Drag force of a compressible flow past a random array of spheres

Abstract

We perform particle-resolved simulations of subsonic and transonic flows past random arrays of spherical particles. The Reynolds number is held at $Re{\approx}300$ to ensure the flow remains in the continuum regime. At low volume fractions, the drag force increases sharply near a critical Mach number due to the formation of shock waves and reaches a maximum value when the bulk flow is supersonic. Neighbour-induced hydrodynamic interactions reduce the critical Mach number at higher volume fractions. An effective Mach number is introduced to capture the increase in compressibility effects on drag. A new drag correlation is proposed valid for subsonic and weakly supersonic flow from dilute to moderately dense suspensions.