Discrete Boltzmann modeling of Rayleigh-Taylor instability: Effects of interfacial tension, viscosity, and heat conductivity

The two-dimensional Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) in compressible flow with intermolecular interactions is probed via the discrete Boltzmann method. The effects of interfacial tension, viscosity, and heat conduction are investigated. It is found that the influences of interfacial tension on the perturbation amplitude, bubble velocity, and two kinds of entropy production rates all show differences at different stages of RTI evolution. It inhibits the RTI evolution at the bubble acceleration stage, while at the asymptotic velocity stage, it first promotes and then inhibits the RTI evolution. Viscosity and heat conduction inhibit the RTI evolution. Viscosity shows a suppressive effect on the entropy generation rate related to heat flow at the early stage but a first promotive and then suppressive effect on the entropy generation rate related to heat flow at a later stage. Heat conduction shows a promotive effect on the entropy generation rate related to heat flow at an early stage. Still, it offers a first promotive and then suppressive effect on the entropy generation rate related to heat flow at a later stage. By introducing the morphological boundary length, we find that the stage of exponential growth of the interface length with time corresponds to the bubble acceleration stage. The first maximum point of the interface length change rate and the first maximum point of the change rate of the entropy generation rate related to viscous stress can be used as a criterion for RTI to enter the asymptotic velocity stage.