Numerical simulation of different microstructures on fiber filtration efficiency

Abstract This paper utilizes a coupled model of the lattice Boltzmann method and discrete element method (LBM-DEM) to simulate the flow field and particle motion in a three-dimensional porous medium. It investigates the impact of different microstructural characteristics of filter media on filtration performance under the same porosity conditions. The model not only considers the mechanisms of inertial deposition and electrostatic forces but also incorporates the effects of Brownian diffusion and dielectrophoresis, providing a preliminary comparison of various filtration mechanisms. The research results indicate that: (1) under identical porosity conditions, the filtration efficiency of unidirectional interlaced fibers significantly surpasses that of other fiber models with different microstructures; (2) the model integrating four filtration mechanisms demonstrates higher filtration efficiency.