Prasad Perlekar

Convection in multiphase fluid flows using lattice Boltzmann methods

We present high-resolution numerical simulations of convection in multiphase flows (boiling) using a novel algorithm based on a lattice Boltzmann method. We first study the thermodynamical and kinematic properties of the algorithm. Then, we perform a series of 3D numerical simulations changing the mean properties in the phase diagram and compare convection with and without phase coexistence at Rayleigh number Ra∼10(7). We show that in the presence of nucleating bubbles non-Oberbeck-Boussinesq effects develop, the mean temperature profile becomes asymmetric, and heat-transfer and heat-transfer fluctuations are enhanced, at all Ra studied. We also show that small-scale properties of velocity and temperature fields are strongly affected by the presence of the buoyant bubble leading to high non-gaussian profiles in the bulk.

Droplet size distribution in homogeneous isotropic turbulence

We study the physics of droplet breakup in a statistically stationary homogeneous and isotropic turbulent flow by means of high resolution numerical investigations based on the multicomponent lattice Boltzmann method. We verified the validity of the criterion proposed by Hinze [AIChE J. 1, 289 (1955)] for droplet breakup and we measured the full probability distribution function of droplets radii at different Reynolds numbers and for different volume fractions. By means of a Lagrangian tracking we could follow individual droplets along their trajectories, define a local Weber number based on the velocity gradients, and study its cross-correlation with droplet deformation.

Unified framework for a side-by-side comparison of different multicomponent algorithms: Lattice Boltzmann vs. phase field model

Lattice Boltzmann models (LBM) and phase field models (PFM) are two of the most widespread approaches for the numerical study of multicomponent fluid systems. Both methods have been successfully employed by several authors but, despite their popularity, still remains unclear how to properly compare them and how they perform on the same problem. Here we present a unified framework for the direct (one-to-one) comparison of the multicomponent LBM against the PFM. We provide analytical guidelines on how to compare the Shan-Chen (SC) lattice Boltzmann model for non-ideal multicomponent fluids with a corresponding free energy (FE) lattice Boltzmann model. Then, in order to properly compare the LBM vs. the PFM, we propose a new formulation for the free energy of the Cahn-Hilliard/Navier-Stokes equations. Finally, the LBM model is numerically compared with the corresponding phase field model solved by means of a pseudo-spectral algorithm. This work constitute a first attempt to set the basis for a quantitative comparison between different algorithms for multicomponent fluids. We limit our scope to the few of the most common variants of the two most widespread methodologies, namely the lattice Boltzmann model (SC and FE variants) and the phase field model.

Manifestations of drag reduction by polymer additives in decaying, homogeneous, isotropic turbulence

The existence of drag reduction by polymer additives, well established for wall-bounded turbulent flows, is controversial in homogeneous, isotropic turbulence. To settle this controversy, we carry out a high-resolution direct numerical simulation of decaying, homogeneous, isotropic turbulence with polymer additives. Our study reveals clear manifestations of drag-reduction-type phenomena: On the addition of polymers to the turbulent fluid, we obtain a reduction in the energy-dissipation rate, a significant modification of the fluid energy spectrum especially in the deep-dissipation range, a suppression of small-scale intermittency, and a decrease in small-scale vorticity filaments.

Population dynamics at high Reynolds number.

We study the statistical properties of population dynamics evolving in a realistic two-dimensional compressible turbulent velocity field. We show that the interplay between turbulent dynamics and population growth and saturation leads to quasilocalization and a remarkable reduction in the carrying capacity. The statistical properties of the population density are investigated and quantified via multifractal scaling analysis. We also investigate numerically the singular limit of negligibly small growth rates and delocalization of population ridges triggered by uniform advection.

Axisymmetric multiphase lattice Boltzmann method

A lattice Boltzmann method for axisymmetric multiphase flows is presented and validated. The method is capable of accurately modeling flows with variable density. We develop the classic Shan-Chen multiphase model [Phys. Rev. E 47, 1815 (1993)] for axisymmetric flows. The model can be used to efficiently simulate single and multiphase flows. The convergence to the axisymmetric Navier-Stokes equations is demonstrated analytically by means of a Chapmann-Enskog expansion and numerically through several test cases. In particular, the model is benchmarked for its accuracy in reproducing the dynamics of the oscillations of an axially symmetric droplet and on the capillary breakup of a viscous liquid thread. Very good quantitative agreement between the numerical solutions and the analytical results is observed.

Statistical properties of turbulence: An overview

We present an introductory overview of several challenging problems in the statistical characterization of turbulence. We provide examples from fluid turbulence in three and two dimensions, from the turbulent advection of passive scalars, turbulence in the one-dimensional Burgers equation, and fluid turbulence in the presence of polymer additives.

Persistence problem in two-dimensional fluid turbulence.

We present a natural framework for studying the persistence problem in two-dimensional fluid turbulence by using the Okubo-Weiss parameter Λ to distinguish between vortical and extensional regions. We then use a direct numerical simulation of the two-dimensional, incompressible Navier-Stokes equation with Ekman friction to study probability distribution functions (PDFs) of the persistence times of vortical and extensional regions by employing both Eulerian and Lagrangian measurements. We find that, in the Eulerian case, the persistence-time PDFs have exponential tails; by contrast, this PDF for Lagrangian particles, in vortical regions, has a power-law tail with an exponent θ=2.9±0.2.

Systematics of the magnetic-Prandtl-number dependence of homogeneous, isotropic magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

We present the results of our detailed pseudospectral direct numerical simulation (DNS) studies, with up to 10243 collocation points, of incompressible, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence in three dimensions, without a mean magnetic field. Our study concentrates on the dependence of various statistical properties of both decaying and statistically steady MHD turbulence on the magnetic Prandtl number PrM over a large range, namely 0.01≤PrM≤10. We obtain data for a wide variety of statistical measures, such as probability distribution functions (PDFs) of the moduli of the vorticity and current density, the energy dissipation rates, and velocity and magnetic-field increments, energy and other spectra, velocity and magnetic-field structure functions, which we use to characterize intermittency, isosurfaces of quantities, such as the moduli of the vorticity and current density, and joint PDFs, such as those of fluid and magnetic dissipation rates. Our systematic study uncovers interesting results that have not been noted hitherto. In particular, we find a crossover from a larger intermittency in the magnetic field than in the velocity field, at large PrM, to a smaller intermittency in the magnetic field than in the velocity field, at low PrM. Furthermore, a comparison of our results for decaying MHD turbulence and its forced, statistically steady analogue suggests that we have strong universality in the sense that, for a fixed value of PrM, multiscaling exponent ratios agree, at least within our error bars, for both decaying and statistically steady homogeneous, isotropic MHD turbulence.

Coherent structures and extreme events in rotating multiphase turbulent flows

Turbulence is inherent in both nature and industrial mixing applications. Numerical simulations shows how particles of different mass diffuse in a rotating medium.