Numerical simulation of laminar jet-forced flow using lattice Boltzmann method

In the paper, a numerical study on symmetrical and asymmetrical laminar jet-forced flows is carried out by using a lattice Boltzmann method （LBM） with a special boundary treatment. The simulation results are in very good agreement with the available numerical prediction. It is shown that the LBM is a competitive method for the laminar jet-forced flow in terms of computational efficiency and stability.     

Numerical simulation of the flow around a porous covering square cylinder in a channel via lattice Boltzmann method

In this paper, a detailed investigation on the flow past a porous covering cylinder is presented through the lattice Boltzmann method. The Brinkman‐Forchheimer‐extended Darcy model is adopted for the entire flow field with the solid, fluid, and porous medium. The effects of several parameters, such as porous layer thickness, Darcy number, porosity, and Reynolds number on flow field are discussed. Compared with the case of a solid cylinder, the present work shows that the porous layer may play an important role on the flow, the lift and drag force exerted on the cylinder. The numerical results indicate that the maximal drag coefficient C_d and maximal amplitude of lift coefficient C_l exist at certain Darcy number which is in the range of 10^?6–10^?2. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Permeability of microscale fibrous porous media using the lattice Boltzmann method

The permeabilities of microscale fibrous porous media were calculated using the multiple-relaxation-time (MRT) lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). Two models of the microscale fibrous porous media were constructed based on overlapping fibers (simple cubic, body-centered cubic). Arranging the fibers in skew positions yielded two additional models comprising non-overlapping fibers (skewed simple cubic, skewed body-centered cubic). As the fiber diameter increased, the fibers acted as granular inclusions. The effects of the overlapping fibers on the media permeability were investigated. The overlapping fibers yielded permeability values that were a factor of 2.5 larger than those obtained from non-overlapping fibers, but the effects of the fiber arrangement were negligible. Two correlations were obtained for the overlapping and non-overlapping fiber models, respectively. The effects of the rarefaction and slip flow are also discussed. As the Knudsen number increased, the dimensionless permeability increased; however, the increase differed depending on the fiber arrangement. In the slip flow regime, the fiber arrangement inside the porous media became an important factor.     

Passive heat transfer in a turbulent channel flow simulation using large eddy simulation based on the lattice Boltzmann method framework

In this paper, a large eddy simulation based on the lattice Boltzmann framework is carried out to simulate the heat transfer in a turbulent channel flow, in which the temperature can be regarded as a passive scalar. A double multiple relaxation time (DMRT) thermal lattice Boltzmann model is employed. While applying DMRT, a multiple relaxation time D3Q19 model is used to simulate the flow field, and a multiple relaxation time D3Q7 model is used to simulate the temperature field. The dynamic subgrid stress model, in which the turbulent eddy viscosity and the turbulent Prandtl number are dynamically computed, is integrated to describe the subgrid effect. Not only the strain rate but also the temperature gradient is calculated locally by the non-equilibrium moments. The Reynolds number based on the shear velocity and channel half height is 180. The molecular Prandtl numbers are set to be 0.025 and 0.71. Statistical quantities, such as the average velocity, average temperature, Reynolds stress, root mean square (RMS) velocity fluctuations, RMS temperature and turbulent heat flux are obtained and compared with the available data. The results demonstrate great reliability of DMRT–LES in studying turbulence.     

Passive heat transfer in a turbulent channel flow simulation using large eddy simulation based on the lattice Boltzmann method framework

In this paper, a large eddy simulation based on the lattice Boltzmann framework is carried out to simulate the heat transfer in a turbulent channel flow, in which the temperature can be regarded as a passive scalar. A double multiple relaxation time (DMRT) thermal lattice Boltzmann model is employed. While applying DMRT, a multiple relaxation time D3Q19 model is used to simulate the flow field, and a multiple relaxation time D3Q7 model is used to simulate the temperature field. The dynamic subgrid stress model, in which the turbulent eddy viscosity and the turbulent Prandtl number are dynamically computed, is integrated to describe the subgrid effect. Not only the strain rate but also the temperature gradient is calculated locally by the non-equilibrium moments. The Reynolds number based on the shear velocity and channel half height is 180. The molecular Prandtl numbers are set to be 0.025 and 0.71. Statistical quantities, such as the average velocity, average temperature, Reynolds stress, root mean square (RMS) velocity fluctuations, RMS temperature and turbulent heat flux are obtained and compared with the available data. The results demonstrate great reliability of DMRT–LES in studying turbulence.     

