Accuracy of non-Newtonian Lattice Boltzmann simulations

This work deals with the accuracy of non-Newtonian Lattice Boltzmann simulations. Previous work for Newtonian fluids indicate that, depending on the numerical value of the dimensionless collision frequency Omega, additional artificial viscosity is introduced, which negatively influences the accuracy. Since the non-Newtonian fluid behavior is incorporated through appropriate modeling of the dimensionless collision frequency, a Omega dependent error E-Omega is introduced and its influence on the overall error is investigated. Here, simulations with the SRT and the MRT model are carried out for power-law fluids in order to numerically investigate the accuracy of non-Newtonian Lattice Boltzmann simulations. A goal of this accuracy analysis is to derive a recommendation for an optimal choice of the time step size and the simulation Mach number, respectively. For the non-Newtonian case, an error estimate for E-Omega in the form of a functional is derived on the basis of a series expansion of the Lattice Boltzmann equation. This functional can be solved analytically for the case of the Hagen-Poiseuille channel flow of non-Newtonian fluids. With the help of the error functional, the prediction of the global error minimum of the velocity field is excellent in regions where the E-Omega error is the dominant source of error. With an optimal simulation Mach number, the simulation is about one order of magnitude more accurate. Additionally, for both collision models a detailed study of the convergence behavior of the method in the non-Newtonian case is conducted. The results show that the simulation Mach number has a major impact on the convergence rate and second order accuracy is not preserved for every choice of the simulation Mach number. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.