arXiv subjects

Guanglan Sun

Publications and source records attributed to Guanglan Sun.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Droplet coalescence kinetics: Coalescence mechanisms and thermodynamic non-equilibrium effects under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions

This study investigates the droplet coalescence mechanisms and the interplay between various thermodynamic non-equilibrium (TNE) effects under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions kinetically. The main findings include: (1) Coalescence initiation and cut-through mechanisms: In non-isothermal conditions, the temperature rise caused by the release of latent heat during phase transition slightly increases the surface tension gradient (driving force) near the contact point of the two droplets, while significantly enhancing the pressure gradient (resistance). This results in a significantly prolonged coalescence initiation time compared to the isothermal case. In both cases, pressure extends the liquid-vapor interface in opposite directions, promoting the growth of the liquid bridge. (2) TNE effects: Latent heat-induced temperature rise significantly refrains the TNE intensity in thermal case. Before and after droplet contact, non-equilibrium quantities driven by the temperature gradient and those driven by the velocity gradient, alternate in dominating the coalescence process. This competition and interplay result in a more complex spatial and spatiotemporal evolution of TNE effects compared to the isothermal case. (3) Entropy production mechanisms: In the non-isothermal case, entropy production is contributed not only by $\bm {\Delta}^{\ast}_2$ but also by $\bm {\Delta}^{\ast}_{3,1}$, with the former being the dominant contributor. The temperature field reduces the entropy production rate, while extends its duration, and increases the total entropy production. This research provides kinetic insights for dynamic, cross-scale regulation and multifunctional integration of coalescence processes in industrial applications.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2023

Droplet coalescence kinetics: thermodynamic non-equilibrium effects and entropy production mechanism

The thermodynamic non-equilibrium (TNE) effects and the relationships between various TNE effects and entropy production rate, morphology, kinematics, and dynamics during two initially static droplet coalescence are studied in detail via the discrete Boltzmann method. The temporal evolutions of the total TNE strength ($D^*$) and the total entropy production rate ($\dot S$) can both provide concise, effective and consistent physical criteria to distinguish the stages of droplet coalescence. Specifically, when $\bar D^*$ and $\dot S$ reach their maxima, it corresponds to the time when the liquid-vapor interface length changes the fastest; when $D^*$ and $\dot S$ reach their valleys, it corresponds to the moment of the droplet being the longest elliptical shape. During the merging process, the force contributed by surface tension in the coalescence direction acts as the primary promoting force for droplet coalescence and reaches its maximum concurrently with coalescent acceleration. In contrast, the force contributed by non-organized momentum fluxes (NOMFs) in the coalescing direction inhibits the merging process and reaches its maximum at the same time as $D^*$. For the coalescence of two unequal size droplets, the smaller droplet exhibits larger values for TNE intensity, merging velocity, driving force contributed by surface tension, and resistance contributed by NOMFs. Moreover, these values gradually increase with the initial radius ratio of the large and small droplets due to larger curvature. However, non-equilibrium components and forces related to shear velocity in the small droplet, are all smaller than those in the larger droplet and gradually decrease with the radius ratio.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2022

Thermodynamic non-equilibrium effects in bubble coalescence: A discrete Boltzmann study

The Thermodynamic Non-Equilibrium (TNE) effects in the coalescing process of two initially static bubbles under thermal conditions are investigated by a Discrete Boltzmann Model (DBM). The spatial distributions of the typical none-quilibrium quantity, i.e., the Non-Organized Momentum Fluxes (NOMF) during evolutions are investigated in detail. The density-weighted statistical method is used to highlight the relationship between the TNE effects and the morphological or kinetics characteristics of bubble coalescence. It is found that the $xx$-component and $yy$-component of NOMF are anti-symmetrical; the $xy$-component changes from an anti-symmetric internal and external double quadrupole structure to an outer octupole structure during the coalescing process. More importantly, the evolution of the averaged $xx$-component of NOMF provides two characteristic instants, which divide the non-equilibrium process into three stages. The first instant corresponds to the moment when the mean coalescing speed gets the maximum and at this time the ratio of minor and major axes is about $1/2$. The second instant corresponds to the moment when the ratio of minor and major axes gets $1$ for the first time. It is interesting to find that the three quantities, TNE intensity, acceleration of coalescence and negative slope of boundary length, show a high degree of correlation and attain their maxima simultaneously. Surface tension and heat conduction accelerate the process of bubble coalescence while viscosity delays it. Both surface tension and viscosity enhance the global non-equilibrium intensity, whereas heat conduction restrains it. These TNE features and findings present some new insights into the kinetics of bubble coalescence.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2022

Discrete Boltzmann multi-scale modeling of non-equilibrium multiphase flows

The aim of this paper is twofold: the first is to formulate and validate a multi-scale discrete Boltzmann method (DBM) based on density functional kinetic theory for thermal multiphase flow systems, ranging from continuum to transition flow regime; the second is to present some new insights into the thermo-hydrodynamic non-equilibrium (THNE) effects in the phase separation process. Methodologically, DBM includes three main pillars: (i) the determination of the fewest kinetic moment relations, which are required by the description of significant THNE effects beyond the realm of continuum fluid mechanics, (ii) the construction of appropriate discrete equilibrium distribution function recovering all the desired kinetic moments, (iii) the detection, description, presentation and analysis of THNE based on the moments of the non-equilibrium distribution ($f-f^{(eq)}$). The incorporation of appropriate additional higher-order thermodynamic kinetic moments considerably extends the DBM's capability of handling larger values of the liquid-vapor density ratio, curbing spurious currents, and ensuring mass-momentum-energy conservation. Compared with the DBM with only first-order THNE (Gan et al. Soft Matter 11,5336), the model retrieves kinetic moments beyond the third-order super-Burnett level, and is accurate for weak, moderate, and strong THNE cases even when the local Knudsen number exceeds $1/3$. Physically, the ending point of the linear relation between THNE and the concerned physical parameter provides a distinct criterion to identify whether the system is near or far from equilibrium. Besides, the surface tension refrains the local THNE around the interface, but expands the THNE range and strengthens the THNE intensity away from the interface through interface smoothing and widening.

physics.flu-dyn↗