A direct‐forcing pressure‐based lattice Boltzmann method for solving fluid–particle interaction problems

A direct‐forcing immersed boundary‐lattice Boltzmann method (IB–LBM) is developed to simulate fluid–particle interaction problems. This method uses the pressure‐based LBM to solve the incompressible flow field and the immersed boundary method to handle the fluid–particle interactions. The pressure‐based LBM uses the pressure distribution functions instead of the density distribution functions as the independent dynamic variables. The main idea is to explicitly eliminate the compressible effect due to the density fluctuation. In the IB method, a direct‐forcing method is introduced to capture the particle motion. It directly computes an IB force density at each lattice grid from the differences between the pressure distribution functions obtained by the LBM and the equilibrium pressure distribution functions computed from the particle velocity. By applying this direct‐forcing method, the IB–LBM becomes a purely LBM version. Also, by applying the Gauss theorem, the formulas for computing the force and the torque acting on the particle from the flows are derived from the volume integrals over the particle volume instead of from the surface integrals over the particle surface. The order of accuracy of the IB–LBM is demonstrated on the errors of velocity field, wall stress, and gradients of velocity and pressure. As a demonstration of the efficiency and capabilities of the new method, sedimentation of a large number of spherical particles in an enclosure is simulated. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lattice Boltzmann method for simulating particle–fluid interactions

The lattice Boltzmann method （LBM） has gained increasing popularity in the last two decades as an alternative numerical approach for solving fluid flow problems. One of the most active research areas in the LBM is its application in particle-fluid systems, where the advantage of the LBM in efficiency and parallel scalability has made it superior to many other direct numerical simulation （DNS） techniques. This article intends to provide a brief review of the application of the LBM in particle-fluid systems. The numerical techniques in the LBM pertaining to simulations of particles are discussed, with emphasis on the advanced treatment for boundary conditions on the particle-fluid interface. Other numerical issues, such as the effect of the internal fluid, are also briefly described. Additionally, recent efforts in using the LBM to obtain closures for particle-fluid drag force are also reviewed.     

Lattice Boltzmann modeling of pore‐scale fluid flow through idealized porous media

In order to capture the hydro‐mechanical impacts on the solid skeleton imposed by the fluid flowing through porous media at the pore‐scale, the flow in the pore space has to be modeled at a resolution finer than the pores, and the no‐slip condition needs to be enforced at the grain–fluid interface. In this paper, the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), a mesoscopic Navier–Stokes solver, is shown to be an appropriate pore‐scale fluid flow model. The accuracy and lattice sensitivity of LBM as a fluid dynamics solver is demonstrated in the Poiseuille channel flow problem (2‐D) and duct flow problem (3‐D). Well‐studied problems of fluid creeping through idealized 2‐D and 3‐D porous media (J. Fluid Mech. 1959; 5 (2):317–328, J. Fluid Mech. 1982; 115 :13–26, Int. J. Multiphase Flow 1982; 8 (4):343–360, Phys. Fluids A 1989; 1 (1):38–46, Int. J. Numer. Anal. Meth. Geomech. 1999; 23 :881–904, Int. J. Numer. Anal. Meth. Geomech. 2010; DOI: 10.1002/nag.898, Int. J. Multiphase Flow 1982; 8 (3):193–206) are then simulated using LBM to measure the friction coefficient for various pore throats. The simulation results agree well with the data reported in the literature. The lattice sensitivity of the frictional coefficient is also investigated. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reduction in drag and vortex shedding frequency through porous sheath around a circular cylinder

A numerical study on the laminar vortex shedding and wake flow due to a porous‐wrapped solid circular cylinder has been made in this paper. The cylinder is horizontally placed, and is subjected to a uniform cross flow. The aim is to control the vortex shedding and drag force through a thin porous wrapper around a solid cylinder. The flow field is investigated for a wide range of Reynolds number in the laminar regime. The flow in the porous zone is governed by the Darcy–Brinkman–Forchheimer extended model and the Navier–Stokes equations in the fluid region. A control volume approach is adopted for computation of the governing equations along with a second‐order upwind scheme, which is used to discretize the convective terms inside the fluid region. The inclusion of a thin porous wrapper produces a significant reduction in drag and damps the oscillation compared with a solid cylinder. Dependence of Strouhal number and drag coefficient on porous layer thickness at different Reynolds number is analyzed. The dependence of Strouhal number and drag on the permeability of the medium is also examined. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simulating 3D deformable particle suspensions using lattice Boltzmann method with discrete external boundary force

