Cluster Size Distribution and Scaling for Spherical Particles and Red Blood Cells in Pressure-Driven Flows at Small Reynolds Number

E-Jiang Ding and Cyrus K. Aidun

Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 204502 – Published 22 May 2006

Abstract

The clustering characteristic of purely hydrodynamically interacting particles suspended in pressure-driven flow in a circular cylinder is studied using direct numerical simulation based on the solution of the lattice-Boltzmann equation. We find a universal scaling relation for the cluster size distribution in the subcritical regime for all of the cases considered in this study. This scaling relation is independent of particle shape and concentration.