A lattice Boltzmann model using upstream finite volume scheme has been employed in the investigation of bifurcation and transition of flow through suddenly-expanded channels. To enhance the stability and accuracy of simulation, a fifth-order Runge
Kutta method is used for the time-marching and upwind biasing factors based on pressure are used as flux correctors in the lattice Boltzmann equation. In the range of Reynolds numbers investigated, the laminar flow through the expansion underwent a symmetry-breaking bifurcation. The critical Reynolds number evaluated from the experiments and the simulations were compared to other values reported in the literature. Comparisons are found to be quantitatively accurate. Furthermore, the results show that the critical Reynolds number decreases with increasing channel expansion ratio. At a fixed supercritical Reynolds number, the location at which the jet first impinges on the channel wall grows with the expansion ratio.

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