Improvement of dissipative particle dynamics method by taking into account the particle size

Abstract

In this paper, flow past a single Dissipative Particle Dynamics (DPD) particle with low Reynolds number is investigated and it is inquired that whether a single DPD particle immersed in a fluid, has an intrinsic size. Then a minimum length scale is determined such that the hydrodynamic behavior based on standard DPD formulation is modeled correctly. Almost all of the previous studies assume the DPD particles as point centers of repulsion with no intrinsic size. Hence to prescribe the size of a simulating sphere, a structure of frozen DPD particles is created. In this paper two effective radii, Stokes-Einstein radius and a radius based on the Stokes law, for DPD particles are introduced. For small Reynolds numbers; it is proved that the two radii approach each other. Finally in spite of the typical simulations which assume DPD particles as point centers of repulsion, it is concluded that each of the individual DPD particles interact with other particles as a sphere with non-zero radius. It results the reduction of the required number of particles and eventuates more economical simulations. Moreover contemplating the radius of the particles is necessary for the new Low-Dimensional model which is derived based on the DPD method.