(465j) Simulation of Fluid-Particle Suspension Using the Immersed Boundary Method

The Immersed Boundary Method (IBM) is a numerical technique for simulating fluid-structure interactions. It handles complex solid-fluid interactions by embedding boundaries in a fluid domain and using interpolation for fluid forces. IBM finds applications in bioengineering, aerospace, and biomechanics, enabling the study of physiological processes, aerodynamics, and biomechanical interactions. With the aim to model such flows, this work proposed to extend the Signed Distance Function Immersed Boundary Method (SDFIBM) developed by Chenguang [1], which is based on OpenFOAM v6. The suggested pyramid decomposition approach and signed distance field representation of the solid shape enable precise calculation of the volume fraction field generated by solids overlapping with a random unstructured fluid mesh.
The objective of the current research work is to carry out a detailed analysis of the dependence of time step, grid size, and Reynolds Number on the results of SDFIBM simulations. The SDFIBM results are compared with OpenFoam's Finite Volume Method (FVM) results to assess the accuracy and reliability, identify potential discrepancies or differences in the predicted fluid-structure interaction behaviors, and gain insights into the strengths and limitations of the method. The work emphasizes on analysis of two-dimensional study of flow past a circular cylinder and three- dimensional simulation of flow past a sphere for different particle Reynolds Number between 0.1 and 100. The work is also extended to analyze the flow through an array of cylinders. The comparison between array of fixed cylinders and vibrating cylinders for different particle Reynolds Number and volume fraction is shown.

Reference: C. Zhang, sdfibm: a signed distance field based discrete forcing immersed boundary method in OpenFOAM, Computer Physics Communications, 255, 107 370, 2020.