缝洞型多孔介质中多相流的有限体积法数值模拟

本文研究的碳酸盐岩油藏储集体属于缝洞型多孔介质.这类缝洞型多孔介质由裂缝、溶蚀孔洞和低孔隙度低渗透率的基岩组成.裂缝是空隙流体流动的主要通道;溶蚀孔洞大小从几厘米到数米不等,渗透率和孔隙度都很高,是流体主要的储集空间.由于缝洞型多孔介质空隙空间的复杂性和强非均质性,数值计算中基本控制方程的空间离散应采用非结构化网格的计算模型.本文采用有限体积法模拟缝洞型多孔介质中多相流体的流动,并给出了相应的单元中心格式有限体积法的计算公式.裂缝介质和溶洞介质中单元间多相流体的流动考虑为高速非达西流,其质量通量采用Forchheimer定律计算.非线性方程的离散选取全隐式格式,并采用Newton-Raphson迭代进行求解.通过两个二维模型注水驱油的数值模拟,验证了本文方法的有效性.     

Numerical modeling of turbulent compound channel flow using the lattice Boltzmann method

The flow of water in a straight compound channel with prismatic cross section is investigated with a relatively new tool, the lattice Boltzmann method. The large eddy simulation model is added in the lattice Boltzmann model for nonlinear shallow water equations (LABSWE^TM) so that the turbulence, caused by lateral exchange of momentum in the shear layer between the main channel and floodplain, can be taken into account and modeled efficiently. To validate the numerical model, a symmetrical compound channel with trapezoidal main channel and flat floodplain is tested. Similar to most natural watercourses, the floodplain has higher roughness values than the main channel. Different relative depths, D_r (the ratio of the depth of flow on the floodplain to that in the main channel), are considered. The Reynolds number is set at 30 000 in the main channel. The lateral distributions of the longitudinal velocity, the boundary shear stress, the Reynolds stress and the apparent shear stress across the channel are obtained after the large eddy simulation is performed. The results of numerical simulations are compared with the available experiment data, which show that the LABSWE^TM is capable of modeling the features of flow turbulence in compound channels and is sufficiently accurate for practical applications in engineering. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

用格子Boltzmann方法数值模拟混合层中旋涡的合并过程

用格子Boltzmann方法计算混合层中的流动问题。在流场的入口处加不同频率、振幅和相位的小扰动,观察混合层中旋涡的演进机理,模拟二维混合层中旋涡合并现象。在基本扰动波的基础上,又加入频率为基本波频率一半的亚谐波,得到了两个涡合并的计算结果,当加入的亚谐波频率为基本波频率的三分之一时,得到了三个涡合并的计算结果。这些计算结果与已有文献的结果基本一致,显示用格子Boltzmann方法模拟混合层问题是可行的。     

Fluid flow in a porous medium containing partially closed fractures

The model of Snow, in which a fracture is represented by two parallel channel walls, has frequently been used to study the flow of fluid in fractured reservoirs. Although this model gives important insight into the flow in fractures, very few naturally occurring fractures have smooth parallel faces. In this paper, a simple model of partially contacting and en-echelon fractures frequently found in geological materials is presented. In this model, a fracture is viewed as a planar region where separation and contact zones both exist. To analyse the fluid flow in a porous medium containing fractures of this type, a planar array of periodically spaced fracture segments is analysed. The flow through a single fracture is deduced by taking the limit as the spacing between neighbouring fractures becomes large. The hydraulic conductivity parallel to the fractures is found to be the parallel combination of the conductivity of the porous matrix and the system of parallel fractures, the individual fracture conductance being a series combination of the hydraulic conductance of the separation and contact zones. This interpretation enables the conductance of the contact zones to be evaluated and the results to be generalised to the case in which the material in the contact regions has a hydraulic conductivity different to that of the matrix. This may arise, for example, from grain-size reduction during fracturing or may result from a partial mineralisation or cementation of the fracture.     

