A numerical investigation into the solids phase chromatography using a combined continuous and discrete approach

Solids phase chromatography for particle classification is based on different retention times of particles with different properties when they are elutriated through a confined geometry.This work aims at a fundamental understanding of such a technology by using the combined continuous and discrete method.A packed bed is employed as the model confined geometry.The numerical method is compared first with experimental observations,followed by a parametric analysis of the effects on the flow hydrodynamics and solids behaviour of various parameters including the number of injected particles,the superficial gas velocity,the contact stiffness and the diameter ratio of the packed column to the packed particles.The results show that the modelling captures some important features of the flow of an injected pulse of fine particles in a packed bed. An increase in the number of injected particles or the superficial gas velocity reduces the retention time,whereas the contact stiffness does not show much effect over the range of 5×102 to5×104 N/m.It is also found that the effect on the retention time of the diameter ratio of the packed column to the packed particles seems complex showing a non-monotonous dependence.     

A UNIVERSAL APPROACH FOR CONTINUOUS OR DISCRETE NONLINEAR PROGRAMMINGS WITH MULTIPLE VARIABLES AND CONSTRAINTS

IntroductionExtensive research works have been published for solving nonlinear mathematicprogramming problems.Nonetheless,it is still difficult to find an effective and universalapproach for general programming problems with multiple design variables and …     

Numerical simulation of sedimentation of microparticles using the discrete particle method

A mathematical model has been formulated based on the combined continuous and discrete particle method for investigating the sedimentation behaviour of microparticles in aqueous suspensions, by treating the fluid phase as continuous and the particles phase as discrete, thus allowing the behaviour of individual particles to be followed and the evolution of the structure of the particle phase to be investigated as a function of time. The model takes into account most of the prevailing forces acting on individual particles including van der Waals attractive, electrostatic repulsive, gravitational, Brownian, depletion, steric, contact and drag forces. A code has also been developed based on the model. This paper reports some preliminary modelling results of mono-dispersed microparticles settling in aqueous suspensions under various conditions. The results show the short time dynamics of the fluid phase, which has a similar order of magnitude to the particle phase. Such short time dynamics could bear significance to processes such as particle aggregation when their size becomes very small. Preliminary analyses of the results have also been carried out on the evolution of particle settling based on a newly proposed parameter, local normalised volume fraction （LNVF）.     

A numerical analysis of a class of generalized Boussinesq‐type equations using continuous/discontinuous FEM

An improved class of Boussinesq systems of an arbitrary order using a wave surface elevation and velocity potential formulation is derived. Dissipative effects and wave generation due to a time‐dependent varying seabed are included. Thus, high‐order source functions are considered. For the reduction of the system order and maintenance of some dispersive characteristics of the higher‐order models, an extra O(μ²ⁿ⁺²) term (n ∈ ?) is included in the velocity potential expansion. We introduce a nonlocal continuous/discontinuous Galerkin FEM with inner penalty terms to calculate the numerical solutions of the improved fourth‐order models. The discretization of the spatial variables is made using continuous P₂ Lagrange elements. A predictor‐corrector scheme with an initialization given by an explicit Runge–Kutta method is also used for the time‐variable integration. Moreover, a CFL‐type condition is deduced for the linear problem with a constant bathymetry. To demonstrate the applicability of the model, we considered several test cases. Improved stability is achieved. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A coupled continuous and discontinuous finite element method for the incompressible flows

In this paper, we develop a coupled continuous Galerkin and discontinuous Galerkin finite element method based on a split scheme to solve the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. In order to use the equal order interpolation functions for velocity and pressure, we decouple the original Navier–Stokes equations and obtain three distinct equations through the split method, which are nonlinear hyperbolic, elliptic, and Helmholtz equations, respectively. The hybrid method combines the merits of discontinuous Galerkin (DG) and finite element method (FEM). Therefore, DG is concerned to accomplish the spatial discretization of the nonlinear hyperbolic equation to avoid using the stabilization approaches that appeared in FEM. Moreover, FEM is utilized to deal with the Poisson and Helmholtz equations to reduce the computational cost compared with DG. As for the temporal discretization, a second‐order stiffly stable approach is employed. Several typical benchmarks, namely, the Poiseuille flow, the backward‐facing step flow, and the flow around the cylinder with a wide range of Reynolds numbers, are considered to demonstrate and validate the feasibility, accuracy, and efficiency of this coupled method. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A numerical investigation of a spectral‐type nodal collocation discontinuous Galerkin approximation of the Euler and Navier–Stokes equations

