Non-Newtonian particulate flow simulation: A direct-forcing immersed boundary–lattice Boltzmann approach

• IB–NLBM with split-forcing scheme can effectively simulate the particles motion.
• IB–NLBM can excellently model the particles interaction and its evidence like DKT.
• Added accelerated mass force rises with growth of shear-thinning behavior.
• The amplitude of angular velocity is highly depended on non-Newtonian index.
• Drafting and kissing times change remarkably by varying the non-Newtonian index.

In the current study, a direct-forcing immersed boundary–non-Newtonian lattice Boltzmann method (IB–NLBM) is developed to investigate the sedimentation and interaction of particles in shear-thinning and shear-thickening fluids. In the proposed IB–NLBM, the non-linear mechanics of non-Newtonian particulate flows is detected by combination of the most desirable features of immersed boundary and lattice Boltzmann methods. The noticeable roles of non-Newtonian behavior on particle motion, settling velocity and generalized Reynolds number are investigated by simulating benchmark problem of one-particle sedimentation under the same generalized Archimedes number. The effects of extra force due to added accelerated mass are analyzed on the particle motion which have a significant impact on shear-thinning fluids. For the first time, the phenomena of interaction among the particles, such as Drafting, Kissing, and Tumbling in non-Newtonian fluids are investigated by simulation of two-particle sedimentation and twelve-particle sedimentation. The results show that increasing the shear-thickening behavior of fluid leads to a significant increase in the kissing time. Moreover, the transverse position of particles for shear-thinning fluids during the tumbling interval is different from Newtonian and the shear-thickening fluids. The present non-Newtonian particulate study can be applied in several industrial and scientific applications, like the non-Newtonian sedimentation behavior of particles in food industrial and biological fluids.