Dynamics of a neutrally buoyant circular particle moving in a parallel double-lid-driven square cavity

Abstract

The motion of a neutrally buoyant circular particle in a parallel double-lid-driven square cavity is studied with the lattice Boltzmann method. To understand, predict and control the motion of the circular particle, the effects of the initial position and particle size are studied. If the circular particle is placed at the centerline of the square cavity, at the steady state, it is confined at the bottom left corner, otherwise, the circular particle is stabilized at the 8-like trajectory, which is created by both the inertia of the circular particle and the confinement of the boundaries of the square cavity. The effect of the particle size on the motion of the circular particle is obvious, with the increase of the particle size, the confinement of the boundaries of the square cavity becomes stronger, and the 8-like trajectory shrinks toward the center. Furthermore, if the particle size is large enough, the centrifugal motion of the circular particle becomes weaker, and the circular particle cannot cross the centerline of the square cavity.