Application Of Lattice Boltzmann Method Research Articles

Three-dimensional vorticity–velocity formulation in a lattice Boltzmann method

In recent decades, a paradigm shift in macroscopic methods has favored the use of non-primitive variables, such as velocity and vorticity (V–V), over traditional primitive variables. This shift eliminates the need for solving a Poisson equation for pressure, aligning numerical treatments more closely with physical reality. However, the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), renowned for its efficacy in studying fluid flow phenomena, continues to rely on the conventional pressure–velocity (P–V) approach. This conventional approach necessitates a pressure–density relation, posing challenges in maintaining the incompressible condition. This study pioneers a novel application of the LBM to three-dimensional velocity–vorticity equations, expanding upon our suggested recent method for two-dimensional cases [Kefayati, Phys. Fluids. 36, 013128 (2024)]. To address the complexities introduced by the vortex stretching term in three dimensions, a new equilibrium distribution function is formulated and introduced to the three-dimensional nature of the vorticity vector. The paper details the derivation of the three-dimensional LBM and substantiates its effectiveness through numerical examples, showcasing its applicability in fluid dynamics. By bridging the gap between traditional P–V formulations and the benefits of non-primitive V–V variables, this work contributes to the ongoing exploration of LBM applications in fluid dynamics. The focus on three-dimensional scenarios involving velocity–vorticity equations marks a significant advancement, offering insights into the nuanced dynamics of fluid flow and paving the way for more accurate and realistic simulations in complex environments.

Direct hydroacoustics analyses of pipe orifice using lattice Boltzmann method

Acoustic waves in water pipes pose a structural threat but also offer a valuable tool for non-invasive inspection. Complex pipe geometries such as bends and surface liners create complex fluid boundaries, triggering interactions between fluid flow and acoustics. The lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) excels at capturing these interactions near complex boundaries, in contrast to the finite volume method, which can result in errors. However, the application of LBM in water pipes has been limited by stability problems. This study proposes a two-step (DM-TS) collision operator based on a direct method (LBM-HA) for stable LBM simulations in water pipes. LBM-HA enables direct hydroacoustic predictions for both acoustic and dynamic flow fields in a pipe orifice. A novel acoustic-dynamic complex boundary condition was formulated from the linearized Euler's equation to account for the physical effects of the bounded domain of the LBM-HA analysis. To distinguish between dynamic and acoustic components, wavenumber and frequency decomposition techniques were applied to the pressure data obtained within the pipe. In addition, mode decomposition of the acoustic pressure was conducted to identify the dominant acoustic modes. By comparing the LBM-HA results with experimental data, we highlighted the method's potential for direct hydroacoustic analysis considering the acoustic characteristics of the water pipe.

A between-wall heat transfer simulation approach based on the lattice Boltzmann method and its application in tube heat transfer analysis

Between-wall heat transfer is a fundamental physical process. As a typical coupling heat and mass transfer process, between-wall heat transfer-based problems can be solved conveniently on the basis of advanced computation methods among which the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) has been widely used in the analysis of simple heat and mass transfer cases. To investigate the applicability of LBM in more complex solid-fluid coupling heat transfer analysis, a 3D fluid-solid-fluid model was established in this work to carry out between-wall heat transfer simulations using the doubled-population LBM. Three independent simulation regions were coupled in the heat transfer model, and the heat flux was taken as the physical quantity that transferred from the region at high temperature to that at low temperature through solid wall. The simulation results satisfactorily agree with that obtained using the commercial code FLUENT. Furthermore, an equivalent fluid-wall-fluid heat transfer model was established for simulation of heat transfer between internal and external fluids through a circular tube. All the boundaries are complete quadrilaterals on which heat transfer boundary conditions can be conveniently applied. The proposed between-wall model based on LBM can be easily established and applied in cases with internal heat source or mass force.

Numerical simulation of the flow and output of a Savonius hydraulic turbine using the lattice Boltzmann method

The flow and output of a Savonius hydraulic turbine rotor were simulated using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). The rotor, characterized by a configuration featuring two semi-circular arc-shaped blades, operated at a Reynolds number of 1.1 × 105. The simulations were conducted in a two-dimensional domain, focusing on the incompressible flow within the cross-sectional area of the rotor perpendicular to its rotational axis. The LBM approach was coupled with a rotor rotation analysis. In the LBM framework, the non-orthogonal central moment model was employed for the precise computation of particle collisions. Additionally, the direct forcing method was used to consider the rotating blades and shaft. Consequently, the torque exerted on both advancing and returning blades and rotor output was successfully simulated. These simulations unveiled the inherently unsteady rotational behavior of the rotor, stemming from the variable torque acting upon the blades. Moreover, the computational results exhibited a notable agreement between the simulated flow pattern around the rotor and the experimental visualization. Furthermore, an approximately identical correlation between the rotor speed and power output was established, mirroring the experimental results. These findings underscore the robust applicability of LBM in facilitating the design and operational analysis of Savonius hydraulic turbines.

