Consistent forcing scheme in the cascaded lattice Boltzmann method

Two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulation for synchronized oscillatory flows in two collapsible channels connected in parallel

We investigated self-sustained oscillation in a collapsible channel, in which a part of one rigid wall is replaced by a thin elastic wall, and synchronization phenomena in the two channels connected in parallel. We performed a two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulation in a pair of collapsible channels which merged into a single channel downstream. The stable synchronization modes depended on the distance between the deformable region and the merging point; only an in-phase mode was stable for the large distance, in-phase and antiphase modes were bistable for the middle distance, and again only an in-phase mode was stable for the small distance. An antiphase mode became stable through the subcritical pitchfork bifurcation by decreasing the distance. Further decreasing the distance, the antiphase mode became unstable through the subcritical Neimark-Sacker bifurcation. We also clarified the distance dependences of the amplitude and frequency for each stable synchronization mode.

Self-consistent force scheme in the spectral multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann model

In the present work, the force term is first derived in the spectral multiple-relaxation-time high-order lattice Boltzmann model. The force term in the Boltzmann equation is expanded in the Hermite temperature rescaled central moment space (RCM), instead of the Hermite raw moment space (RM). The contribution of nonequilibrium RCM moments beyond second order are neglected. For the collision operator in the RCM space, each order of the force term can be incorporated directly. Through the transformation between the RCM space and the RM space, the force term for practical numerical implementation in the RM space can be derived. It can be demonstrated that the present force scheme is self-consistent for the isothermal flow and compressible thermal flow with adjustable Prandtl number via the numerical experiments.

Generalized equilibria for color-gradient lattice Boltzmann model based on higher-order Hermite polynomials: A simplified implementation with central moments

We propose generalized equilibria of a three-dimensional color-gradient lattice Boltzmann model for two-component two-phase flows using higher-order Hermite polynomials. Although the resulting equilibrium distribution function, which includes a sixth-order term on the velocity, is computationally cumbersome, its equilibrium central moments (CMs) are velocity-independent and have a simplified form. Numerical experiments show that our approach, as in Wen et al. [Phys. Rev. E 100, 023301 (2019)2470-004510.1103/PhysRevE.100.023301] who consider terms up to third order, improves the Galilean invariance compared to that of the conventional approach. Dynamic problems can be solved with high accuracy at a density ratio of 10; however, the accuracy is still limited to a density ratio of 1000. For lower density ratios, the generalized equilibria benefit from the CM-based multiple-relaxation-time model, especially at very high Reynolds numbers, significantly improving the numerical stability.

Pore-Scale Study on Convective Drying of Porous Media

In this work, a numerical model for isothermal liquid-vapor phase change (evaporation) of the two-component air-water system is proposed based on the pseudopotential lattice Boltzmann method. Through the Chapman-Enskog multiscale analysis, we show that the model can correctly recover the macroscopic governing equations of the multicomponent multiphase system with a built-in binary diffusion mechanism. The model is verified based on the two-component Stefan problem where the measured binary diffusivity is consistent with theoretical analysis. The model is then applied to convective drying of a dual-porosity porous medium at the pore scale. The simulation captures a classical transition in the drying process of porous media, from the constant rate period (CRP, first phase) showing significant capillary pumping from large to small pores, to the falling rate period (FRP, second phase) with the liquid front receding in small pores. It is found that, in the CRP, the evaporation rate increases with the inflow Reynolds number (Re), while in the FRP, the evaporation curves almost collapse at different Res. The underlying mechanism is elucidated by introducing an effective Péclet number (Pe). It is shown that convection is dominant in the CRP and diffusion in the FRP, as evidenced by Pe > 1 and Pe < 1, respectively. We also find a log-law dependence of the average evaporation rate on the inflow Re in the CRP regime. The present work provides new insights into the drying physics of porous media and its direct modeling at the pore scale.

Unified lattice Boltzmann method with improved schemes for multiphase flow simulation: Application to droplet dynamics under realistic conditions

