Kinetic boundary layers in gas mixtures: Systems described by nonlinearly coupled kinetic and hydrodynamic equations and applications to droplet condensation and evaporation

We consider a mixture of heavy vapor molecules and a light carrier gas surrounding a liquid droplet. The vapor is described by a variant of the Klein-Kramers equation, a kinetic equation for Brownian particles moving in a spatially inhomogeneous background; the gas is described by the Navier-Stokes equations; the droplet acts as a heat source due to the released heat of condensation. The exchange of momentum and energy between the constituents of the mixture is taken into account by force terms in the kinetic equation and source terms in the Navier-Stokes equations. These are chosen to obtain maximal agreement with the irreversible thermodynamics of a gas mixture. The structure of the kinetic boundary layer around the sphere is then determined from the self-consistent solution of this set of coupled equations with appropriate boundary conditions at the surface of the sphere. For this purpose the kinetic equation is rewritten as a set of coupled moment equations. A complete set of solutions of these moment equations is constructed by numerical integration inward from the region far away from the droplet, where the background inhomogeneities are small. A technique developed in an earlier paper is used to deal with the severe numerical instability of the moment equations. The solutions so obtained for given temperature and pressure profiles in the gas are then combined linearly in such a way that they obey the boundary conditions at the droplet surface; from this solution source terms for the Navier-Stokes equation of the gas are constructed and used to determine improved temperature and pressure profiles for the background gas. For not too large temperature differences between the droplet and the gas at infinity, self-consistency is reached after a few iterations. The method is applied to the condensation of droplets from a supersaturated vapor, where small but significant corrections to an earlier, not fully consistent version of the theory are found, as well as to strong evaporation of droplets under the influence of an external heat source, where corrections of up to 40 % are obtained.     

The kinetic boundary layer for the Klein-Kramers equation; A new numerical approach

We explore a numerical technique for determining the structure of the kinetic boundary layer of the Klein-Kramers equation for noninteracting Brownian particles in a fluid near a wall that absorbs the Brownian particles. The equation is of interest in the theory of diffusion-controlled reactions and of the coagulation of colloidal suspensions. By numerical simulation of the Langevin equation equivalent to the Klein-Kramers equation we amass statistics of the velocities at the first return to the wall and of the return times for particles injected into the fluid at the wall with given velocities. The data can be used to construct the solutions of the standard problems at an absorbing wall, the Milne and the albedo problem. We confirm and extend earlier results by Burschka and Titulaer, obtained by a variational method vexed by the slow convergence of the underlying eigenfunction expansion. We briefly discuss some further boundary layer problems that can be attacked by exploiting the results reported here.     

Resonance line transfer and transport of excited atoms—II. Self-consistent solutions (1)

This second part of our study of non-LTE line transfer with convective transport of excited atoms presents self-consistent solutions of the radiative transfer equation and the kinetic equation of the excited two-level atoms, for the limiting case of no elastic velocity-changing collisions of the excited atoms. Pure Doppler broadening of the spectral line is assumed. We investigate reflecting and destroying boundaries for the excited atoms, while the boundary condition for the photons corresponds to free photon escape from the system. Our numerical procedure for solving the two coupled kinetic equations for the excited atoms and the photons is an iterative method using variable Eddington factors, and is described in detail. We present a simple model that considers the gas of excited atoms and the radiation field as two interacting fluids, which yields a straightforward interpretation of the various scale lengths encountered in the numerical results for the hydrodynamic properties (density, flux density, mean velocity) of the gas of excited atoms.     

Boundary conditions for regularized 13-moment-equations for micro-channel-flows

Boundary conditions are the major obstacle in simulations based on advanced continuum models of rarefied and micro-flows of gases. In this paper, we present a theory how to combine the regularized 13-moment-equations derived from Boltzmann’s equation with boundary conditions obtained from Maxwell’s kinetic accommodation model. While for the linear case these kinetic boundary conditions suffice, we need additional conditions in the non-linear case. These are provided by the bulk solutions obtained after properly transforming the equations while keeping their asymptotic accuracy with respect to Boltzmann’s equation.After finding a suitable set of boundary conditions and equations, a numerical method for generic shear flow problems is formulated. Several test simulations demonstrate the stable and oscillation-free performance of the new approach.     

The kinetic boundary layer around an absorbing sphere and the growth of small droplets

Deviations from the classical Smoluchowski expression for the growth rate of a droplet in a supersaturated vapor can be expected when the droplet radius is not large compared to the mean free path of a vapor molecule. The growth rate then depends significantly on the structure of the kinetic boundary layer around a sphere. We consider this kinetic boundary layer for a dilute system of Brownian particles. For this system a large class of boundary layer problems for a planar wall have been solved. We show how the spherical boundary layer can be treated by a perturbation expansion in the reciprocal droplet radius. In each order one has to solve a finite number ofplanar boundary layer problems. The first two corrections to the planar problem are calculated explicitly. For radii down to about two velocity persistence lengths (the analog of the mean free path for a Brownian particle) the successive approximations for the growth rate agree to within a few percent. A reasonable estimate of the growth rate for all radii can be obtained by extrapolating toward the exactly known value at zero radius. Kinetic boundary layer effects increase the time needed for growth from 0 to 10 (or 2 1/2) velocity persistence lengths by roughly 35% (or 175%).     