A method for direct numerical analysis of three‐dimensional deformable particles suspended in fluid is presented. The flow is computed on a fixed regular ‘lattice’ using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), where each solid particle is mapped onto a Lagrangian frame moving continuously through the domain. Instead of the bounce‐back method, an external boundary force (EBF) is used to impose the no‐slip boundary condition at the fluid–solid interface for stationary or moving boundaries. The EBF is added directly to the lattice Boltzmann equation. The motion and orientation of the particles are obtained from Newtonian dynamics equations. The advantage of this approach is outlined in comparison with the standard and higher‐order interpolated bounce‐back methods as well as the LBM immersed‐boundary and the volume‐of‐fluid methods. Although the EBF method is general, in this application, it is used in conjunction with the lattice–spring model for deformable particles. The methodology is validated by comparing with experimental and theoretical results. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical study of concentrated fluid–particle suspension flow in a wavy channel

The particle migration effects and fluid–particle interactions occurring in the flow of highly concentrated fluid–particle suspension in a spatially modulated channel have been investigated numerically using a finite volume method. The mathematical model is based on the momentum and continuity equations for the suspension flow and a constitutive equation accounting for the effects of shear‐induced particle migration in concentrated suspensions. The model couples a Newtonian stress/shear rate relationship with a shear‐induced migration model of the suspended particles in which the local effective viscosity is dependent on the local volume fraction of solids. The numerical procedure employs finite volume method and the formulation is based on diffuse‐flux model. Semi‐implicit method for pressure linked equations has been used to solve the resulting governing equations along with appropriate boundary conditions. The numerical results are validated with the analytical expressions for concentrated suspension flow in a plane channel. The results demonstrate strong particle migration towards the centre of the channel and an increasing blunting of velocity profiles with increase in initial particle concentration. In the case of a stenosed channel, the particle concentration is lowest at the site of maximum constriction, whereas a strong accumulation of particles is observed in the recirculation zone downstream of the stenosis. The numerical procedure applied to investigate the effects of concentrated suspension flow in a wavy passage shows that the solid particles migrate from regions of high shear rate to low shear rate with low velocities and this phenomenon is strongly influenced by Reynolds numbers and initial particle concentration. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lattice Boltzmann simulations for flow and heat/mass transfer problems in a three‐dimensional porous structure

The lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) for a binary miscible fluid mixture is applied to problems of transport phenomena in a three‐dimensional porous structure. Boundary conditions for the particle distribution function of a diffusing component are described in detail. Flow characteristics and concentration profiles of diffusing species at a pore scale in the structure are obtained at various Reynolds numbers. At high Reynolds numbers, the concentration profiles are highly affected by the flow convection and become completely different from those at low Reynolds numbers. The Sherwood numbers are calculated and compared in good agreement with available experimental data. The results indicate that the present method is useful for the investigation of transport phenomena in porous structures. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

No‐slip consistent immersed boundary particle tracking to simulate impaction filtration in porous media

In this paper, we present a new method for simulating the motion of a disperse particle phase in a carrier gas through porous media. We assume a sufficiently dilute particle‐laden flow and compute, independently of the disperse phase, the steady laminar fluid velocity using the immersed boundary method. Given the velocity of the carrier gas, the equations of motion for the particles experiencing the Stokes drag force are solved to determine their trajectories. The ‘no‐slip consistent’ particle tracking algorithm avoids possible numerical filtration of very small particles due to the nonzero velocity field at the solid–fluid interface introduced by the immersed boundary method. This physically consistent tracking allows a reliable estimation of the filtration efficiency of porous filters due to inertial impaction. We illustrate and test our new approach for model porous media consisting of a structured array of aligned rectangular fibers, arranged in line and staggered. In the staggered geometry, the effect of the residual velocity at the solid–fluid interface is significant for particles with low inertia. Without adopting the developed no‐slip consistent numerical method, an artificial numerical filtration is observed, which becomes dominant for small enough particles. For both the in line and the staggered geometries, the filtration rate depends quite strongly and non monotonically on the particle inertia. This is expressed most clearly in the staggered arrangement in which a very strong increase in the filtration efficiency is observed at a well‐defined critical droplet size, corresponding to a qualitative change in the dominant particle paths in the porous medium. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation on effect of drag models on flow behavior of power-law fluid–solid two-phase flow in fluidized bed

