LBM Simulations of 3D Peristaltic Transport with Particles

``It is sometimes necessary to produce a flow through a duct without using internal moving parts such as rotors or pistons. This need may arise when the fluid is corrosive or toxic, or when the fluid carries solid particles for which a passage free of obstacles would be desirable.'' (Hanin, 1968) Peristaltic transport offers a suitable solution by eschewing the use of internal flow drivers. A peristaltic flow occurs when a tube with flexible walls transports the contained material by progressing a series of contraction waves along the length of those walls. The deformation induces pressure gradients which drive the flow. Although significant progress has been made to provide the theory and analysis of peristaltic flows, relatively little research has been performed on the effects of particle transport due to the complexities involved. The Lattice Boltzmann Method provides a means to elucidate the behavior of finite-sized particles in peristaltic flows through numerical simulation. This talk investigates the transport and behavior of particles in a model peristaltic system by varying the relevant dimensionless parameters of the problem. It is found that particle transport is maximized for situations where the peculiar phenomenon of ``trapping'' is realized.