Micro Lubrication and Heat Transfer in Wedge-Shaped Channel Slider with Convex Surface Texture Based on Lattice Boltzmann Method

Hydrodynamic lubrication is widely used between two relatively moving objects, and the effect of fluid flow state and temperature distribution on lubrication performance in wedge-shaped gaps is a popular topic to study. In this paper, the incompressible double-distribution lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) is applied to study the effect of micro convex surface texture on micro lubrication and heat transfer in wedge-shaped channels. By comparing this model with the analytical solution of an infinitely wide wedge slider, the maximum pressure calculated by LBM is 0.1081 MPa, and the maximum pressure calculated by the Reynolds equation is 0.1079 MPa. The error of the maximum pressure is 1.11%, and the Reynolds equation result is slightly smaller. The reason is that the Reynolds equation ignores the influence of fluid inertia force on oil film pressure. The results indicate that the application of LBM can be used to study lubrication problems. Compared with the Reynolds equation, LBM can calculate the velocity field and pressure field in the film thickness direction, and can also observe precise flow field details such as vortices. Three micro convex texture shapes were established to study the effects of different convex textures on micro lubrication and oil film temperature distribution, and the velocity distribution, temperature distribution and oil film pressure along the oil film thickness direction were given. Under the same conditions, comparing the oil film pressure with and without surface texture, the results show that the maximum oil film pressure with surface texture 3 is increased by about 4.34% compared with that without surface texture. The slightly convex texture can increase the hydrodynamic lubrication effect and obtain greater load-bearing capacity, helping to reduce the possibility of contact friction. The results show that the convex surface texture can improve the hydrodynamic lubrication performance, increase the load carrying capacity and reduce the possibility of contact friction, and the convex surface texture can influence the temperature distribution of the oil film. At 3.6 mm in the slider length direction and 7.5 μm in the oil film thickness direction, the temperature of surface texture 1 is 402.64 K, the temperature of surface texture 2 is 403.31 K, and the temperature of surface texture 3 is 403.99 K. The presence of vortices is captured at a high convergence ratio.

Applications of lattice Boltzmann method combined with smoothed profile method for particulate flows: a brief review

Applications of lattice Boltzmann method combined with smoothed profile method for particulate flows: a brief review

Review of Lattice Boltzmann Method Applied to Computational Aeroacoustics

This paper presents the research studies carried out on the application of lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) to computational aeroacoustics (CAA). The Navier-Stokes equation-based solver faces the difficulty of computational efficiency when it has to satisfy the high-order of accuracy and spectral resolution. LBM shows its capabilities in direct and indirect noise computations with superior space-time resolution. The combination of LBM with turbulence models also work very well for practical engineering machinery noise. The hybrid LBM decouples the discretization of physical space from the discretization of moment space, resulting in flexible mesh and adjustable time-marching. Moreover, new solving strategies and acoustic models are developed to further promote the application of LBM to CAA.

Lattice Boltzmann solidification modeling of forced convection internal flows applied to Gen-IV nuclear reactor coolants

