ABSTRACT
Conservative phase-field (CPF) equations based on the Allen-Cahn model for interface tracking in multiphase flows have become more popular in recent years, especially in the lattice-Boltzmann (LB) community. This is largely due to their simplicity and improved efficiency and accuracy over their Cahn-Hilliard-based counterparts. Additionally, the improved locality of the resulting LB equation (LBE) for the CPF models makes them more ideal candidates for LB simulation of multiphase flows on nonuniform grids, particularly within an adaptive-mesh refinement framework and massively parallel implementation. In this regard, some modifications-intended as improvements-have been made to the original CPF-LBE proposed by Geier et al. [Phys. Rev. E 91, 063309 (2015)PLEEE81539-375510.1103/PhysRevE.91.063309] which require further examination. The goal of the present study is to conduct a comparative investigation into the differences between the original CPF model proposed by Geier et al. [Phys. Rev. E 91, 063309 (2015)PLEEE81539-375510.1103/PhysRevE.91.063309] and the so-called improvements proposed by Ren et al. [Phys. Rev. E 94, 023311 (2016)2470-004510.1103/PhysRevE.94.023311] and Wang et al. [Phys. Rev. E 94, 033304 (2016)2470-004510.1103/PhysRevE.94.033304]. Using the Chapman-Enskog analysis, we provide a detailed derivation of the governing equations in each model and then examine the efficacy of the above-mentioned models for some benchmark problems. Several test cases have been designed to study different configurations ranging from basic yet informative flows to more complex flow fields, and the results are compared with finite-difference simulations. Furthermore, as a development of the previously proposed CPF-LBE model, axisymmetric formulations for the proposed model by Geier et al. [Phys. Rev. E 91, 063309 (2015)PLEEE81539-375510.1103/PhysRevE.91.063309] are derived and presented. Finally, two benchmark problems are designed to compare the proposed axisymmetric model with the analytical solution and previous work. We find that the accuracy of the model for interface tracking is roughly similar for different models at high viscosity ratios, high density ratios, and relatively high Reynolds numbers, while the original CFP-LBE without the additional time-dependent terms outperforms the so-called improved models in terms of efficiency, particularly on distributed parallel machines.
ABSTRACT
In this paper, the behavior of a bubble and droplet rising in a system, namely, a dissolved air flotation system, is investigated under different conditions. A lattice Boltzmann model which is based on the Cahn-Hilliard equations for ternary flows is implemented. This model can handle high density and viscosity ratios, remove parasitic currents, and capture partial and total spreading conditions. Two classical problems, such as spreading of a liquid lens and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability are used to determine the accuracy of the model. As a practical application, three-component flow in a tank is studied and the dynamics of bubble and droplet under different conditions is investigated. We then concentrate on the dimensionless average velocity and locations of bubble and droplet at different density ratios, viscosity ratios, and diameter ratios. Also, total spreading and partial spreading conditions are compared. The numerical results are justifiable physically and show the ability of this model to simulate three-component flows.
ABSTRACT
In this paper, we propose a multiphase lattice Boltzmann model for numerical simulation of ternary flows at high density and viscosity ratios free from spurious velocities. The proposed scheme, which is based on the phase-field modeling, employs the Cahn-Hilliard theory to track the interfaces among three different fluid components. Several benchmarks, such as the spreading of a liquid lens, binary droplets, and head-on collision of two droplets in binary- and ternary-fluid systems, are conducted to assess the reliability and accuracy of the model. The proposed model can successfully simulate both partial and total spreadings while reducing the parasitic currents to the machine precision.
