A Simulation Method to Resolve Hydrodynamic Interactions in Colloidal Dispersions

TL;DR

The paper introduces a novel computational method that accurately and efficiently simulates hydrodynamic interactions in colloidal dispersions by smoothing interfaces, validated through drag force calculations and sedimentation simulations.

Contribution

It presents a new simulation approach that captures many-body hydrodynamic interactions in colloidal dispersions using a smoothed profile technique.

Findings

Validated method by calculating drag force on a cylindrical rod

Successfully simulated sedimentation process of colloidal particles

Achieved efficient and accurate hydrodynamic interaction resolution

Abstract

A new computational method is presented to resolve hydrodynamic interactions acting on solid particles immersed in incompressible host fluids. In this method, boundaries between solid particles and host fluids are replaced with a continuous interface by assuming a smoothed profile. This enabled us to calculate hydrodynamic interactions both efficiently and accurately, without neglecting many-body interactions. The validity of the method was tested by calculating the drag force acting on a single cylindrical rod moving in an incompressible Newtonian fluid. This method was then applied in order to simulate sedimentation process of colloidal dispersions.