Abstract:

Brownian dynamics method was used to simulate the influence of hydrodynamic interaction on the suspension particle coagulation process in a dilute solution. In the simulation, the possibility of one particle colliding simultaneously with more than two particles was ignored and results from previous studies concerned with the hydrodynamic interaction between two particles were used. Our simulations confirm that the hydrodynamic interaction slows the coagulation process down greatly and this is an important reason for the experimental values of the coagulation rate being significantly less than those predicted by Smoluchowski theory. In addition, the particle coagulation process was simulated under varying conditions of combined two factors: gravity and hydrodynamic interactions. Results of how each factor affecting the particle coagulation process were obtained when the two factors were coupled. The mechanism responsible for these effects is discussed froma dynamics point of view.

Key words: Brownian dynamic method, Hydrodynamic interaction, Particles in suspension, Diluted solution, Coagulation