In this study, a Eulerian-Eulerian two-fluid model combined with the kinetic theory of granular flow is adopted to simulate power-law fluid–solid two-phase flow in the fluidized bed. Two new power-law liquid–solid drag models are proposed based on the rheological equation of power-law fluid and pressure drop. One called model A is a modified drag model considering tortuosity of flow channel and ratio of the throat to pore, and the other called model B is a blending drag model combining drag coefficients of high and low particle concentrations. Predictions are compared with experimental data measured by Lali et al., where the computed porosities from model B are closer to the measured data than other models. Furthermore, the predicted pressure drop rises as liquid velocity increases, while it decreases with the increase of particle size. Simulation results indicate that the increases of consistency coefficient and flow behavior index lead to the decrease of drag coefficient, and particle concentration, granular temperature, granular pressure, and granular viscosity go down accordingly.     

Implicit–explicit finite‐difference lattice Boltzmann method with viscid compressible model for gas oscillating patterns in a resonator

Difficulties for the conventional computational fluid dynamics and the standard lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) to study the gas oscillating patterns in a resonator have been discussed. In light of the recent progresses in the LBM world, we are now able to deal with the compressibility and non‐linear shock wave effects in the resonator. A lattice Boltzmann model for viscid compressible flows is introduced firstly. Then, the Boltzmann equation with the Bhatnagar–Gross–Krook approximation is solved by the finite‐difference method with a third‐order implicit–explicit (IMEX) Runge–Kutta scheme for time discretization, and a fifth‐order weighted essentially non‐oscillatory (WENO) scheme for space discretization. Numerical results obtained in this study agree quantitatively with both experimental data available and those using conventional numerical methods. Moreover, with the IMEX finite‐difference LBM (FDLBM), the computational convergence rate can be significantly improved compared with the previous FDLBM and standard LBM. This study can also be applied for simulating some more complex phenomena in a thermoacoustics engine. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A sharp interface Cartesian grid method for viscous simulation of shocked particle-laden flows

A Cartesian grid-based sharp interface method is presented for viscous simulations of shocked particle-laden flows. The moving solid–fluid interfaces are represented using level sets. A moving least-squares reconstruction is developed to apply the no-slip boundary condition at solid–fluid interfaces and to supply viscous stresses to the fluid. The algorithms developed in this paper are benchmarked against similarity solutions for the boundary layer over a fixed flat plate and against numerical solutions for moving interface problems such as shock-induced lift-off of a cylinder in a channel. The framework is extended to 3D and applied to calculate low Reynolds number steady supersonic flow over a sphere. Viscous simulation of the interaction of a particle cloud with an incident planar shock is demonstrated; the average drag on the particles and the vorticity field in the cloud are compared to the inviscid case to elucidate the effects of viscosity on momentum transfer between the particle and fluid phases. The methods developed will be useful for obtaining accurate momentum and heat transfer closure models for macro-scale shocked particulate flow applications such as blast waves and dust explosions.     

The simulation of turbulent particle‐laden channel flow by the Lattice Boltzmann method

