Turbulent breakage of ductile aggregates

In this paper we study breakage rate statistics of small colloidal aggregates in non-homogeneous anisotropic turbulence. We use pseudo-spectral direct numerical simulation of turbulent channel flow and Lagrangian tracking to follow the motion of the aggregates, modelled as sub-Kolmogorov massless particles. We focus specifically on the effects produced by ductile rupture: This rupture is initially activated when fluctuating hydrodynamic stresses exceed a critical value, $\sigma>\sigma_{cr}$, and is brought to completion when the energy absorbed by the aggregate meets the critical breakage value. We show that ductile rupture breakage rates are significantly reduced with respect to the case of instantaneous brittle rupture (i.e. breakage occurs as soon as $\sigma>\sigma_{cr}$). These discrepancies are due to the different energy values at play as well as to the statistical features of energy distribution in the anisotropic turbulence case examined.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. E (April 2015

Time persistency of floating particle clusters in free-surface turbulence

We study the dispersion of light particles floating on a flat shear-free surface of an open channel in which the flow is turbulent. This configuration mimics the motion of buoyant matter (e.g. phytoplankton, pollutants or nutrients) in water bodies when surface waves and ripples are smooth or absent. We perform direct numerical simulation of turbulence coupled with Lagrangian particle tracking, considering different values of the shear Reynolds number (Re{\tau} = 171 and 509) and of the Stokes number (0.06 < St < 1 in viscous units). Results show that particle buoyancy induces clusters that evolve towards a long-term fractal distribution in a time much longer than the Lagrangian integral fluid time scale, indicating that such clusters over-live the surface turbulent structures which produced them. We quantify cluster dynamics, crucial when modeling dispersion in free-surface flow turbulence, via the time evolution of the cluster correlation dimension

Appraisal of energy recovering sub-grid scale models for large-eddy simulation of turbulent dispersed flows

Current capabilities of Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) in Eulerian-Lagrangian studies of dispersed flows are limited by the modeling of the Sub-Grid Scale (SGS) turbulence effects on particle dynamics. These effects should be taken into account in order to reproduce accurately the physics of particle dispersion since the LES cut-off filter removes both energy and flow structures from the turbulent flow field. In this paper, we examine the possibility of including explicitly SGS effects by incorporating ad hoc closure models in the Lagrangian equations of particle motion. Specifically, we consider candidate models based on fractal interpolation and approximate deconvolution techniques. Results show that, even when closure models are able to recover the fraction of SGS turbulent kinetic energy for the fluid velocity field (not resolved in LES), prediction of local segregation and, in turn, of near-wall accumulation may still be inaccurate. This failure indicates that reconstructing the correct amount of fluid and particle velocity fluctuations is not enough to reproduce the effect of SGS turbulence on particle near-wall accumulatio

Mass-conservation-improved phase field methods for turbulent multiphase flow simulation

The phase field method has emerged as a powerful tool for the simulation of multiphase flow. The method has great potential for further developments and applications: it has a sound physical basis, and when associated with a highly refined grid, physics is accurately rendered. However, in many cases, especially when dealing with turbulent flows, the available computational resources do not allow for a complete resolution of the interfacial phenomena and some undesired effects such as shrinkage, coarsening and misrepresentation of surface tension forces and thermo-physical properties can affect the accuracy of the simulations. In this paper, we present two improved phase field method formulations (profile-corrected and flux-corrected), specifically developed to overcome the previously mentioned drawbacks, and we benchmark their performance versus the classic one. The formulations are first tested considering the rise of a bubble in a quiescent fluid and the interaction of two droplets in laminar shear flow; then, their performances are compared in the simulation of a droplet-laden turbulent flow. The aim of this work is to review and benchmark the different phase field method formulations, with the final goal of laying down useful guidelines for the accurate simulation of turbulent multiphase flow with the phase field method

