Sedimentation of Flexible Inertial Particles with Different Aspect Ratios

This study investigates the sedimentation of flexible suspensions with different aspect ratios in quiescent fluid environments, focusing on the complex interplay between particle properties, hydrodynamics, and cluster formation. We employ numerical simulations to solve the Navier-Stokes equations for the fluid phase, while an incompressible hyperelastic Mooney-Rivlin material description represents the flexible particles. Our results reveal that for large aspect ratios, such as flexible fibers, denser clusters are formed compared to rigid fibers, significantly influencing overall sedimentation behavior. The cluster lifespan and morphology evolution will be discussed, with aggregation and disaggregation phases identified and correlated. We will show how the aspect ratio modifies the observed behavior and discuss how the aspect ratio and flexibility can be leveraged in applications to regulate the sedimentation dynamics of dense clusters.