Generation-IV nuclear reactors involve novel coolants such as molten salts and lead. One of the issues that must be assessed with these coolants is the risk of solidification during reactor operation owing to their high melting temperature. However, the numerical simulation of solidification problems is computationally demanding. In this work, we assess the applicability of Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) to nuclear coolants solidification problems under laminar internal forced flow conditions. The double distribution Total Enthalpy-Partially Saturated Method is implemented in the open-source code OpenLB and compared against more standard Finite-Volume Computational Fluid Dynamics (FV-CFD) results, which uses the enthalpy-porosity Eulerian Multiphase method, in commercial code Star-CCM+. The test cases comprise the solidification of two fluids with significantly different Prandtl numbers, molten salt and lead, in a 3D pipe geometry in laminar flow conditions with an initial Reynolds number of 100. The solid interface advances from the cooled wall towards the bulk of the pipe reducing the area of flow passage as the transient evolves. Results of LBM velocity fields, solid fraction profiles, temperature fields, and pressure fields are in good agreement with FV-CFD results for both coolants. Furthermore, LBM stability and accuracy limits are independently explored for molten salts and lead using Two-Relaxation Time (TRT) and Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook (BGK) collision operators. Simulation time between FV-CFD and LBM is also contrasted for both coolants. In this work, LBM solvers use explicit time schemes with a regular grid, whereas FV-CFD solutions are able to include implicit time schemes and near-wall mesh refinement. For molten salt flows (high Prandtl number) FV-CFD allows for considerably larger timesteps than LBM, which is limited by the maximum lattice Mach number limitation and stability considerations. For lead flows (low Prandtl number), the implicit scheme in FV-CFD is limited in terms of accuracy for large timesteps due to the limiting Fourier-number. On the other hand, LBM does not present notable stability issues for lead and the lattice Mach number limit is not as relevant as for the molten salt case for this Reynolds number, allowing for faster simulation times than FV-CFD.

Minireview on Lattice Boltzmann Modeling of Gas Flow and Adsorption in Shale Porous Media: Progress and Future Direction

As an important unconventional resource, shale gas reservoirs have unique characteristics different from conventional oil and gas reservoirs. The ultrasmall pore sizes in shale induce the nanopore confinement effect on shale gas flow. In addition, shale rocks are rich in organic matter, which has strong interactions with gas molecules and results in gas adsorption. The lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) for micro- and nanoscale gas flow, which is originally designed for micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), has been modified to simulate gas flow and adsorption in shale rocks. This work reviews four types of lattice Boltzmann models developed recently for shale gas flow/adsorption: (1) the slip-velocity-based LBM, (2) high-order LBM, (3) diffusion-based LBM, and (4) REV-scale LBM. Among these models, the slip-velocity-based LBM is widely used for shale gas modeling, which incorporates the slip boundary condition and Knudsen number (Kn)-determined relaxation time to simulate the nanopore confinement effect. To model the gas adsorption, the fluid–solid interaction force is introduced into the model, and the magnitude of this interaction force is usually obtained from the molecular level simulations. LBMs have been regarded as an efficient numerical tool to estimate the shale gas apparent permeability, to describe the pore-scale flow behaviors, and to address the influence of gas adsorption on shale gas storage and transport. Nevertheless, some challenges exist in current applications of LBMs for shale gas flow and adsorption simulations that are discussed in this minireview as well.

Hygrothermal simulation and risk evaluation - A literature review and assessment of the applicability of the Lattice Boltzmann Method to derive the influence of convection on moisture behaviour in building components

Since the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) showed promising ways in describing fluid flow and convective phenomena, this literature review gives an overview of the application of LBM to date in the realm of hygrothermal simulations (HAM). Furthermore, ways to apply LBM to derive the influence of convection on moisture transport in building components are assessed. This is achieved by a literature review which is carried out for specific fields of application of LBM which are intertwined with topics of hygrothermal simulations (Natural convection, Porous media, Flow through channels). The introduction is accompanied by a condensed theoretical overview of the used LBM-scheme in most of the reviewed literature. It could be seen that, in regard to these topics, the majority of simulations is carried out 2-dimensionally using mostly the D2Q9 model with single relaxation times. The reviewed literature shows LBM as a validated tool, solidifying the choice of LBM for our purposes. No coupling of LBM to HAM-simulations to derive the influence of convection on moisture transport could be found. In conclusion, the deduction of parameters like the permeability is identified as a potent subfield for the coupling of LBM and HAM-simulations for further research.

Applications of lattice Boltzmann method for double-diffusive convection in the cavity: a review

Applications of lattice Boltzmann method for double-diffusive convection in the cavity: a review

A review on the application of lattice Boltzmann method for melting and solidification problems

Melting and solidification of pure metals and alloys are important research areas due to their practical applications, where the study of dynamic evolution of the interface offers a challenging task to the researchers. For the last two decades, lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) has been extensively used to model transport phenomena involving complex boundary at the phase interface for pure metals and alloys because of high computational efficiency and cost effectiveness of LBM. A state-of-art survey on application of LBM for melting and solidification phenomena is now presented in this work. This paper, first introduces the theory of thermal lattice Boltzmann method (TLBM) for heat and fluid flow, subsequently an elaborate coverage is presented on the methodologies used to study the melting-solidification phenomena of pure substances and alloy materials. The success of lattice Boltzmann (LB) method in investigating the morphological structure during solidification is specially emphasized. It is observed in this context that the phase field method (PFM) has evolved as the most popular choice for evaluating the microstructure. While the robustness of LBM can effectively handle the fluid flow calculation around the dendrites, phase field based lattice Boltzmann method (PFLBM) is very effective in simulating the growth of dendrites from the seed level to the very large scale. The realistic morphological structure can be accurately predicted due to the computational efficacy of PFLBM. A comprehensive coverage has been provided on application of PFLBM method in simulating the growth kinetics in alloys. Further, the application of the PFLBM in solidification has been showcased from open literature.