We perform direct numerical simulation of three‐dimensional turbulent flows in a rectangular channel, with a lattice Boltzmann method, efficiently implemented on heavily parallel general purpose graphical processor units. After validating the method for a single fluid, for standard boundary layer problems, we study changes in mean and turbulent properties of particle‐laden flows, as a function of particle size and concentration. The problem of physical interest for this application is the effect of water droplets on the turbulent properties of a high‐speed air flow, near a solid surface. To do so, we use a Lagrangian tracking approach for a large number of rigid spherical point particles, whose motion is forced by drag forces caused by the fluid flow; particle effects on the latter are in turn represented by distributed volume forces in the lattice Boltzmann method. Results suggest that, while mean flow properties are only slightly affected, unless a very large concentration of particles is used, the turbulent vortices present near the boundary are significantly damped and broken down by the turbulent motion of the heavy particles, and both turbulent Reynolds stresses and the production of turbulent kinetic energy are decreased because of the particle effects. We also find that the streamwise component of turbulent velocity fluctuations is increased, while the spanwise and wall‐normal components are decreased, as compared with the single fluid channel case. Additionally, the streamwise velocity of the carrier (air) phase is slightly reduced in the logarithmic boundary layer near the solid walls. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A LBM–DEM solver for fast discrete particle simulation of particle–fluid flows

The lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) for simulating fluid phases was coupled with the discrete element method (DEM) for studying solid phases to formulate a novel solver for fast discrete particle simulation (DPS) of particle–fluid flows. The fluid hydrodynamics was obtained by solving LBM equations instead of solving the Navier–Stokes equation by the finite volume method (FVM). Interparticle and particle–wall collisions were determined by DEM. The new DPS solver was validated by simulating a three-dimensional gas–solid bubbling fluidized bed. The new solver was found to yield results faster than its FVM–DEM counterpart, with the increase in the domain-averaged gas volume fraction. Additionally, the scalability of the LBM–DEM DPS solver was superior to that of the FVM–DEM DPS solver in parallel computing. Thus, the LBM–DEM DPS solver is highly suitable for use in simulating dilute and large-scale particle–fluid flows.     

流向振荡圆柱绕流的格子Boltzmann方法模拟

用一种新近发展起来的格子Boltzmann方法(LBM)在相对较小的雷诺数(Re \le 200)条件下模拟了不可压缩的流向振荡圆柱绕流问题, 考查了涡脱落模态和升阻力特性. 通过模拟, 在近尾流区发现了实验研究中已经发现的对称/反对称的涡脱落模态, 包括有些传统数值方法未发现的模态. 研究了频率锁定区域的范围及其与振幅的关系, 发现振幅越大, 发生锁定的频率区域越宽. 此外还对升阻力进行了定量意义的模拟,研究了振荡频率和振幅与升阻力的关系.      

Numerical simulation and experimental validation of gas–solid flow in the riser of a dense fluidized bed reactor

Gas–solid flow in the riser of a dense fluidized bed using Geldart B particles (sand), at high gas velocity (7.6–15.5 m/s) and with comparatively high solid flux (140–333.8 kg/m² s), was investigated experimentally and simulated by computational fluid dynamics (CFD), both two- and three-dimensional and using the Gidaspow, O’Brien-Syamlal, Koch-Hill-Ladd and EMMS drag models. The results predicted by EMMS drag model showed the best agreement with experimental results. Calculated axial solids hold-up profiles, in particular, are well consistent with experimental data. The flow structure in the riser was well represented by the CFD results, which also indicated the cause of cluster formation. Complex hydrodynamical behaviors of particle cluster were observed. The relative motion between gas and solid phases and axial heterogeneity in the three subzones of the riser were also investigated, and were found to be consistent with predicted flow structure. The model could well depict the difference between the two exit configurations used, viz., semi-bend smooth exit and T-shaped abrupt exit. The numerical results indicate that the proposed EMMS method gives better agreement with the experimental results as compared with the Gidaspow, O’Brien-Syamlal, Koch-Hill-Ladd models. As a result, the proposed drag force model can be used as an efficient approach for the dense gas–solid two-phase flow.     

气固两相流介尺度LBM-DEM模型

LBM-DEM耦合方法通常是指一种颗粒流体系统直接数值模拟算法,即是一种不引入经验曳力模型的计算方法,颗粒尺寸通常比计算网格的长度大一个量级,颗粒的受力通过表面的粘性力与压力积分获得,其优点是能描述每个颗粒周围的详细流场,产生详细的颗粒-流体相互作用的动力学信息,可以探索颗粒流体界面的流动、传递和反应的详细信息及两相相互作用的本构关系,但其缺点是计算量巨大,无法应用于真实流化床过程模拟。本文针对气固流化床中的流体以及固体颗粒间的多相流体力学行为,建立了一种稠密气固两相流的介尺度LBMDEM模型,即LBM-DEM耦合的离散颗粒模型,实现在颗粒尺度上流化床的快速离散模拟。该耦合模型采用格子玻尔兹曼方法(LBM)描述气相的流动和传递行为,离散单元法(DEM)用于描述颗粒相的运动,并利用能量最小多尺度(EMMS)曳力解决气固耦合不成熟问题,以提高其模拟精度。通过经典快速流态化的模拟,验证了介尺度LBM-DEM耦合模型的有效性。模拟结果表明介尺度LBM-DEM模型是一种探索实验室规模气固系统的有力手段。     

