Author(s)

R. E. Hampton, A. A. Mammoli & M. S. Ingber

Abstract

A corrected BEM for the inclusion of near-field effects associated with suspension flows at low Reynolds numbers R. E. Hampton, A. A. Mammoli & M. S. Ingber Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of New Mexico, USA Abstract In suspensions of rigid spheres at high solids fractions, a large portion of the particles are in near-contact with their neighbors. In such cases, near-field interactions play an important role in the particle trajectories. The prediction of these trajectories therefore hinges on a correct representation of the near-field interactions. It is shown in this study that traditional BEM techniques do not capture near-field interactions adequately, with unpredictable effecs on the resulting trajectories. A methodology for combining analytical near-field interactions with numerical BEM solutions is described. The methodology is benchmarked against known semi-analytical solutions. It is found that lubrication interactions are accounted for with good accuracy, resulting i

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