Applicability of Lattice Boltzmann Method to Optimize Vacuum Insulation Panel with Fibrous Porous Core

Applicability of Lattice Boltzmann Method to Optimize Vacuum Insulation Panel with Fibrous Porous Core

Aerodynamic simulation of a high-pressure compressor stage using the lattice Boltzmann method

PurposeThe present paper aims at evaluating the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) on a high-subsonic high-pressure compressor stage at nominal regime.Design/methodology/approachThe studied configuration corresponds to the H25 compressor operated in a closed-loop test rig at the von Karman Institute. Several operating points are simulated with LBM for two grids of successive refinements. A detailed analysis is performed on the time-averaged flow predicted by LBM, using a comparison with experimental and existing RANS data.FindingsThe finest grid is found to correctly predict the mean flow across the machine, as well as the influence of the rotor tip gap size. Going beyond time-averaged data, some flow analysis is performed to show the relevance of such a high-fidelity method applied to a compressor configuration. In particular, vortical structures and their evolution with the operating points are clearly highlighted. Spectral analyses finally hint at a proper prediction of tonal and broadband contents by LBM.Originality/valueThe application of LBM to high-speed turbomachinery flows is very recent. This paper validates one of the first LBM simulations of a high-subsonic high-pressure compressor stage.

Recent Advances of Lattice Boltzmann Method in Microfluidic numerical Simulation

The technology of microfluidics is widely adopted in various fields such as biomedicine, microanalysis, and microelectronics. For example, pharmaceutical scientists often use microfluidics as a tool for drug delivery or cell separation. The LBM (Lattice Boltzmann method) is a commonly used numerical simulation in microfluidic researches. LBM is used extensively for simulations containing complicated boundary conditions and multiphase interfaces as it needs relatively low computing power compared to other numerical simulation methods in complex situations. The brilliant capability in parallelism also allows it to have a high multitasking performance, increasing overall efficiency. In this paper, we reviewed several typical applications of LBM in the following three fields: (1) particle regulation; (2) flow control; (3) drug delivery. We concluded defects in current studies and proposed potential improvements to be investigated in the future.

Utilizing lattice Boltzmann method for heat transfer analysis in solar thermal systems: A review

Solar thermal collectors (STCs) are technologies which convert the sun’s radiation into thermal energy for the end user. A variety of these devices are used to meet thermal energy needs, worldwide, which is expected to increase to 34000 (PJ) by 2031. Several numerical methods have been developed and are used by researchers, which allows for a detailed study of collector thermal behaviour under given operating conditions. However, due to the nonlinear nature of the terms existing in the Navier–Stokes and energy equations, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations can be computationally intensive. One CFD method which has gained more attention in recent years for its advantages over more traditional methods, such as finite element, finite volume and finite difference methods, is the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). In this paper, first the solar thermal collectors are introduced and the fundamental heat transfer processes that govern their thermal performance are discussed. Then, in subsequent sections, the existing literature on applications of LBM in STC and heat transfer modeling is reviewed, culminating into the introduction of several workflows for applying LBM to STC heat transfer modeling. Finally, based on the existing literature, several conclusions and recommendations for future works have been introduced.

A simplified lattice Boltzmann flux solver for multiphase flows with large density ratio

AbstractUnlike the conventional multiphase lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), the recently developed finite volume‐based multiphase lattice Boltzmann flux solver (MLBFS) is free from the limitation of the uniform mesh, the coupled time step and mesh spacing, and the high virtual memories. In the MLBFS, the macroscopic equations recovered from the LBM are discretized by the finite volume method while the fluxes at the cell interfaces are evaluated based on the local application of LBM. The interfacial fluxes are calculated only by the distribution functions. However, the code implementation involving too many distribution functions is still not simple enough. And the computation of the distribution functions will still cost relatively large computational resources. We notice that some moments of the distribution functions can be directly simplified as the macroscopic variables. Therefore, to further simplify the code implementation and improve the computational efficiency of the MLBFS, we propose a simplified MLBFS which reconstructs the fluxes with the combination of the distribution functions and the macroscopic variables. Naturally, we can expect that the simplified method can improve the computational efficiency while maintaining the numerical accuracy and reliability of the original MLBFS. Numerical experiments of the Laplace law, the Rayleigh–Taylor instability, the bubble rising under buoyancy and the droplet splashing on a liquid film are conducted to evaluate the simplified MLBFS. Results show that our method can save up to 18.32% of the original computational time. The simplified method is superior to the original one especially for the cases with a large number of girds.

