Influence of external flows on crystal growth: numerical investigation

We use a combined phase-field-lattice-Boltzmann scheme [Medvedev and Kassner, Phys. Rev. E 72, 056703 (2005)] to simulate nonfaceted crystal growth from an undercooled melt in external flows. Selected growth parameters are determined numerically. For growth patterns at moderate to high undercooling and relatively large anisotropy, the values of the tip radius and selection parameter plotted as a function of the Péclet number fall approximately on single curves. Hence, it may be argued that a parallel flow changes the selected tip radius and growth velocity solely by modifying (increasing) the Péclet number. This has interesting implications for the availability of current selection theories as predictors of growth characteristics under flow. At smaller anisotropy, a modification of the morphology diagram in the plane of undercooling versus anisotropy is observed. The transition line from dendrites to doublons is shifted in favor of dendritic patterns, which become faster than doublons as the flow speed is increased, thus rendering the basin of attraction of dendritic structures larger. For small anisotropy and Prandtl number, we find oscillations of the tip velocity in the presence of flow. On increasing the fluid viscosity or decreasing the flow velocity, we observe a reduction in the amplitude of these oscillations.