Hindered settling of a log-normally distributed Stokesian suspension

Journal article (2024)

Authors

H. Li Complex Fluid Processing - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
L. Botto Complex Fluid Processing - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
Research Group
Complex Fluid Processing (Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering) (TU Delft)
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Published Date

2024

Language

English

Faculty

Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering

Department

Process and Energy

Research Group

Complex Fluid Processing

Abstract

Settling velocity statistics for dilute, non-Brownian homogeneous suspensions of polydisperse spheres having a log-normal size distribution are generated from Stokesian dynamics simulations, as a function of the total volume fraction and normalised width of the particle size distribution. Several hundred instantaneous configurations are averaged to obtain reliable statistics. The paper reports data for the average and fluctuating settling velocity of each particle class in a suspension that is widely polydisperse - previous work was limited to only two or three classes, and the average settling velocity of each particle class was in most cases not reported - and provides an assessment of the accuracy of the analytical models proposed by Batchelor, Richardson & Zaki, Davis & Gecol and Masliyah-Lockett-Bassoon in predicting the simulation data. A limited comparison with dynamic simulations in which the particle microstructure is allowed to evolve in time is also included.