Direct Numerical Simulations of Colliding Particles Suspended in Homogeneous Isotropic Turbulence

Direct numerical simulations of particle-laden homogeneous isotropic turbulence are performed to characterize the collision rate as a function of different particle properties. The fluid behaviour is computed using a three-dimensional Lattice Boltzmann Method including a spectral forcing scheme to generate the turbulence field. Under assumption of mass points, the transport of spherical particles is modelled in a Lagrangian frame of reference. In the simulations the influence of the particle phase on the fluid flow is neglected. The detection and performance of inelastic interparticle collisions are based on a deterministic collision model. Different studies with monodisperse particles are considered. According to the executed simulations, particles with small Stokes number possess a collision rate similar to the prediction of Saffman and Turner [1], whereas particles with larger Stokes numbers behave similarly to the theory of Abrahamson [2].