Microstructure of rod like sedimenting particles: Direct numerical simulations

Abstract

This paper focuses on non-spherical rod like particles and presents a computational technique for non-spherical particles in order to study the effect of shape on transport properties of particles. We used smoothed profile method with direct numerical simulations, in order to examine the microstructure and orientation of rigid rod like particles, in Stokes regime. These rod like particles are made up of spherical particles, so that smoothed profile method can be used without any extra effort. Microstructure shows the cluster formation and large inhomogeneties, even at lower volume fractions, and these inhomogeneties decrease with volume fraction. Orientation angle shows that particles prefer horizontal orientation at lower volume fraction and align themselves vertically, with increasing volume fraction.