As a powerful mesoscale approach, the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) has been widely used for the numerical study of complex multiphase flows. Recently, Luo et al. [Philos. Trans. R. Soc. A: Math. Phys. Eng. Sci. 379, 20200397 (2021)10.1098/rsta.2020.0397] proposed a unified lattice Boltzmann method (ULBM) to integrate the widely used lattice Boltzmann collision operators into a unified framework. In this study, we incorporate additional features into this ULBM in order to simulate multiphase flow under realistic conditions. A nonorthogonal moment set [Fei et al., Phys. Rev. E 97, 053309 (2018)10.1103/PhysRevE.97.053309] and the entropic-multi-relaxation-time (KBC) lattice Boltzmann model are used to construct the collision operator. An extended combined pseudopotential model is proposed to realize multiphase flow simulation at high-density ratio with tunable surface tension over a wide range. The numerical results indicate that the improved ULBM can significantly decrease the spurious velocities and adjust the surface tension without appreciably changing the density ratio. The ULBM is validated through reproducing various droplet dynamics experiments, such as binary droplet collision and droplet impingement on superhydrophobic surfaces. Finally, the extended ULBM is applied to complex droplet dynamics, including droplet pancake bouncing and droplet splashing. The maximum Weber number and Reynolds number in the simulation reach 800 and 7200, respectively, at a density ratio of 1000. The study demonstrates the generality and versatility of ULBM for incorporating schemes to tackle challenging multiphase problems.

Droplet evaporation in finite-size systems: Theoretical analysis and mesoscopic modeling

The classical D^{2}-Law states that the square of the droplet diameter decreases linearly with time during its evaporation process, i.e., D^{2}(t)=D_{0}^{2}-Kt, where D_{0} is the droplet initial diameter and K is the evaporation constant. Though the law has been widely verified by experiments, considerable deviations are observed in many cases. In this work, a revised theoretical analysis of the single droplet evaporation in finite-size open systems is presented for both two-dimensional (2D) and 3D cases. Our analysis shows that the classical D^{2}-Law is only applicable for 3D large systems (L≫D_{0}, L is the system size), while significant deviations occur for small (L≤5D_{0}) and/or 2D systems. Theoretical solution for the temperature field is also derived. Moreover, we discuss in detail the proper numerical implementation of droplet evaporation in finite-size open systems by the mesoscopic lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). Taking into consideration shrinkage effects and an adaptive pressure boundary condition, droplet evaporation in finite-size 2D/3D systems with density ratio up to 328 within a wide parameter range (K=[0.003,0.18] in lattice units) is simulated, and remarkable agreement with the theoretical solution is achieved, in contrast to previous simulations. The present work provides insights into realistic droplet evaporation phenomena and their numerical modeling using diffuse-interface methods.

A unified lattice Boltzmann model and application to multiphase flows

In this work, we develop a unified lattice Boltzmann model (ULBM) framework that can seamlessly integrate the widely used lattice Boltzmann collision operators, including the Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook or single-relation-time, multiple-relaxation-time, central-moment or cascaded lattice Boltzmann method and multiple entropic operators (KBC). Such a framework clarifies the relations among the existing collision operators and greatly facilitates model comparison and development as well as coding. Importantly, any LB model or treatment constructed for a specific collision operator could be easily adopted by other operators. We demonstrate the flexibility and power of the ULBM framework through three multiphase flow problems: the rheology of an emulsion, splashing of a droplet on a liquid film and dynamics of pool boiling. Further exploration of ULBM for a wide variety of phenomena would be both realistic and beneficial, making the LBM more accessible to non-specialists. This article is part of the theme issue 'Progress in mesoscale methods for fluid dynamics simulation'.

Lattice Boltzmann Modeling of Drying of Porous Media Considering Contact Angle Hysteresis

Drying of porous media is governed by a combination of evaporation and movement of the liquid phase within the porous structure. Contact angle hysteresis induced by surface roughness is shown to influence multi-phase flows, such as contact line motion of droplet, phase distribution during drainage and coffee ring formed after droplet drying in constant contact radius mode. However, the influence of contact angle hysteresis on liquid drying in porous media is still an unanswered question. Lattice Boltzmann model (LBM) is an advanced numerical approach increasingly used to study phase change problems including drying. In this paper, based on a geometric formulation scheme to prescribe contact angle, we implement a contact angle hysteresis model within the framework of a two-phase pseudopotential LBM. The capability and accuracy of prescribing and automatically measuring contact angles over a large range are tested and validated by simulating droplets sitting on flat and curved surfaces. Afterward, the proposed contact angle hysteresis model is validated by modeling droplet drying on flat and curved surfaces. Then, drying of two connected capillary tubes is studied, considering the influence of different contact angle hysteresis ranges on drying dynamics. Finally, the model is applied to study drying of a dual-porosity porous medium, where phase distribution and drying rate are compared with and without contact angle hysteresis. The proposed model is shown to be capable of dealing with different contact angle hysteresis ranges accurately and of capturing the physical mechanisms during drying in different porous media including flat and curved geometries.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11242-021-01644-9.

