Dynamic Simulation of Sedimenting Non-Spherical Particles in a Fluid

Abstract

The motion of non-spherical suspended particles is analyzed by the Stokesian dynamics method using a dumbbell model. The precise prediction of the motion and interaction of cells in biological flows is required to design devices for cellular technology. Stokesian dynamics is a method for the simulation of a suspension of rigid micro spheres, which accounts for multiple body hydrodynamic interparticle interactions based on the Stokes equation. Many cells, however, are non-spherical, and each cell differs both in shape and size. In this study, we developed the Stokesian dynamics method for the dumbbells suspended in a fluid. The dumbbell consists of two rigid spheres of the same size connected by an infinitesimally thin rigid rod. The sedimenting processes of the high concentration region of particles are computed by this method. The structures of the wake in the dumbbell cases are completely different from those in the sphere cases. The formation of clusters, which are larger in size for dumbbell-like particles than spherical ones, is observed.