Vicente Garzó

A kinetic model for a multicomponent gas

A kinetic model for a dilute multicomponent gas system is proposed. It is constructed by replacing the Boltzmann collision operator with a relaxation‐time term, in the same manner as in the Bhatnagar–Gross–Krook (BGK) model for a single gas. The model contains several parameters that are determined by keeping some of the main properties of the Boltzmann description. In contrast to previous works, the BGK equation is recovered when mechanically identical particles are considered. Thus the model can be expected to apply to systems in which masses are comparable. The transport properties to the Navier–Stokes level are studied and Onsager’s reciprocal relations are found to hold.

Enskog theory for polydisperse granular mixtures. I. Navier-Stokes order transport.

A hydrodynamic description for an s -component mixture of inelastic, smooth hard disks (two dimensions) or spheres (three dimensions) is derived based on the revised Enskog theory for the single-particle velocity distribution functions. In this first part of the two-part series, the macroscopic balance equations for mass, momentum, and energy are derived. Constitutive equations are calculated from exact expressions for the fluxes by a Chapman-Enskog expansion carried out to first order in spatial gradients, thereby resulting in a Navier-Stokes order theory. Within this context of small gradients, the theory is applicable to a wide range of restitution coefficients and densities. The resulting integral-differential equations for the zeroth- and first-order approximations of the distribution functions are given in exact form. An approximate solution to these equations is required for practical purposes in order to cast the constitutive quantities as algebraic functions of the macroscopic variables; this task is described in the companion paper.

Kinetic theory of simple granular shear flows of smooth hard spheres

Steady simple shear flows of smooth inelastic spheres are studied by means of a model kinetic equation and also of a direct Monte Carlo simulation method. Both approaches are based on the Enskog equation and provide for each other a test of consistency. The dependence of the granular temperature and of the shear and normal stresses on both the solid fraction and the coefficient of restitution is analysed. Quite a good agreement is found between theory and simulations in all cases. Also, simplified expressions based on the analytical solution of the model for small dissipation are shown to describe fairly well the simulation results even for not small inelasticity. A critical comparison with previous theories is carried out

Hydrodynamics for a granular binary mixture at low density

Hydrodynamic equations for a binary mixture of inelastic hard spheres are derived from the Boltzmann kinetic theory. A normal solution is obtained via the Chapman–Enskog method for states near the local homogeneous cooling state. The mass, heat, and momentum fluxes are determined to first order in the spatial gradients of the hydrodynamic fields, and the associated transport coefficients are identified. In the same way as for binary mixtures with elastic collisions, these coefficients are determined from a set of coupled linear integral equations. Practical evaluation is possible using a Sonine polynomial approximation, and is illustrated here by explicit calculation of the relevant transport coefficients: the mutual diffusion, the pressure diffusion, the thermal diffusion, the shear viscosity, the Dufour coefficient, the thermal conductivity, and the pressure energy coefficient. All these coefficients are given in terms of the restitution coefficients and the ratios of mass, concentration, and particle s...

Enskog theory for polydisperse granular mixtures. II. Sonine polynomial approximation

The linear integral equations defining the Navier-Stokes (NS) transport coefficients for polydisperse granular mixtures of smooth inelastic hard disks or spheres are solved by using the leading terms in a Sonine polynomial expansion. Explicit expressions for all the NS transport coefficients are given in terms of the sizes, masses, compositions, density, and restitution coefficients. In addition, the cooling rate is also evaluated to first order in the gradients. The results hold for arbitrary degree of inelasticity and are not limited to specific values of the parameters of the mixture. Finally, a detailed comparison between the derivation of the current theory and previous theories for mixtures is made, with attention paid to the implication of the various treatments employed to date.

Transport coefficients of a heated granular gas

The Navier–Stokes transport coefficients of a granular gas are obtained from the Chapman–Enskog solution to the Boltzmann equation. The granular gas is heated by the action of an external driving force (thermostat) which does work to compensate for the collisional loss of energy. Two types of thermostats are considered: (a) a deterministic force proportional to the particle velocity (Gaussian thermostat), and (b) a random external force (stochastic thermostat). As happens in the free cooling case, the transport coefficients are determined from linear integral equations which can be approximately solved by means of a Sonine polynomial expansion. In the leading order, we get those coefficients as explicit functions of the restitution coefficient α. The results are compared with those obtained in the free cooling case, indicating that the above thermostat forces do not play a neutral role in the transport. The kinetic theory results are also compared with those obtained from Monte Carlo simulations of the Boltzmann equation for the shear viscosity. The comparison shows an excellent agreement between theory and simulation over a wide range of values of the restitution coefficient. Finally, the expressions of the transport coefficients for a gas of inelastic hard spheres are extended to the revised Enskog theory for a description at higher densities.

