Lattice Boltzmann simulation of the two-dimensional flow of a magnetic suspension between two parallel walls under a non-uniform magnetic field

Abstract

We have developed a lattice Boltzmann method based on fluctuation hydrodynamics that is applicable to the flow problem of a particle suspension. In this method, we have introduced the viscosity-modifying method, rather than the velocity-scaling method, in which a modified viscosity is used for generating random forces in lattice Boltzmann simulations. The viscosity-modifying method is found to be applicable to the simulation of a magnetic particle suspension. We have applied this method to the two-dimensional Poiseuille flow of a magnetic suspension between two parallel walls in order to investigate the behavior of magnetic particles in a non-uniform applied magnetic field. From the results of the snapshots, the pair correlation function between the magnetic pole and the magnetic particles and the averaged local particle velocity and magnetization distributions, it was observed that the behavior of the magnetic particles changes significantly depending upon which factor dominates the phenomenon in the balance between the magnetic particle–particle interaction, the non-uniform applied magnetic field and the translational and rotational Brownian motion.

Keywords:

• magnetic particle dispersion
• Brownian motion
• lattice Boltzmann method
• aggregation phenomena
• magnetic particles

Acknowledgement

The present study was partially supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research of The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Science of Japan (B20360048).