On the influence of near-wall forces in particle-laden channel flows

Computation of a turbulent dilute gas–solid channel flow has been undertaken to study the influence of using wall-corrected drag coefficients and of the lift force on the dispersed phase characteristics. The incompressible Navier–Stokes equations governing the carrier flow were solved by using a direct numerical simulation approach and coupled with a Lagrangian particle tracking. Calculations were performed at Reynolds number based on the wall-shear velocity and channel half-width, Re_τ ≈ 184, and for three different sets of solid particles. For each particle set, two cases were examined, in the first one the particle motion was governed by both drag and lift wall-corrected forces, whereas in the other one, the standard drag force (not corrected) was solely acting. The lift force model used represents the most accurate available expression since it accounts for weak and strong shear as well as for wall effects. For this study, we considered elastic collisions for particles contacting the walls and that no external forces were acting. Present results indicate that the use of the lift force and of the drag corrections does not lead to significant changes in the statistical properties of the solid phase, at the exception of some statistics for the high inertia particles.     

Prediction of turbulent gas–solids flow in curved ducts using the Eulerian–Lagrangian method

The flow of particulate two‐phase flow mixtures occur in several components of solid fuel combustion systems, such as the pressurised fluidised bed combustors (PFBC) and suspension‐fired coal boilers. A detailed understanding of the mixture characteristics in the conveying component can aid in refining and optimising its design. In this study, the flow of an isothermal, dilute two‐phase particulate mixture has been examined in a high curvature duct, which can be representative of that transporting the gas–solid mixture from the hot clean‐up section to the gas turbine combustor in a PFBC plant. The numerical study has been approached by utilising the Eulerian–Lagrangian methodology for describing the characteristics of the fluid and particulate phases. By assuming that the mixture is dilute and the particles are spherical, the governing particle momentum equations have been solved with appropriately prescribed boundary conditions. Turbulence effects on the particle dispersion were represented by a statistical model that accounts for both the turbulent eddy lifetime and the particle transit time scales. For the turbulent flow condition examined it was observed that mixtures with small particle diameters had low interphase slip velocities and low impaction probability with the pipe walls. Increasing the particle diameters (>50 μm) resulted in higher interphase slip velocities and, as expected, their impaction probability with the pipe walls was significantly increased. The particle dispersion is significant for the smaller sizes, whereas the larger particles are relatively insensitive to the gas turbulence. The main particle impaction region, and locations most prone to erosion damage, is estimated to be within an outer duct length of two to six times the duct diameter, when the duct radius of curvature to the duct diameter ratio is equal to unity. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An SPH model for free surface flows with moving rigid objects

This paper presents a computational model for free surface flows interacting with moving rigid bodies. The model is based on the SPH method, which is a popular meshfree, Lagrangian particle method and can naturally treat large flow deformation and moving features without any interface/surface capture or tracking algorithm. Fluid particles are used to model the free surface flows which are governed by Navier–Stokes equations, and solid particles are used to model the dynamic movement (translation and rotation) of moving rigid objects. The interaction of the neighboring fluid and solid particles renders the fluid–solid interaction and the non‐slip solid boundary conditions. The SPH method is improved with corrections on the SPH kernel and kernel gradients, enhancement of solid boundary condition, and implementation of Reynolds‐averaged Navier–Stokes turbulence model. Three numerical examples including the water exit of a cylinder, the sinking of a submerged cylinder and the complicated motion of an elliptical cylinder near free surface are provided. The obtained numerical results show good agreement with results from other sources and clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented meshfree particle model in modeling free surface flows with moving objects. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.