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Spatial distribution of inertial particles in turbulent Taylor–Couette flow

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 March 2025

Hao Jiang ,
Zhi-Ming Lu ,
Bo-Fu Wang Open the ORCID record for Bo-Fu Wang [Opens in a new window] ,
Xiao-Hui Meng ,
Jie Shen  and
Kai Leong Chong Open the ORCID record for Kai Leong Chong [Opens in a new window]
Hao Jiang
Affiliation:
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mechanics in Energy Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, School of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072, PR China
Zhi-Ming Lu*
Affiliation:
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mechanics in Energy Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, School of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072, PR China Shanghai Institute of Aircraft Mechanics and Control, Zhangwu Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China
Bo-Fu Wang
Affiliation:
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mechanics in Energy Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, School of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072, PR China
Xiao-Hui Meng
Affiliation:
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mechanics in Energy Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, School of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072, PR China
Jie Shen
Affiliation:
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Turbulence Research and Applications, Center for Complex Flows and Soft Matter Research, and Department of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, PR China
Kai Leong Chong*
Affiliation:
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mechanics in Energy Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, School of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072, PR China Shanghai Institute of Aircraft Mechanics and Control, Zhangwu Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China
*
†Email addresses for correspondence: [email protected], [email protected]
†Email addresses for correspondence: [email protected], [email protected]
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Abstract

This study investigates the spatial distribution of inertial particles in turbulent Taylor–Couette flow. Direct numerical simulations are performed using a one-way coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian approach, with a fixed inner-wall Reynolds number of 2500 for the carrier flow, while the particle Stokes number ($St$) varies from 0.034 to 1 for the dispersed phase. We first examine the issue of preferential concentration of particles near the outer-wall region. Employing two-dimensional Voronoï analysis, we observe a pronounced particle clustering with increasing $St$, particularly evident in regions of low fluid velocity. Additionally, we investigate the concentration balance equation, inspired by the work of Johnson et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 883, 2020, A27), to examine the particle radial distribution. We discern the predominant sources of influence, namely biased sampling, turbophoresis and centrifugal effects. Across all cases, centrifugal force emerges as the primary driver, causing particle migration toward the outer wall. Biased sampling predominantly affects smaller inertial particles, driving them toward the inner wall due to sampling within Taylor rolls with inward radial velocity. Conversely, turbophoresis primarily impacts larger inertial particles, inducing migration towards both walls where turbulent intensity is weaker compared with the bulk. With the revealed physics, our work provides a basis for predicting and controlling particle movement and distribution in industrial applications.

JFM classification

Instability: Shear-flow instability Multiphase and Particle-laden Flows: Multiphase flow
Type
JFM Papers
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 1006 , 10 March 2025 , A2
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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