We use numerical simulations to study the dynamics of three-dimensional (3D) vesicles in unconfined and confined Poiseuille flow. Previous numerical studies have shown that when the fluid viscosity inside and outside the vesicle is the same (no viscosity contrast), a transition from asymmetric slippers to symmetric parachutes takes place as viscous forcing or capillary number is increased. At higher viscosity contrast, an outward migration tendency has also been observed in unconfined flow simulations. In this paper, we study how the presence of viscosity contrast and confining walls affect the dynamics of vesicles and present phase diagrams for confined Poiseuille flow with and without viscosity contrast. To our knowledge, this is the first study that provides a phase diagram for 3D vesicles with viscosity contrast in confined Poiseuille flow. The confining walls push the vesicle towards the center while the viscosity contrast has the opposite effect. This interplay leads to important differences in the dynamics, such as bistability, at high capillary numbers.

• Received 1 October 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.5.013603