New applications of numerical simulation based on lattice Boltzmann method at high Reynolds numbers

Abstract

In order to study the flow behavior at high Reynolds numbers, two modified models, known as the multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann method (MRT-LBM) and large-eddy-simulation lattice Boltzmann method (LES-LBM), have been employed in this paper. The MRT-LBM was designed to improve numerical stability at high Reynolds numbers, by introducing multiple relaxation time terms, which consider the variations of density, energy, momentum, energy flux and viscous stress tensor. As a result, MRT-LBM is capable of dealing with turbulent flows considering energy dispersion and dissipation. In the present paper, this model was employed to simulate the flow at turbulent Reynolds numbers in wall-driven cavities. Two-sided wall driven cavity flow was studied for the first time, based on MRT-LBM, at Reynolds numbers ranging from 2×104to1×106, and employing a very large resolution2048 × 2048. It is found that whenever top and bottom lids are moving in the opposite directions, and the Reynolds number is higher than 2×104, the flow is chaotic, although some quasi-symmetric properties still remain, fully disappearing at Reynolds numbers between 2×105 and 3×105. Furthermore, between this Reynolds numbers range, 2×105<Re<3×105, the quasi-symmetric structures turn into a much smaller and fully chaotic eddies. The LES-LBM model implements the large eddy simulation turbulent model into the conventional LBM, allowing to study the flow at turbulent Reynolds numbers. LES-LBM combined with Quadruple-tree Cartesian cutting grid (tree grid) was employed for the first time to characterize the flow dynamics over a cylinder and a hump, at relatively high Reynolds numbers. In order to construct the macroscopic quantities in the virtual boundaries separating two different grid levels, a set of new schemes were designed. The coupling of the LES-LBM and tree grid drastically reduced the computational time required to perform the simulations, thus, allowing to minimize the hardware requirements. LES-LBM model is shown to be much more efficient when combined with the tree grid instead of using the standard Cartesian grid.