Large‐eddy simulation of subsonic turbulent jets using the compressible lattice Boltzmann method

SummaryThe lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) is a powerful technique for the computational modeling of a wide variety of single‐s and multiphase flows involving complex geometries. Although the LBM has been demonstrated to be effective for the solution of incompressible flow problems, there are limitations when this methodology is applied to the solution of compressible flows, especially for flows at high Mach numbers. In this article, we investigate strategies to overcome some of the limitations associated with the application of LBM to compressible flows. To this purpose, one of the key contributions of this study is the synthesis and integration of previous efforts concerning the formulation of LBM for the large‐eddy simulation (LES) of compressible turbulent flows in the subsonic flow regime. It is shown how certain limitations of applying the LBM to compressible flows can be addressed by using either a higher order Taylor series expansion of the Maxwell–Boltzmann equilibrium distribution function or using the Kataoka and Tsutahara (KT) LBM model formulation for compressible flows. The proposed LBM/LES methodology for compressible flows has been combined with the Kirchhoff integral formulation for computational aeroacoustics and used to simulate the flow and acoustic fields of compressible jet flows at high subsonic speeds with practical relevance for providing a better understanding of problems associated with jet noise. In this context, simulations of the physics associated with the jet flow and concomitant noise in the near‐ and far‐field regimes were conducted using the proposed framework of a compressible LBM/LES and Kirchhoff integral method. The results of the subsonic isothermal and nonisothermal jet flow simulations for the flow and acoustic fields have been compared with available numerical and experimental results with generally good to excellent agreement.

Lattice Boltzmann Method Applied to Nuclear Reactors—A Systematic Literature Review

Nuclear engineering requires computationally efficient methods to simulate different components and systems of plants. The Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM), a numerical method with a mesoscopic approach to Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) derived from the Boltzmann equation and the Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution, can be an adequate option. The purpose of this paper is to present a review of the recent applications of the Lattice Boltzmann Method in nuclear engineering research. A systematic literature review using three databases (Web of Science, Scopus, and ScienceDirect) was done, and the items found were categorized by the main research topics into computational fluid dynamics and neutronic applications. The features of the problem addressed, the characteristics of the numerical method, and some relevant conclusions of each study are resumed and presented. A total of 45 items (25 for computational fluid dynamics applications and 20 for neutronics) was found on a wide range of nuclear engineering problems, including thermal flow, turbulence mixing of coolant, sedimentation of impurities, neutron transport, criticality problem, and other relevant issues. The LBM results in being a flexible numerical method capable of integrating multiphysics and hybrid schemes, and is efficient for the inner parallelization of the algorithm that brings a widely applicable tool in nuclear engineering problems. Interest in the LBM applications in this field has been increasing and evolving from early stages to a mature form, as this review shows.

Evolution of Multiphase Lattice Boltzmann Method: A Review

With the simplicity and robustness of the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), it is getting more attention nowadays in the multiphase flow applications. Different models of multiphase flow studies are available in LBM. Theory and applications of lattice Boltzmann multiphase models R–K color gradient, Shan–Chen (SC), Free energy (FE) and He–Chen–Zhang (HCZ) approaches have been discussed in this review. The methodologies of these methods have been explained in details. Besides, the advantages and limitations of these models have been explained by considering the application field. Based on the applications in the multiphase flows, recent developments in these models have been explained. The major applications of LBM in multiphase flows are flow through porous media, cavitation phenomenon, bubble rise or droplet fall, Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities, coalescence of bubbles or droplets, wettability and contact angles. An effort has been made to explain the methodologies for the multiphase LBM. Modified R–K color gradient model is more accurate and less efficient. SC model is more efficient and less accurate. FE model is numerically more accurate and less efficient. HCZ model more efficient and more accurate. The efficiency of modified R–K color gradient and free energy models almost similar.