Lattice-Boltzmann simulation of particle suspensions in shear flow

Inclusion of short-range particle–particle interactions for increased numerical stability in a lattice-Boltzmann code for particle-fluid suspensions, and handling of the particle phase for an effective implementation of the code for parallel computing, are discussed and formulated. In order to better understand the origin of the shear-thickening behavior observed in real suspensions, two simplified cases are considered with the code thus developed. A chain-like cluster of suspended particles is shown to increase the momentum transfer in a shear flow between channel walls, and thereby the effective viscosity of the suspension in comparison with random configurations of particles. A single suspended particle is also shown to increase the effective viscosity under shear flow of this simple suspension for particle Reynolds numbers above unity, due to inertial effects that change the flow configuration around the particle. These mechanisms are expected to carry over to large-scale particle-fluid suspensions.