Inertial Migration of Neutrally Buoyant Particles in a Square Duct: an Investigation of Multiple Equilibrium Positions

Inertial migration of neutrally buoyant particles in a square duct has been investigated by numerical simulation in the range of Reynolds numbers from 100 to 1000. Particles migrate to one of a small number of equilibrium positions in the cross-sectional plane, located near a corner or at the center of an edge. In dilute suspensions, trains of particles are formed along the axis of the flow, near the planar equilibrium positions of single particles. At high Reynolds numbers (Re⩾750), we observe particles in an inner region near the center of the duct. We present numerical evidence that closely spaced pairs of particles can migrate to the center at high Reynolds number.