Numerical simulation of diffusion-controlled droplet growth: Dynamical correlation effects

Abstract

Diffusion-controlled coarsening (Ostwald ripening) of precipitated solutions is studied by numerical simulation. An algorithm is devised which exploits the screening of solute concentration fields, thereby removing the restriction to small systems of previous work. Simulation of the coarsening of 5000 droplets at 10% volume fraction reveals long-ranged dynamical correlations which broaden the droplet size-distribution function and increase the coarsening-rate coefficient.