model the hydrodynamic behaviour inside a capillary tube provided that the diameter of the tube is large enough, typically at least 30 lattice units. We also present results for the dependence of the cosine of the dynamic contact angle on the capillary number Ca. Its deviation from the static advancing contact angle has a power-law form, with the value of the exponent very close to 3/2 for capillary rise at zero gravity, while behaviour is more complex in the presence of gravity.

Spreading dynamics of three-dimensional droplets by the lattice-Boltzmann method ☆

Abstract We have simulated spreading of small droplets on smooth and rough solid surfaces using the three-dimensional lattice-Boltzmann method. We present results for the influence of the initial distance and shape of the drop from the surface on scaling of droplet radius R as a function of time. For relatively flat initial drop shapes our observations are consistent with Tanners law R ∼ t q , where q =1/10. For increasingly spherical initial shapes, the exponent q increases rapidly being above one half for spherical droplets initially just above the surface. As expected, surface roughness slows down spreading, decreases the final drop radius, and results in irregular droplet shape due to pinning of the droplet edge. Our results show that lattice-Boltzmann method can be a powerful tool in realistic simulations of droplet spreading.

Shear Stress in a Couette Flow of Liquid-Particle Suspensions

The mechanisms of momentum transfer and shear stress of liquid-particle suspensions in two-dimensional Couette flow are studied using direct numerical simulation by lattice-Boltzmann techniques. The results obtained display complex flow phenomena that arise from the two-phase nature of the fluid including a nonlinear velocity profile, layering of particles, and apparent slip near the solid walls. The general rheological behaviour of the suspension is dilatant. A detailed study of the various momentum transfer mechanisms that contribute to the total shear stress indicates that the observed shear thickening is related to enhanced relative solid phase stress for increasing shear rates.

Simulations of non-spherical particles suspended in a shear flow

The lattice-Boltzmann method was used to investigate the effects of the shape and concentration of the particles on the rheological properties of non-Brownian suspensions for non-zero Reynolds numbers. Several case studies were analyzed and the methods used were found to give accurate predictions for these systems. The viscosity of suspensions of both spherical and non-spherical particles was determined as functions of shear rate and concentration of particles. It was shown that, for high shear rates, shear thickening appears. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced for particles of irregular shape.