Central-Moments-Based Lattice Boltzmann for Associating Fluids: A New Integrated Approach

Dynamic and thermodynamic behaviors of associating fluids play a crucial role in various science and engineering disciplines. Cubic plus association equation of state (CPA EOS) is implemented in a central-moments-based lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) in order to mimic the thermodynamic behavior of associating fluids. The pseudopotential approach is selected to model the multiphase thermodynamic characteristics such as reduced density of associating fluids. The priority of central-moments-based approach over multiple-relaxation-time collision operator is highlighted by performing double shear layers. The integration of central-moments-based LBM and CPA EOS is useful to simulate the dynamic and thermodynamic characteristics of associating fluids at high flow rate conditions, which is extended to high-density ratio scenarios by increasing the anisotropy order of gradient operator. In order to increase the stability of the model, a higher anisotropy order of the gradient operator is implemented; about 34 present reduction in spurious velocities is noticed in some cases. The type of gradient operator considerably affects the model thermodynamic consistency. Finally, the model is validated by observing a straight line in the Laplace law test. Prediction of thermodynamic behaviors of associating fluids is of significance in various applications including biological processes as well as fluid flow in porous media.

Discrete fluidization of dense monodisperse emulsions in neutral wetting microchannels

The rheology of pressure-driven flows of two-dimensional dense monodisperse emulsions in neutral wetting microchannels is investigated by means of mesoscopic lattice Boltzmann simulations, capable of handling large collections of droplets, in the order of several hundreds. The simulations reveal that the fluidization of the emulsion proceeds through a sequence of discrete steps, characterized by yielding events whereby layers of droplets start rolling over each other, thus leading to sudden drops of the relative effective viscosity. It is shown that such discrete fluidization is robust against loss of confinement, namely it persists also in the regime of small ratios of the droplet diameter over the microchannel width. We also develop a simple phenomenological model which predicts a linear relation between the relative effective viscosity of the emulsion and the product of the confinement parameter (global size of the device over droplet radius) and the viscosity ratio between the disperse and continuous phases. The model shows excellent agreement with the numerical simulations. The present work offers new insights to enable the design of microfluidic scaffolds for tissue engineering applications and paves the way to detailed rheological studies of soft-glassy materials in complex geometries.

Comprehensive comparison of collision models in the lattice Boltzmann framework: Theoretical investigations

Over the last decades, several types of collision models have been proposed to extend the validity domain of the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), each of them being introduced in its own formalism. This article proposes a formalism that describes all these methods within a common mathematical framework, and in this way allows us to draw direct links between them. Here, the focus is put on single and multirelaxation time collision models in either their raw moment, central moment, cumulant, or regularized form. In parallel with that, several bases (nonorthogonal, orthogonal, Hermite) are considered for the polynomial expansion of populations. General relationships between moments are first derived to understand how moment spaces are related to each other. In addition, a review of collision models further sheds light on collision models that can be rewritten in a linear matrix form. More quantitative mathematical studies are then carried out by comparing explicit expressions for the post-collision populations. Thanks to this, it is possible to deduce the impact of both the polynomial basis (raw, Hermite, central, central Hermite, cumulant) and the inclusion of regularization steps on isothermal LBMs. Extensive results are provided for the D1Q3, D2Q9, and D3Q27 lattices, the latter being further extended to the D3Q19 velocity discretization. Links with the most common two and multirelaxation time collision models are also provided for the sake of completeness. This work ends by emphasizing the importance of an accurate representation of the equilibrium state, independently of the choice of moment space. As an addition to the theoretical purpose of this article, general instructions are provided to help the reader with the implementation of the most complicated collision models.

Role of higher-order Hermite polynomials in the central-moments-based lattice Boltzmann framework

The cascaded lattice Boltzmann method decomposes the collision stage on a basis of central moments on which the equilibrium state is assumed equal to that of the continuous Maxwellian distribution. Such a relaxation process is usually considered as an assumption, which is then justified a posteriori by showing the enhanced Galilean invariance of the resultant algorithm. An alternative method is to relax central moments to the equilibrium state of the discrete second-order truncated distribution. In this paper, we demonstrate that relaxation to the continuous Maxwellian distribution is equivalent to the discrete counterpart if higher-order (up to sixth) Hermite polynomials are used to construct the equilibrium when the D3Q27 lattice velocity space is considered. Therefore, a theoretical a priori justification of the choice of the continuous distribution is formally provided for the first time.