In this paper, we focus on the applicability of spectral‐type collocation discontinuous Galerkin methods to the steady state numerical solution of the inviscid and viscous Navier–Stokes equations on meshes consisting of curved quadrilateral elements. The solution is approximated with piecewise Lagrange polynomials based on both Legendre–Gauss and Legendre–Gauss–Lobatto interpolation nodes. For the sake of computational efficiency, the interpolation nodes can be used also as quadrature points. In this case, however, the effect of the nonlinearities in the equations and/or curved elements leads to aliasing and/or commutation errors that may result in inaccurate or unstable computations. By a thorough numerical testing on a set of well known test cases available in the literature, it is here shown that the two sets of nodes behave very differently, with a clear advantage of the Legendre–Gauss nodes, which always displayed an accurate and robust behaviour in all the test cases considered.Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A numerical investigation of waves propagating in the spinal cord and subarachnoid space in the presence of a syrinx

The term syringomyelia describes fluid-filled cavities in the spinal cord, which can interfere with normal nerve signal transmission. The finite-element code ADINA was used to construct an axisymmetric fluid/structure-interaction model of the tapered spinal cord and subarachnoid space (SAS), bounded by the dura mater. A syrinx was simulated, of corresponding dimensions to one shown by magnetic resonance imaging data of a patient with syringomyelia. The model was used to investigate the clinical hypothesis that SAS pressure waves move fluid along a syrinx and can thus lengthen it over time by tissue dissection. Simplified versions of the model were used to examine in detail the waves excited, and their reflection and refraction at sites of property discontinuity in the system. Comparison was made with wave predictions based on an analytical model, and excellent agreement was found. The results suggest that, under the circumstances modelled, pressure wave-induced motion of syrinx fluid is unlikely to lengthen such cavities, unless the transverse tensile strength of cord tissue is even smaller than has been appreciated so far.     

A numerical strategy for the direct 3D simulation of the expansion of bubbles into a molten polymer during a foaming process

In the framework of the foam process modelling, this paper presents a numerical strategy for the direct 3D simulation of the expansion of gas bubbles into a molten polymer. This expansion is due to a gas overpressure. The polymer is assumed to be incompressible and to behave as a pseudo‐plastic fluid. Each bubble is governed by a simple ideal gas law. The velocity and the pressure fields, defined in the liquid by a Stokes system, are subsequently extended to each bubble in a way of not perturbing the interface velocity. Hence, a global velocity–pressure‐mixed system is solved over the whole computational domain, thanks to a discretization based on an unstructured first‐order finite element. Since dealing with an Eulerian approach, an interface capturing method is used to follow the bubble evolution. For each bubble, a pure advection equation is solved by using a space–time discontinuous‐Galerkin method, coupled with an r‐adaptation technique. Finally, the numerical strategy is achieved by considering a global mesh expansion motion, which conserves the amount of liquid into the computational domain during the expansion. The expansion of one bubble is firstly considered, and the simulations are compared with an analytical model. The formation of a cellular structure is then investigated by considering the expansion of 64 bubbles in 2D and the expansion of 400 bubbles in 3D. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A higher resolution edge‐based finite volume method for the simulation of the oil–water displacement in heterogeneous and anisotropic porous media using a modified IMPES method

In this article, we present a higher‐order finite volume method with a ‘Modified Implicit Pressure Explicit Saturation’ (MIMPES) formulation to model the 2D incompressible and immiscible two‐phase flow of oil and water in heterogeneous and anisotropic porous media. We used a median‐dual vertex‐centered finite volume method with an edge‐based data structure to discretize both, the elliptic pressure and the hyperbolic saturation equations. In the classical IMPES approach, first, the pressure equation is solved implicitly from an initial saturation distribution; then, the velocity field is computed explicitly from the pressure field, and finally, the saturation equation is solved explicitly. This saturation field is then used to re‐compute the pressure field, and the process follows until the end of the simulation is reached. Because of the explicit solution of the saturation equation, severe time restrictions are imposed on the simulation. In order to circumvent this problem, an edge‐based implementation of the MIMPES method of Hurtado and co‐workers was developed. In the MIMPES approach, the pressure equation is solved, and the velocity field is computed less frequently than the saturation field, using the fact that, usually, the velocity field varies slowly throughout the simulation. The solution of the pressure equation is performed using a modification of Crumpton's two‐step approach, which was designed to handle material discontinuity properly. The saturation equation is solved explicitly using an edge‐based implementation of a modified second‐order monotonic upstream scheme for conservation laws type method. Some examples are presented in order to validate the proposed formulation. Our results match quite well with others found in literature. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.