Drag on random assemblies of spheres in shear-thinning and thixotropic liquids

J. J. Derksen*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The flow and resulting drag force in suspensions consisting of monodisperse, solid spheres, and non-Newtonian liquids have been studied via direct numerical simulations. The liquids are purely viscous (i.e., nonelastic) with shear thinning and/or thixotropic (time-dependent) behavior. The configuration of spheres is static. The interstitial liquid flow is solved by means of the lattice-Boltzmann method. Only creeping flow conditions have been considered. Thixotropy enters via a network integrity parameter that relates to the local, apparent viscosity and for which a transport equation has been solved. The results show that the shear-thinning character of the liquid manifests itself more pronounced at higher solids volume fractions. Thixotropy tends to increase the drag force due to the decoupling of locations of high deformation rates and low viscosity. 0 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3200946]

Original languageEnglish
Article number083302
Number of pages9
JournalPhysics of Fluids
Volume21
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2009

Keywords

  • LATTICE-BOLTZMANN SIMULATIONS
  • REYNOLDS-NUMBER
  • NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS
  • BIDISPERSE ARRAYS
  • FLUIDIZED BEDS
  • FLOW
  • SUSPENSIONS
  • MONODISPERSE
  • PARTICLES
  • EQUATION

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