SPH simulation of selective withdrawal from microcavity

The selective withdrawal of weakly compressible fluids is investigated by smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) with a revised model of surface tension. In our model problem, fluid is withdrawn from a two-dimensional microcavity through a narrow outlet above the interface of two immiscible fluids. The outflow boundary is implemented by a particular zone of fluid particles with prescribed velocity, together with the introduction of artificial boundary particles. Based on the average number density of fluid particles, the effective contribution of boundary particles is corrected for the compressible context. It is found that there exists a critical withdrawal rate for each initial interface height, beyond which the lower phase becomes entrained in a thin spout along with the upper phase. Besides, the Froude number with redefinition for this kind of multiphase flow could serve as a criterion of flow behavior. Furthermore, larger surface tension, smaller dynamical viscosity and density of the upper phase all lead to longer threshold time of formation of the spout state, and thus are favorable to the withdrawal of upper phase both in terms of higher efficiency and larger quantity.