Gas kinetic algorithm for flows in Poiseuille-like microchannels using Boltzmann model equation

~~Gas kinetic algorithm for flows in Poiseuille-like microchannels using Boltzmann model equation1. Feynman, R., There's plenty of room at the bottom, Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, 1992, 1: 60 -66. 2. Piekos, E. S., Breuer, K. S., Numerical modeling of micromechanical devices using the direct simulation Monte Carlo method, Transactions of the ASME, Journal of Fluids Engineering, 1996, 118: 464-469. 3. Beskok, A., Karniadakis, G. E., Trimmer, W., Rarefaction and …     

A kinetic model for droplet growth in the transition regime

A variant of the moment expansion method, used in an earlier paper to describe the flow of a gas toward an absorbing sphere, is applied to a more realistic model of a droplet condensing from a supersaturated vapor. In the simplest version a spherical droplet absorbs all incoming vapor molecules, but spontaneously emits molecules with a Maxwellian distribution at the droplet temperature and with the corresponding saturated vapor density. From a solution of the stationary linearized Boltzmann equation with these boundary conditions we obtain expressions for the heat and mass currents toward the sphere as a function of the supersaturation and the temperature difference between the droplet and the vapor at infinity. For small droplet radii the known free flow limit is obtained in a natural way. From the calculated expressions for the heat and mass current we derive evolution equations for the radius and temperature of the droplet. The temperature evolves more rapidly and can thus be eliminated adiabatically; the resulting growth curve for the radius shows a sharp transition from a kinetically controlled regime for small radii to a regime dominated by heat conduction for large radii. The effect of incomplete absorption at the surface is also studied. The actual calculations are carried out for Maxwell molecules, with parameters corresponding to argon at 0.65T _c and 100% supersaturation.     

Sinc-collocation method for solving the Blasius equation

Sinc-collocation method is applied for solving Blasius equation which comes from boundary layer equations. It is well known that sinc procedure converges to the solution at an exponential rate. Comparison with Howarth and Asaithambi's numerical solutions reveals that the proposed method is of high accuracy and reduces the solution of Blasius' equation to the solution of a system of algebraic equations.     

Simulation of electromagnetic scattering by random discrete particles using a hybrid FE-BI-CBFM technique

A hybrid finite element–boundary integral–characteristic basis function method (FE-BI-CBFM) is proposed for an efficient simulation of electromagnetic scattering by random discrete particles. Specifically, the finite element method (FEM) is used to obtain the solution of the vector wave equation inside each particle and the boundary integral equation (BIE) using Green's functions is applied on the surfaces of all the particles as a global boundary condition. The coupling system of equations is solved by employing the characteristic basis function method (CBFM) based on the use of macro-basis functions constructed according to the Foldy–Lax multiple scattering equations. Due to the flexibility of FEM, the proposed hybrid technique can easily deal with the problems of multiple scattering by randomly distributed inhomogeneous particles that are often beyond the scope of traditional numerical methods. Some numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the validity and capability of the proposed method.     

Efficient discretization of Laplace boundary integral equations on polygonal domains

We describe a numerical procedure for the construction of quadrature formulae suitable for the efficient discretization of boundary integral equations over very general curve segments. While the procedure has applications to the solution of boundary value problems on a wide class of complicated domains, we concentrate in this paper on a particularly simple case: the rapid solution of boundary value problems for Laplace’s equation on two-dimensional polygonal domains. We view this work as the first step toward the efficient solution of boundary value problems on very general singular domains in both two and three dimensions. The performance of the method is illustrated with several numerical examples.     

应用自适应网格方法研究着火和燃烧反应流动

介绍了一种对计算着火和燃烧反应流动问题较为有效的自适应网格方法。将该方法与任意拉格朗日-欧拉数值方法相结合,研究了燃料液滴的着火和燃烧问题。给出了液滴着火和燃烧过程中主要物理参数的时空分布,揭示了过程的基本特征。     

Boundary element-free method for elastodynamics

1 Introduction In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to researches on the meshless (or meshfree) method, which makes it a hot direction of computational mechanics[1,2]. The meshless method is the approximation based on nodes, then the large deformation and crack growth problems can be simulated with the method without the re-meshing technique. And the meshless method has some advantages over the traditional computa- tional methods, such as finite element method (FEM) and boun…     

Boundary element-free method for elastodynamics

The moving least-square approximation is discussed first. Sometimes the method can form an ill-conditioned equation system, and thus the solution cannot be obtained correctly. A Hilbert space is presented on which an orthogonal function system mixed a weight function is defined. Next the improved moving least-square approximation is discussed in detail. The improved method has higher computational efficiency and precision than the old method, and cannot form an ill-conditioned equation system. A boundary element-free method (BEFM) for elastodynamics problems is presented by combining the boundary integral equation method for elastodynamics and the improved moving least-square approximation. The boundary element-free method is a meshless method of boundary integral equation and is a direct numerical method compared with others, in which the basic unknowns are the real solutions of the nodal variables and the boundary conditions can be applied easily. The boundary element-free method has a higher computational efficiency and precision. In addition, the numerical procedure of the boundary element-free method for elastodynamics problems is presented in this paper. Finally, some numerical examples are given.     

