Velocity autocorrelation function of a dispersion of heavy particles in a turbulent flow: on the effect of interparticle collisions

Abstract

The effect of particle-to-particle interactions on the dispersion and on the velocity auto-correlation function of heavy particles in a turbulent flow, is presented. The inter-particle collision process is based on a direct numerical simulation approach, which requires that all the particles be simultaneously tracked through the flow field. In the first part of the paper, the turbulent characteristics of the velocity of non-colliding heavy particles which disperse in a vertical, nearly isotropic, grid generated decaying turbulence air flow, are presented. In the second part of this investigation, the solid particles are allowed to collide. The numerical predictions confirm the fact that the inter-particle collisions promote a decrease of the lateral particle dispersion, the particle velocity autocorrelation function and the mean lateral velocity of the particles.