Numerical simulations of aggregate breakup in bounded and unbounded turbulent flows

Breakup of small aggregates in fully developed turbulence is studied by means of direct numerical simulations in a series of typical bounded and unbounded flow configurations, such as a turbulent channel flow, a developing boundary layer, and homogeneous isotropic turbulence. The simplest criterion for breakup is adopted, whereby aggregate breakup occurs when the local hydrodynamic stress σ ∼ ε1/2, with ε being the energy dissipation at the position of the aggregate, overcomes a given threshold σcr, which is characteristic for a given type of aggregate. Results show that the breakup rate decreases with increasing threshold. For small thresholds, it develops a scaling behaviour among the different flows. For high thresholds, the breakup rates show strong differences between the different flow configurations, highlighting the importance of non-universal mean-flow properties. To further assess the effects of flow inhomogeneity and turbulent fluctuations, the results are compared with those obtained in a smooth stochastic flow. Furthermore, we discuss the limitations and applicability of a set of independent proxies.