Three-dimensional cascaded lattice Boltzmann method: Improved implementation and consistent forcing scheme

The cascaded or central-moment-based lattice Boltzmann method (CLBM) proposed in [Phys. Rev. E 73, 066705 (2006)PLEEE81539-375510.1103/PhysRevE.73.066705] possesses very good numerical stability. However, two constraints exist in three-dimensional (3D) CLBM simulations. First, the conventional implementation for 3D CLBM involves cumbersome operations and requires much higher computational cost compared to the single-relaxation-time (SRT) LBM. Second, it is a challenge to accurately incorporate a general force field into the 3D CLBM. In this paper, we present an improved method to implement CLBM in 3D. The main strategy is to adopt a simplified central moment set and carry out the central-moment-based collision operator based on a general multi-relaxation-time (GMRT) framework. Next, the recently proposed consistent forcing scheme for CLBM [Fei and Luo, Phys. Rev. E 96, 053307 (2017)2470-004510.1103/PhysRevE.96.053307] is extended to incorporate a general force field into 3D CLBM. Compared with the recently developed nonorthogonal CLBM [Rosis, Phys. Rev. E 95, 013310 (2017)2470-004510.1103/PhysRevE.95.013310], our implementation is proved to reduce the computational cost significantly. The inconsistency of adopting the discrete equilibrium distribution functions in the nonorthogonal CLBM is analyzed and validated. The 3D CLBM developed here in conjunction with the consistent forcing scheme is verified through numerical simulations of several canonical force-driven flows, highlighting very good properties in terms of accuracy, convergence, and consistency with the nonslip rule. Finally, the techniques developed here for 3D CLBM can be applied to make the implementation and execution of 3D MRT-LBM more efficient.

Color-gradient lattice Boltzmann model with nonorthogonal central moments: Hydrodynamic melt-jet breakup simulations

We develop a lattice Boltzmann (LB) model for immiscible two-phase flow simulations with central moments (CMs). This successfully combines a three-dimensional nonorthogonal CM-based LB scheme [De Rosis, Phys. Rev. E 95, 013310 (2017)2470-004510.1103/PhysRevE.95.013310] with our previous color-gradient LB model [Saito, Abe, and Koyama, Phys. Rev. E 96, 013317 (2017)2470-004510.1103/PhysRevE.96.013317]. Hydrodynamic melt-jet breakup simulations show that the proposed model is significantly more stable, even for flow with extremely high Reynolds numbers, up to O(10^{6}). This enables us to investigate the phenomena expected under actual reactor conditions.

Symmetrized operator split schemes for force and source modeling in cascaded lattice Boltzmann methods for flow and scalar transport

Operator split forcing schemes exploiting a symmetrization principle, i.e., Strang splitting, for cascaded lattice Boltzmann (LB) methods in two- and three-dimensions for fluid flows with impressed local forces are presented. Analogous scheme for the passive scalar transport represented by a convection-diffusion equation with a source term in a novel cascaded LB formulation is also derived. They are based on symmetric applications of the split solutions of the changes on the scalar field or fluid momentum due to the sources or forces over half time steps before and after the collision step. The latter step is effectively represented in terms of the post-collision change of moments at zeroth and first orders, respectively, to represent the effect of the sources on the scalar transport and forces on the fluid flow. Such symmetrized operator split cascaded LB schemes are consistent with the second-order Strang splitting and naturally avoid any discrete effects due to forces or sources by appropriately projecting their effects for higher-order moments. All the force or source implementation steps are performed only in the moment space and they do not require formulations as extra terms and their additional transformations to the velocity space. These result in particularly simpler and efficient schemes to incorporate forces or sources in the cascaded LB methods unlike those considered previously. Numerical study for various benchmark problems in 2D and 3D for fluid flow problems with body forces and scalar transport with sources demonstrate the validity and accuracy, as well as the second-order convergence rate of the symmetrized operator split forcing or source schemes for the cascaded LB methods.

Eliminating cubic terms in the pseudopotential lattice Boltzmann model for multiphase flow

It is well recognized that there exist additional cubic terms of velocity in the lattice Boltzmann (LB) model based on the standard lattice. In this work, elimination of these cubic terms in the pseudopotential LB model for multiphase flow is investigated, where the force term and density gradient are considered. By retaining high-order (≥3) Hermite terms in the equilibrium distribution function and the discrete force term, as well as introducing correction terms in the LB equation, the additional cubic terms of velocity are entirely eliminated. With this technique, the computational simplicity of the pseudopotential LB model is well maintained. Numerical tests, including stationary and moving flat and circular interface problems, are carried out to show the effects of such cubic terms on the simulation of multiphase flow. It is found that the elimination of additional cubic terms is beneficial to reduce the numerical error, especially when the velocity is relatively large. Numerical results also suggest that these cubic terms mainly take effect in the interfacial region and that the density-gradient-related cubic terms are more important than the other cubic terms for multiphase flow.