Multiscale simulation of flow and heat transfer of nanofluid with lattice Boltzmann method

Based on the lattice Boltzmann (LB) approach, a novel hybrid method has been proposed for getting insight into the microscale characteristics of the multicomponent flow of nanofluid. In this method, the whole computational domain is divided into two regions in which different-sized meshes are involved for simulation (fine mesh and coarse mesh). The multicomponent LB method is adopted in the fine mesh region, and the single-component LB approach is applied to the coarse mesh region where the nanofluid is treated as a mixed single-component fluid. The conservation principles of mass, momentum and energy are used to derive a hybrid scheme across the different scaled regions. Numerical simulation is carried out for the Couette flow and convective heat transfer in a parallel plate channel to validate the hybrid method. The computational results indicate that by means of the present method, not only the microscopic characteristics of the nanofluid flow can be simulated, but also the computational efficiency can be remarkably improved compared with the pure multicomponent LB method.     

Efficient viscosity contrast calculation for blood flow simulations using the lattice Boltzmann method

The lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) combined with the immersed boundary method is a common tool to simulate the movement of red blood cel ls (RBCs) through blood vessels. With very few exceptions, such simulations neglect the difference in viscosities between the hemoglobin solution inside the cells and the blood plasma outside, although it is well known that this viscosity contrast can severely affect cell deformation. While it is easy to change the local viscosity in LBM, the challenge is to distinguish whether a given lattice point is inside or outside the RBC at each time step. Here, we present a fast algorithm to solve this issue by tracking the membrane motion and computing the scalar product between the local surface normal and the distance vector between the closest LBM lattice point and the surface. This approach is much faster than, for example, the ray-casting method. With the domain tracking applied, we investigate the shape transition of a RBC in a microchannel for different viscosity contrast and validate our method by comparing with boundary-integral simulations.     

Simple lattice Boltzmann approach for turbulent buoyant flow simulation

In the present work, a simple large eddy simulation （LES）-based lattice Boltz- mann model （LBM） is developed for thermal turbulence research. This model is validated by some benchmark tests. The numerical results demonstrate the good performance of the present model for turbulent buoyant flow simulation.     

Intercomparison of boundary schemes in Lattice Boltzmann method for flow simulation in porous media

The Lattice Boltzmann method has been widely adopted to simulate flow in porous media. The choice of appropriate boundary schemes is essential to achieve simulation accuracy; however, the criteria for the most suitable boundary treatment in the simulation of flow in porous media flow remain unresolved. Here, three types of the most commonly used boundary conditions are tested: interpolation bounce back (IBB), partial saturated method (PSM), and immersed boundary method (IBM). The dimensionless drag of face-centered cubic (FCC) sphere array and the dimensionless permeability of a random closely packed (RCP) sphere array are calculated and compared at different viscosities and resolutions. In the FCC sphere array case where spheres are not contacted, the IBB and PSM exhibit the same accuracy and both are of the second-order convergence rate. The IBM is less accurate and is of the first-order convergence rate. In the RCP sphere array case where the spheres are contacted, the IBB shows finer results and a second-order convergence rate. PSM underestimates the dimensionless permeability and increases resolution only slightly improved the results of PSM. The IBM overestimates the dimensionless permeability. These results indicate that among the three methods, the IBB is the most accurate. The PSM has the same accuracy as the IBB when sediments are not contacted; however, it loses its accuracy in the simulation of flow in closely packed porous media. This work could serve as a benchmark for further research in choosing the most appropriate method in the simulation of flow in porous media.     