Kinetic temperatures for a granular mixture.

An isolated mixture of smooth, inelastic hard spheres supports a homogeneous cooling state with different kinetic temperatures for each species. This phenomenon is explored here by molecular dynamics simulation of a two component fluid, with comparison to predictions of the Enskog kinetic theory. The ratio of kinetic temperatures is studied for two values of the restitution coefficient alpha=0.95 and 0.80, as a function of mass ratio, size ratio, composition, and density. Good agreement between theory and simulation is found for the lower densities and higher restitution coefficient; significant disagreement is observed otherwise. The phenomenon of different temperatures is also discussed for driven systems, as occurs in recent experiments. Differences between the freely cooling state and driven steady states are illustrated.

Inherent Rheology of a Granular Fluid in Uniform Shear Flow

In contrast to normal fluids, a granular fluid under shear supports a steady state with uniform temperature and density since the collisional cooling can compensate locally for viscous heating. It is shown that the hydrodynamic description of this steady state is inherently non-Newtonian. As a consequence, the Newtonian shear viscosity cannot be determined from experiments or simulation of uniform shear flow. For a given degree of inelasticity, the complete nonlinear dependence of the shear viscosity on the shear rate requires the analysis of the unsteady hydrodynamic behavior. The relationship to the Chapman-Enskog method to derive hydrodynamics is clarified using an approximate Grads solution of the Boltzmann kinetic equation.

Modified Sonine approximation for the Navier–Stokes transport coefficients of a granular gas

Motivated by the disagreement found at high dissipation between simulation data for the heat flux transport coefficients and the expressions derived from the Boltzmann equation by the standard first Sonine approximation [J.J. Brey, M.J. Ruiz-Montero, Phys. Rev. E 70 (2004) 051301, J.J. Brey, M.J. Ruiz-Montero, P. Maynar, M.I. Garcia de Soria, J. Phys. Condens. Matter 17 (2005) S2489], we implement in this paper a modified version of the first Sonine approximation in which the Maxwell–Boltzmann weight function is replaced by the homogeneous cooling state (HCS) distribution. The structure of the transport coefficients is common in both approximations, the distinction appearing in the coefficient of the fourth cumulant a2. Comparison with computer simulations shows that the modified approximation significantly improves the estimates for the heat flux transport coefficients at strong dissipation. In addition, the slight discrepancies between simulation and the standard first Sonine estimates for the shear viscosity and the self-diffusion coefficient are also partially corrected by the modified approximation. Finally, the extension of the modified first Sonine approximation to the transport coefficients of the Enskog kinetic theory is presented.

Diffusion of impurities in a granular gas

Diffusion of impurities in a granular gas undergoing homogeneous cooling state is studied. The results are obtained by solving the Boltzmann-Lorentz equation by means of the Chapman-Enskog method. In the first order in the density gradient of impurities, the diffusion coefficient D is determined as the solution of a linear integral equation which is approximately solved by making an expansion in Sonine polynomials. In this paper, we evaluate D up to the second order in the Sonine expansion and get explicit expressions for D in terms of the coefficients of restitution for the impurity-gas and gas-gas collisions as well as the ratios of mass and particle sizes. To check the reliability of the Sonine polynomial solution, analytical results are compared with those obtained from numerical solutions of the Boltzmann equation by means of the direct simulation Monte Carlo method. In the simulations, the diffusion coefficient is measured via the mean-square displacement of impurities. The comparison between theory and simulation shows in general an excellent agreement, except for the cases in which the gas particles are much heavier and/or much larger than impurities. In these cases, the second Sonine approximation to D improves significantly the qualitative predictions made from the first Sonine approximation. A discussion on the convergence of the Sonine polynomial expansion is also carried out.