In the realm of energy research, understanding the behavior of complex systems is crucial for optimizing processes and improving efficiency. A team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization in Germany has made strides in this area by developing a method to bridge the gap between microscopic dynamics and macroscopic behavior in systems with fluctuating hydrodynamics.
Fluctuating hydrodynamics is a framework that describes the large-scale behavior of many-body systems using smooth variables, with microscopic details influencing the outcome through a few transport coefficients. This approach has been successful in characterizing macroscopic fluctuations and correlations, but deriving it systematically from underlying stochastic microscopic dynamics has been challenging for many interacting systems. The researchers, Soumyabrata Saha, Sandeep Jangid, Thibaut Arnoulx de Pirey, Juliane U. Klamser, and Tridib Sadhu, have tackled this challenge using a path-integral based coarse-graining procedure for stochastic lattice gas models with gradient dynamics and a single conserved density.
The team’s work, published in the journal Physical Review E, highlights the importance of local-equilibrium averages, which go beyond simple mean-field-type gradient expansions. By focusing on these averages, the researchers were able to recover fluctuating hydrodynamics in a controlled manner. This approach provides a more accurate and systematic way to understand the behavior of complex systems, which can be applied to various fields, including energy research.
One practical application of this research is in the study of fluid dynamics in porous media, which is relevant to processes such as oil recovery, groundwater flow, and energy storage. By understanding the microscopic dynamics of fluids in these systems, researchers can develop more accurate models to predict and optimize these processes. Additionally, the findings can be applied to the study of phase transitions and critical phenomena, which are relevant to the development of new materials and technologies for energy conversion and storage.
In summary, the researchers have developed a method to systematically derive fluctuating hydrodynamics from underlying stochastic microscopic dynamics. This approach provides a more accurate and systematic way to understand the behavior of complex systems, with practical applications in various fields, including energy research. The work was published in Physical Review E.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.