Visual depiction and numerical characterization of intricate flow in triply periodic minimal surface foams

Abstract

Benefiting from the structural specificity and programmability, the bioinspired triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMSs) bring excellent physicochemical properties that are distinct from conventional topologies. Especially with the rapid development of additive manufacturing and high-performance computing capacities, function-oriented design and synthesis of smart TPMS materials or devices have become feasible. Therefore, understanding the flow characterizations induced by TPMS foams is of remarkable importance to the successful design and practical operation. However, the in-depth studies and theoretical guidance on the relationship between structure and flow characterizations of TPMS foams are still limited. In this study, an Eulerian and Lagrangian coupled model is developed to investigate the internal flow behaviors and flow regime transition mechanism from creeping to inertial flow in four representative TPMS foams. The simulation accuracy is then validated by a high-resolution pore-scale flow field observation. Results show that the flow morphology and pressure drop characteristics are highly influenced by TPMS geometry and Re. Among which, Schwarz Diamond (D), Schoen Gyroid (G), and Fischer-Koch S (S) foams are more susceptible to radial flow disturbance, while Schoen inverted Weissenberg periodic foam to axial flow disturbance. In addition, higher porosities delay the transition to transitional regime of the flow. This work establishes firm theoretical and methodological foundations for the customization and intelligent development of bioinspired TPMS foam materials in broad fluidic applications.