A random projection method for sharp phase boundaries in lattice Boltzmann simulations

Existing lattice Boltzmann models that have been designed to recover a macroscopic description of immiscible liquids are only able to make predictions that are quantitatively correct when the interface that exists between the fluids is smeared over several nodal points. Attempts to minimise the thickness of this interface generally leads to a phenomenon known as lattice pinning, the precise cause of which is not well understood. This spurious behaviour is remarkably similar to that associated with the numerical simulation of hyperbolic partial differential equations coupled with a stiff source term. Inspired by the seminal work in this field, we derive a lattice Boltzmann implementation of a model equation used to investigate such peculiarities. This implementation is extended to different spacial discretisations in one and two dimensions. We shown that the inclusion of a quasi-random threshold dramatically delays the onset of pinning and facetting

Shock-induced collapse of a gas bubble in shockwave lithotripsy

The shock-induced collapse of a pre-existing nucleus near a solid surface in the focal region of a lithotripter is investigated. The entire flow field of the collapse of a single gas bubble subjected to a lithotripter pulse is simulated using a high-order accurate shock- and interface-capturing scheme, and the wall pressure is considered as an indication of potential damage. Results from the computations show the same qualitative behavior as that observed in experiments: a re-entrant jet forms in the direction of propagation of the pulse and penetrates the bubble during collapse, ultimately hitting the distal side and generating a water-hammer shock. As a result of the propagation of this wave, wall pressures on the order of 1 GPa may be achieved for bubbles collapsing close to the wall. The wall pressure decreases with initial stand-off distance and pulse width and increases with pulse amplitude. For the stand-off distances considered in the present work, the wall pressure due to bubble collapse is larger than that due to the incoming shockwave; the region over which this holds may extend to ten initial radii. The present results indicate that shock-induced collapse is a mechanism with high potential for damage in shockwave lithotripsy

The Explicit Simplified Interface Method for compressible multicomponent flows

This paper concerns the numerical approximation of the Euler equations for multicomponent flows. A numerical method is proposed to reduce spurious oscillations that classically occur around material interfaces. It is based on the "Explicit Simplified Interface Method" (ESIM), previously developed in the linear case of acoustics with stationary interfaces (2001, J. Comput. Phys. 168, pp.~227-248). This technique amounts to a higher order extension of the "Ghost Fluid Method" introduced in Euler multicomponent flows (1999, J. Comput. Phys. 152, pp. 457-492). The ESIM is coupled to sophisticated shock-capturing schemes for time-marching, and to level-sets for tracking material interfaces. Jump conditions satisfied by the exact solution and by its spatial derivative are incorporated in numerical schemes, ensuring a subcell resolution of material interfaces inside the meshing. Numerical experiments show the efficiency of the method for rich-structured flows.Comment: to be published in SIAM Journal of Scientific Computing (2005