Multiphase simulation of liquid jet breakup using smoothed particle hydrodynamics

Abstract

This paper deals with numerical modeling of two-phase liquid jet breakup using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method. Simulation of multiphase flows involving fluids with a high-density ratio causes large pressure gradients at the interface and subsequently divergence of numerical solutions. A modified procedure extended by Monaghan and Rafiee is employed to stabilize the sharp interface between the fluids. Various test cases such as Rayleigh–Taylor instability, two-phase still water and air bubble rising in water have been conducted, by which the capability of accurately capturing the physics of multiphase flows is verified. The results of these simulations are in a good agreement with analytical and previous numerical solutions. Finally, the simulation of the breakup process of liquid jet into surrounding air is accomplished. The whole numerical solutions are accomplished for both Wendland and cubic spline kernel functions and Wendland kernel function gave more accurate results. Length of liquid breakup in Rayleigh regime is calculated for various flow conditions such as different Reynolds and Weber numbers. The results of breakup length demonstrate in satisfactory agreement with the experimental correlation. Finally, impinging distance and breakup length of a simple multijet setup are analyzed. The two-jet multijet has a longer breakup length than a three-jet one.