Urban air pollution by odor sources: Short time prediction

3noA numerical approach is proposed to predict the short time dispersion of odors in the urban environment. The model is based on (i) a three dimensional computational domain describing the urban topography at fine spatial scale (1 m) and on (ii) highly time resolved (1 min frequency) meteorological data used as in flow conditions. The time dependent, three dimensional wind velocity field is reconstructed in the Eulerian framework using a fast response finite volume solver of Navier-Stokes equations. Odor dispersion is calculated using a Lagrangian approach. An application of the model to the historic city of Verona (Italy) is presented. Results confirm that this type of odor dispersion simulations can be used (i) to assess the impact of odor emissions in urban areas and (ii) to evaluate the potential mitigation produced by odor abatement systems.openopenPettarin, Nicola; Campolo, Marina; Soldati, AlfredoPettarin, Nicola; Campolo, Marina; Soldati, Alfred

Effect of surfactant-laden droplets on turbulent flow topology

In this work, we investigate flow topology modifications produced by a swarm of large surfactant-laden droplets released in a turbulent channel flow. Droplets have same density and viscosity of the carrier fluid, so that only surface tension effects are considered. We run one single-phase flow simulation at $Re_\tau=\rho u_\tau h / \mu = 300$, and ten droplet-laden simulations at the same $Re_\tau$ with a constant volume fraction equal to $\Phi \simeq5.4\%$. For each simulation, we vary the Weber number ($We$, ratio between inertial and surface tension forces) and the elasticity number ($\beta_s$, parameter that quantifies the surface tension reduction). We use direct numerical simulations of turbulence coupled with a phase field method to investigate the role of capillary forces (normal to the interface) and Marangoni forces (tangential to the interface) on turbulence (inside and outside the droplets). As expected, due to the low volume fraction of droplets, we observe minor modifications in the macroscopic flow statistics. However, we observe major modifications of the vorticity at the interface and important changes in the local flow topology. We highlight the role of Marangoni forces in promoting an elongational type of flow in the dispersed phase and at the interface. We provide detailed statistical quantification of these local changes as a function of the Weber number and elasticity number, which may be useful for simplified models

Heat transfer in drop-laden turbulence

Heat transfer by large deformable drops in a turbulent flow is a complex and rich in physics system, in which drops deformation, breakage and coalescence influence the transport of heat. We study this problem coupling direct numerical simulations (DNS) of turbulence, with a phase-field method for the interface description. Simulations are run at fixed shear Reynolds and Weber numbers. To evaluate the influence of microscopic flow properties, like momentum/thermal diffusivity, on macroscopic flow properties, like mean temperature or heat transfer rates, we consider four different values of the Prandtl number, which is the momentum to thermal diffusivity ratio: Pr=1, Pr=2, Pr=4 and Pr=8. The drops volume fraction is Phi=5.4% for all cases. Drops are initially warmer than the turbulent carrier fluid, and release heat at different rates, depending on the value of Pr, but also on their size and on their own dynamics (topology, breakage, drop-drop interaction). Computing the time behavior of the drops and carrier fluid average temperatures, we clearly show that an increase of Pr slows down the heat transfer process. We explain our results by a simplified phenomenological model: we show that the time behavior of the drops average temperature is self similar, and a universal behavior can be found upon rescaling by t/Pr^2/3

Turbulent Drag Reduction by Biopolymers in Large Scale Pipes

In this work, we describe drag reduction experiments performed in a large diameter pipe (i.d. 100mm) using a semirigid biopolymer Xanthan Gum (XG). The objective is to build a self-consistent data base which can be used for validation purposes. To aim this, we ran a series of tests measuring friction factor at different XG concentrations (0.01, 0.05, 0.075, 0.1, and 0.2% w/w XG) and at different values of Reynolds number (from 758 to 297,000). For each concentration, we obtain also the rheological characterization of the test fluid. Our data is in excellent agreement with data collected in a different industrial scale test rig. The data is used to validate design equations available from the literature. Our data compare well with data gathered in small scale rigs and scaled up using empirically based design equations and with data collected for pipes having other than round cross section. Our data confirm the validity of a design equation inferred from direct nu- merical simulation (DNS) which was recently proposed to predict the friction factor. We show that scaling procedures based on this last equation can assist the design of piping systems in which polymer drag reduction can be exploited in a cost effective way