三维简谐势阱中玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚的边界效应

在定义特征长度的基础上,应用Euler–MacLaurin公式,研究了理想玻色气体在三维简谐势阱中玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚的边界效应.结果表明:粒子的凝聚分数由于有限尺度和有限粒子数效应而减小,修正的凝聚分数和凝聚温度由于边界效应存在一个极大值,选择优化的最佳势阱参数,可以有效提高凝聚分数和凝聚温度;热容量的跃变存在边界效应和粒子数效应,选择合理的势阱参数时,热容量的跃变存在一个极小值.导出了简谐势阱中有限理想玻色气体的状态方程,揭示了压强的各向异性(或各向同性)取决于简谐势频率的各向异性(或各向同性).     

The influence of different factors on the shape of pressure pulse at the liquid-vapor contact

The process of formation and propagation of the depression wave at spontaneous contact of cold liquid and saturated vapor is investigated in a gas dynamics approach. Modeling of wave processes was performed using Godunov’s method based on solving the Riemann problem on arbitrary discontinuity decomposition. The influence of various factors, namely, the kinetics of condensation and intensification of heat-transfer processes, on the pressure pulse form is investigated. Results of the investigation are in good agreement with results of modeling based on numerical solving the Boltzmann kinetic equation.     

Higher-order quadrature-based moment methods for kinetic equations

Kinetic equations containing terms for spatial transport, body forces, and particle–particle collisions occur in many applications (e.g., rarefied gases, dilute granular gases, fluid-particle flows). The direct numerical solution of the kinetic equation is usually intractable due to the large number of independent variables. A useful alternative is to reformulate the problem in terms of the moments of the velocity distribution function. Closure of the moment equations is challenging for flows sufficiently far away from the Maxwellian limit. In previous work, a quadrature-based third-order moment closure was derived for approximating solutions to the kinetic equation for arbitrary Knudsen number. A key component of quadrature-based closures is the moment-inversion algorithm used to find the non-negative weights and velocity abscissas. Here, a robust inversion procedure is proposed for three-component velocity moments up to ninth order. By reconstructing the velocity distribution function, the spatial fluxes in the moment equations are treated using a kinetic-based finite-volume solver. Because the quadrature-based moment method employs the moment transport equations directly instead of a discretized form of the kinetic equation, the mass, momentum and energy are conserved for arbitrary Knudsen and Mach numbers. The computational algorithm is tested for the Riemann shock problem and, for increasing Knudsen numbers (i.e. larger deviations from the Maxwellian limit), the accuracy of the moment closure is shown to be determined by the discrete representation of the spatial fluxes.     

Nonlinear vortex dynamics in open nonequilibrium systems with bulk mass loss and a generation mechanism for tornadoes and typhoons

Based on a general model of nonlinear vortex dynamics in open thermodynamically nonequilibrium systems with bulk or surface mass losses, an analysis is presented of the mechanism of generation of violent atmospheric vortices (tornadoes, typhoons, cyclones) associated with the formation of deep cloud systems by intense condensation of water vapor from moist air cooled below the dew point. Simple particular solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations are found that describe both axisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric incompressible vortex motions involving radial and vertical flows with viscous dissipation vanishing identically everywhere except for a thin shear layer at the boundary of the condensation region. It is shown that the nonlinear convective and local Coriolis forces generated by radial inflow in the presence of a background vorticity due to a global Coriolis force (the Earth’s rotation) accelerate the solid-body rotation in the vortex core either exponentially or in a nonlinear regime of finite-time blow-up. Due to updrafts, such a vortex is characterized by a strong helicity. This mechanism explains a number of observed properties and characteristics of the structure and evolution of tornadoes and typhoons. Upper estimates are found for the kinetic energies of violent atmospheric vortices. It is shown that increase in rotational kinetic energy of atmospheric vortices with constant vortex-core radii is consistent with energy and momentum conservation, because radial inflow continually supplies the required amount of rotational kinetic energy drawn from the ambient atmosphere to an open system.     

气体放电击穿过程的物理和数值研究

本文对低气压（１０＾－２Ｐａ）热阴极气体放电的击穿过程给出了物理描述和相应的双流体数学型，并发展了一种选择和调整未知初始条件的有效算法，可以通过伴随试射法得到对初始条件十分敏感的非线性两点边值常微分方程组的数值解，从而给出这类气体放电中击穿过程的定量描述。