A model for tracking inertial particles in a lattice Boltzmann turbulent flow simulation

A computationally inexpensive model for tracking inertial particles through a turbulent flow is presented and applied to the turbulent flow through a square duct having a friction Reynolds number of Re_τ = 300. Prior to introducing particles into the model, the flow is simulated using a lattice Boltzmann computation, which is allowed to evolve until a steady state turbulent flow is achieved. A snapshot of the flow is then stored, and the trajectories of particles are computed through the flow domain under the influence of this static probability field. Although the flow is not computationally evolving during the particle tracking simulation, the local velocity is obtained stochastically from the local probability function, thus allowing the dynamics of the turbulent flow to be resolved from the point of view of the suspended particles. Particle inertia is modeled by using a relaxation parameter based on the particle Stokes number that allows for a particle velocity history to be incorporated during each time step. Wall deposition rates and deposition patterns are obtained and exhibit a high level of agreement with previously obtained DNS computational results and experimental results for a wide range of particle inertia. These results suggest that accurate particle tracking through complex turbulent flows may be feasible given a suitable probability field, such as one obtained from a lattice Boltzmann simulation. This in turn presents a new paradigm for the rapid acquisition of particle transport statistics without the need for concurrent computations of fluid flow evolution.     

Numerical simulation of non-Darcian flow through a porous medium

This work reports on fluid flow in a fluid-saturated porous medium, accounting for the boundary and inertial effects in the momentum equation. The flow is simulated by Brinkman-Forchheimer-extended Darcy formulation (DFB), using MAC (Marker And Cell) and Chorin pressure iteration method. The method is validated by comparison with analytic results. The effect of Reynolds number, Darcy number, porosity and viscosity ratio on velocity is investigated. As a result, it is found that Darcy number has a decisive influence on pressure as well as velocity, and the effect of viscosity ratio on velocity is very strong given the Darcy number. Additional key findings include unreasonable choice of effective viscosity can involve loss of important physical information.     

Numerical simulation of fluid flow in a fractured porous medium

Various approaches to study the fluid flow in a fractured porous medium are discussed. Three approaches are compared by the example of axisymmetric flow in a fluid conducting layer. In the first approach, an elastic flow regime (Terzaghi’s model) is considered for a layer with homogenized properties. In the second approach, the problem is formulated in terms of two unknown functions of pressure averaged over fracture cracks and pores. In the framework of the third approach, a two-scale flow model in which the fluid flow through pores is limited by the size of each porous block is proposed.     

Theoretical and numerical study of Couette-Taylor flow with an axial flow using lattice Boltzmann method

In this study, the numerical models for swirling flows developed by Li et al and Zhou for lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) are chosen. These models were firstly validated using the Couette-Taylor flow between two concentric cylinders simulations. Numerical results showed the efficiency of the Zhou's model. Numerical simulation results using LBM are in good agreement for the steady and unsteady regimes compared to the literature review. In a second step, the Zhou model was then adopted to our study to determine the Couette-Taylor instabilities with an axial flow. Two protocols are tested. The first one (direct protocol) starts with an azimuthal flow without any axial flow (Re = 0). Once the regime is established, an axial flow is then superposed to the Couette-Taylor flow (with a sudden or a progressive manner). The second protocol (inverse protocol) starts with an axial flow at a given Reynolds number (Poiseuille flow). Once the regime is established, an azimuthal flow is the executed (with a sudden or a progressive manner). The effect of various parameters controlling the physical situation is also discussed. The increase of the azimuthal velocity mainly led to the emergence and development of Taylor vortices. Its influence decreases when the axial Reynolds number increases. The relevant result for this study is the change of the critical axial Reynolds number Re_c (total disappearance of instabilities) with both protocols and both manners.     

Investigation of incompressible flow within ½ circular cavity using lattice Boltzmann method

A wall‐driven incompressible viscous flow in a ½ circular cavity is simulated, based on the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). The treatment of curved boundary with second‐order accuracy is used. The force evaluation is based on the momentum‐exchange method. The streamlines and vorticity contours and the velocity component along the central line of a semi‐circular cavity are obtained for different Reynolds numbers. The numerical results show that the LBM can capture the formation of primary, secondary and tertiary vortices exactly as the Reynolds number increases and has a great agreement with those of current literatures. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.