Sedimentation of a single particle between two parallel walls

Area of Science:

• Fluid Dynamics
• Computational Physics
• Particle Mechanics

Background:

• Sedimentation of particles in confined geometries is crucial in various industrial processes.
• Previous studies on particle sedimentation between parallel walls have reported off-center equilibrium positions at higher Reynolds numbers.
• Accurate simulation of particulate flows requires robust numerical methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the sedimentation behavior of a single circular particle between two parallel walls.
• To validate a novel distributed Lagrange multiplier/fictitious domain method for particulate flow simulations.
• To compare simulation results with experimental data across a range of Reynolds numbers.

Main Methods:

• Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) employing an improved distributed Lagrange multiplier/fictitious domain method.
• Experimental investigation of particle sedimentation under controlled conditions.
• Analysis of particle trajectories and equilibrium positions at varying Reynolds numbers (0 to ~700).

Main Results:

• Simulated results for low Reynolds numbers align well with existing literature.
• At higher Reynolds numbers, simulated particles consistently settled to the centerline, unlike previously reported off-center positions.
• Experimental validation confirmed the accuracy of the DNS method and simulation results.

Conclusions:

• The implemented DNS method is effective for simulating particulate flows.
• Particle sedimentation behavior differs at higher Reynolds numbers, with a tendency to reach centerline equilibrium.
• The study provides a validated numerical approach for understanding particle dynamics in confined flows.