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A review of spurious currents in the lattice Boltzmann method for multiphase flows

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Abstract

A spurious current is a small-amplitude artificial velocity field which arises from an imbalance between discretized forces in multiphase/multi-component flows. If it occurs, the velocity field may persist indefinitely, preventing the achievement of a true equilibrium state. Spurious velocities can sometimes be as large as the characteristic velocities of the problem, causing severe instability and ambiguity between physical and spurious velocities. They are typically exacerbated by large values of numerical surface tension or when the two fluids being simulated have large density ratios. The resulting instability can restrict what parameters may be simulated. To varying degrees, spurious currents are found in all multiphase flow models of the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). There have been many studies of the occurrence of the phenomenon, and many suggestions on how to eliminate it. This paper reviews the three main models of simulating multiphase/multi-component flow in the lattice Boltzmann method, as well as the subsequent modifications made in order to reduce or eliminate spurious currents.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Levich Institute, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, 10031, USA

    Kevin Connington

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, 10031, USA

    Taehun Lee

Authors
  1. Kevin Connington
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  2. Taehun Lee
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Correspondence to Kevin Connington.

Additional information

Kevin Connington is currently a postdoctoral research associate at the Levich Institute for Physico-Chemical Hydrodynamics at the City College of the City University of New York. He received a Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering from The Johns Hopkins University in 2009. He also spent two years as a visiting scholar in the Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) division at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Taehun Lee obtained his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University, Korea, in 1996 and 1998, respectively. He received his Ph.D from the University of Iowa in 2004. Dr. Lee is currently associate professor of Mechanical Engineering, City College of City University of New York, USA. His research interests include lattice Boltzmann method, multiphase flow modeling, and boiling heat transfer.

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Connington, K., Lee, T. A review of spurious currents in the lattice Boltzmann method for multiphase flows. J Mech Sci Technol 26, 3857–3863 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-012-1011-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-012-1011-5

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