Numerical methods for the simulation of the settling of flocculated suspensions

For one space dimension, the phenomenological theory of sedimentation of flocculated suspensions yields a model that consists of an initial-boundary value problem for a second order partial differential equation of mixed hyperbolic-parabolic type. Due to the mixed hyperbolic-parabolic nature of the model, its solutions may be discontinuous and difficulties arise if one tries to construct these solutions by classical numerical methods. In this paper we present and elaborate on numerical methods that can be used to correctly simulate this model, i.e. conservative methods satisfying a discrete entropy principle. Included in our discussion are finite difference methods and methods based on operator splitting. In particular, the operator splitting methods are used to simulate the settling of flocculated suspensions. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.