Collision Statistics of Droplets in Turbulence Considering Lubrication Interactions, Mobility of Interfaces, and Non-continuum Molecular Effects

Abstract

Collision statistics of same-size aerodynamically interacting droplets in homogeneous isotropic turbulence is examined via hybrid direct numerical simulations combined with Lagrangian particle tracking under a point-particle assumption and a one-way momentum coupling. The simulations are performed both in the absence and presence of gravity for various droplet Stokes numbers (0.1–2) over a wide range of liquid water contents (LWCs = 1–30 $$\text {g/m}^3$$ g/m 3 ). Also, the effects of using different representations of the lubrication forces, i.e. a continuum and a non-continuum one, have been investigated. The results have highlighted the importance of considering the aerodynamic interaction, especially in the presence of gravity for the systems that have high LWCs. Likewise, taking the lubrication force into account shows a notable change in statistics, but a non-continuum representation yields results that are close to the continuum one. In addition, the impact of modeling droplets as fluid drops instead of rigid particles has been examined. Obtaining quite close statistics under both cases demonstrates that a rigid particle assumption for water droplets in air is sufficiently accurate owing to the high water-to-air viscosity ratio. Moreover, the collision efficiency is shown to be in the range 60–100% in the absence of gravity, which approaches 100% as the LWC is enlarged. In the presence of gravity, however, the efficiency grows, with both the Stokes number and the LWC, to values as high as 300%. Finally, for settling droplet systems, the enhancement factor due to turbulence is quantified, exhibiting a growth with the LWC and a reduction with the Stokes number.