Near-wall dynamics of non-Brownian rod-like particle suspensions in confined shear flows

The orientational trajectories of rod-like particles suspended in a liquid are influenced by their surroundings, such as the type of flow and nearby walls, and deviate from the well-known Jeffery orbits in shear flows. We consider two types of shear flows between two parallel planar walls: wall-driven simple shear flow (C-flow), and parabolic flow driven by an external body force (P-flow). We simulated hydrodynamically interacting rod-like particles using a chain-of-spheres model immersed in a lattice Boltzmann fluid within a confined channel. As these particles in shear flows approach the wall, their orbits become flattened, exhibiting a ‘swinging motion’ on a plane parallel to the wall. Near the wall, the influence of the wall on the orbital motion varies depending on the flow type. In P-flow, the particles maintain their periodic swinging motions, whereas in C-flow, they stop swinging and align with the flow direction. This difference arises due to distinct hydrodynamic interactions with the wall in each flow type. Simulations also replicated the ‘pole-vaulting’ motion, where particles move away from the wall during their tumbling motion. For weakly sedimenting particles under shear flows, both flow types showed behaviour similar to that of neutrally buoyant particles. However, in P-flow, driven by gravity towards the wall, the particles cease their swinging motion and align perpendicularly to the flow direction, consistent with experimental observations.