Numerical investigation of the effects of large particles on wall-turbulence

Abstract

Particle-laden turbulent flows, at average volume fraction less than 4×10−4, in open channels are numerically simulated by using a pseudospectral method. The motion of particles, that are large compared with the dissipative length scale, is coupled to the fluid motion by a method that generates a “virtual” no-slip boundary on the particle surface by imposition of an external force field on the grid-points enclosed by the particle. Cases for both moving and stationary particles, lying on the wall, are simulated. The investigations focus on particle-turbulence interaction. It is found that particles increase turbulence intensities and Reynolds stress. By examining higher order turbulence statistics and doing a quadrant analysis of the Reynolds stress, it is found that the ejection-sweep cycle is affected—primarily through suppression of sweeps by the smaller particles and enhancement of sweep activity by the larger particles. An assessment of the impact of these findings on scalar transfer is made, as enhancement of wall heat/mass transfer rates is a motivation of the overall work on this subject. In the cases considered, comparison of the calculations with an existing experiment was possible, and shows good agreement. At present, due to limitations in available computational resources, this method cannot be used when the particle diameter is smaller than the smallest turbulence scale (e.g. the Kolmogorov length scale) and the volume fraction is of the same order as studied in this paper, i.e. between 10−3 and 10−4.