Phase-field lattice-Boltzmann investigation of dendritic evolution under different flow modes

Numerical modelling offers an effective method to investigate the effect of convection on dendritic growth; however, the current numerical approach to modelling convection behaviour is simplified, e.g. only simulating a shear flow by setting a constant inlet velocity and a zero-velocity-gradient outlet boundary condition. In this work, based on a phase-field lattice-Boltzmann approach, the effect of various flow modes on dendritic growth is investigated by introducing an external force term to induce flow. Numerical tests (2-D and 3-D) validate that the results according to the force-induced flow agree well with those by the velocity-imposed flow. Intricate convection effects under complex boundary conditions are discussed in detail. Furthermore, this force-induced flow mode allows additional freedom by eliminating the restriction on the initial position of the nuclei, which provides new ways to the microstructure modelling under complex convection.