Lattice Boltzmann Simulations of Two Linear Microswimmers Using the Immersed Boundary Method

The performance of a single or the collection of microswimmers strongly depends on the hydrodynamic coupling among their constituents and themselves. We present a numerical study for a single and a pair of microswimmers based on lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) simulations. Our numerical algorithm consists of two sepa-rable parts. Lagrange polynomials provide a discretization of the microswimmers and the lattice Boltzmann method captures the dynamics of the surrounding fluid. The two components couple via an immersed boundary method. We present data for a single swimmer system and our data also show the onset of collective effects and, in particular, an overall velocity increment of clusters of swimmers.

Automated summary

The performance of microswimmers, whether individually or collectively, is greatly influenced by the hydrodynamic coupling between their components and themselves. In this study, we conducted numerical simulations using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) to investigate the behavior of a single microswimmer and a pair of microswimmers. Our numerical approach involved the discretization of microswimmers using Lagrange polynomials, while the lattice Boltzmann method described the dynamics of the surrounding fluid. We observed the onset of collective effects and an overall velocity increment of clusters of swimmers in our data.