Direct simulation of particle dispersion in a decaying isotropic turbulence

Abstract

Dispersion of solid particles in decaying isotropic turbulence is studied numerically. The three-dimensional, time-dependent velocity field of a homogeneous, non-stationary turbulence was computed using the method of direct numerical simulation (DNS). A numerical grid containing 96 3 points was sufficient to resolve the turbulent motion at the Kolmogorov lengthscale for a range of microscale Reynolds numbers starting from Rλ= 25 and decaying to Rλ= 16. The dispersion characteristics of three different solid particles (corn, copper and glass) injected in the flow, were obtained by integrating the complete equation of particle motion along the instantaneous trajectories of 22 3 particles for each particle type, and then performing ensemble averaging. The three different particles are those used by Snyder & Lumley (1971), referred to throughout the paper as SL, in their pioneering wind-tunnel experiment. Good agreement was achieved between our DNS results and the measured time development of the mean-square displacement of the particles. The simulation results also include the time development of the mean-square relative velocity of the particles, the Lagrangian velocity autocorrelation and the turbulent diffusivity of the particles and fluid points. The Lagrangian velocity frequency spectra of the particles and their surrounding fluid, as well as the time development of all the forces acting on one particle are also presented. In order to distinguish between the effects of inertia and gravity on the dispersion statistics we compare the results of simulations made with and without the buoyancy force included in the particle motion equation. A summary of the significant results is provided in §7 of the paper. The main objective of the paper is to enhance the understanding of the physics of particle dispersion in a simple turbulent flow by examining the simulation results described above and answering the questions of how and why the dispersion statistics of a solid particle differ from those of its corresponding fluid point and surrounding fluid and what influences inertia and gravity have on these statistics.