Numerical simulation of particle‐laden flows by the residual‐based variational multiscale method

We present a finite element residual‐based variational multiscale formulation applied to the numerical simulation of particle‐laden flows. We employ a Eulerian–Eulerian framework to describe the flows in which the mathematical model results from the incompressible Navier–Stokes equation combined with an advection–diffusion transport equation. Special boundary conditions at the bottom are introduced to take into account sediments deposition. Computational experiments are organized in two examples. The first example deals with the well‐known gravity current benchmark, the lock‐exchange configuration. The second also employs for the current initiation the lock configuration, but the sediment particles are endowed with a deposition velocity and are allowed to leave the domain in the moment they reach the bottom. This is intended to mimic, partially, as the bed morphology is not allowed to change, the deposition process, in which sediment deposits are no longer carried by the flow. The spatial pattern of the deposition and its correlation with flow structures are the main focus of this analysis. Numerical experiments have shown that the present formulation captures most of the relevant turbulent flow features with reasonable accuracy, when compared with highly resolved numerical simulations and experimental data. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.