Inertial-particle dynamics in turbulent flows: caustics, concentration fluctuations and random uncorrelated motion

We have performed numerical simulations of inertial particles in random model flows in the white-noise limit (at zero Kubo number, Ku = 0) and at finite Kubo numbers. Our results for the moments of relative inertial-particle velocities are in good agreement with recent theoretical results (Gustavsso...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inNew journal of physics Vol. 14; no. 11; pp. 115017 - 115034
Main Authors Gustavsson, K, Meneguz, E, Reeks, M, Mehlig, B
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published IOP Publishing 22.11.2012
Subjects
aerosol-particles
collision
deposition
field
Fysik
heavy-particles
homogeneous isotropic turbulence
intermittency
Physical Sciences
segregation
statistics
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Summary:We have performed numerical simulations of inertial particles in random model flows in the white-noise limit (at zero Kubo number, Ku = 0) and at finite Kubo numbers. Our results for the moments of relative inertial-particle velocities are in good agreement with recent theoretical results (Gustavsson and Mehlig 2011a) based on the formation of phase-space singularities in the inertial-particle dynamics (caustics). We discuss the relation between three recent approaches describing the dynamics and spatial distribution of inertial particles suspended in turbulent flows: caustic formation, real-space singularities of the deformation tensor and random uncorrelated motion. We discuss how the phase- and real-space singularities are related. Their formation is well understood in terms of a local theory. We summarise the implications for random uncorrelated motion.
ISSN:1367-2630
1367-2630
DOI:10.1088/1367-2630/14/11/115017