Cataracting-centrifuging transition investigation using nonspherical and spherical particles in a rotary drum through CFD simulations

This paper aims to systematically investigate the cataracting-centrifuging transition in a rotary drum involving spherical and nonspherical particles by using the Multiphase Granular Eulerian Model (MGEM). The effects of drum length and particle shape on the cataracting-centrifuging transition behavior were analyzed. The results showed that drum length plays an important role in the cataracting-centrifuging transition, although most related works in the literature do not consider this. The particle shape also significantly affects the cataracting-centrifuging transition behavior. Nonspherical particles required lower rotation speeds than spherical particles to reach the centrifuging condition. The particle shape was shown to be related to the critical solid fraction (α_sc) from Schaeffer’s model, although further investigations are required to completely correlate particle spherecity with critical solid volume fractions.     

Using the discrete element method to assess the mixing of polydisperse solid particles in a rotary drum

Despite the wide applications of powder and solid mixing in industry, knowledge on the mixing of polydisperse solid particles in rotary drum blenders is lacking. This study investigates the mixing of monodisperse, bidisperse, tridisperse, and polydisperse solid particles in a rotary drum using the discrete element method. To validate the model developed in this study, experimental and simulation results were compared. The validated model was then employed to investigate the effects of the drum rotational speed, particle size, and initial loading method on the mixing quality. The degree of mixing of polydisperse particles was smaller than that for monodisperse particles owing to the segregation phenomenon. The mixing index increased from an initial value to a maximum and decreased slightly before reaching a plateau for bidisperse, tridisperse, and polydisperse particles as a direct result of the segregation of particles of different sizes. Final mixing indices were higher for polydisperse particles than for tridisperse and bidisperse particles. Additionally, segregation was weakened by introducing additional particles of intermediate size. The best mixing of bidisperse and tridisperse particles was achieved for top–bottom smaller-to-larger initial loading, while that of polydisperse systems was achieved using top–bottom smaller-to-larger and top–bottom larger-to-smaller initial loading methods.     

Numerical simulation on mixing dynamics of flexible filamentous particles in the transverse section of a rotary drum

Flexible filamentous particles are a special kind of particles and play a significant role in many industrial processes.The mixing dynamics of flexible filamentous particles in the transverse section of a rotary drum were analyzed numerically in two dimensions.First,a chain model of slender bodies was introduced for particle dynamic studies,and each individual particle as well as each segment of the particle was tracked during the process.Then,the bulk movement of particles in the transverse section of a rotary drum was explored numerically and mixing dynamics of the particles were further investigated with visual representation.To quantify the quality of mixing,the mixing rates were investigated to determine the mixing extent of particles in the rotary drum.Furthermore,the effects of rotational velocity,flight height and filling degree on mixing dynamics were examined in detail.Moreover,the numerical results were compared with experimental data,and reasonable agreements were obtained.The numerical analyses provide valuable insights into the mixing dynamics of flexible filamentous particles.     

Unsteady CFD simulations of a pump in part load conditions using scale-adaptive simulation

The scope of this work is to demonstrate the applicability of an eddy resolving turbulence model in a turbomachinery configuration. The model combines the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) and the Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) approach. The point of interest of the present investigation is the unsteady rotating stall phenomenon occurring at low part load conditions. Since RANS turbulence models often fail to predict separation correctly, a LES like model is expected to give superior results. In this investigation the scale-adaptive simulation (SAS) model is used. This model avoids the grid dependence appearing in the Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) modelling strategy. The simulations are validated with transient measurement data. The present results demonstrate, that both models are able to predict the major stall frequency at part load. Results are similar for URANS and SAS, with advantages in predicting minor stall frequencies for the turbulence resolving model.     

3D CFD modeling of acetone hydrogenation in fixed bed reactor with spherical particles

Acetone hydrogenation in a fixed bed reactor packed with spherical catalyst particles was simulated to study the effects of inlet gas velocity and particle diameter on hydrogenation reaction. Computational results show that the catalyst particles in the reactor are almost isothermal, and the high isopropanol concentration appears at the lee of the particles. With the increase of inlet velocity, the outlet isopropanol mole fraction decreases, and the total pressure drop increases drastically. Small diameter catalyst particles are favorable for acetone hydrogenation, but result in large pressure drop.     

Scattering of nonspherical particles rebounding from a smooth and a rough surface in a high-speed gas-particle flow

Scattering indicatrices of nonspherical particles rebounding from a smooth and a rough surface are obtained by direct Monte Carlo simulations. Particles shaped as ellipsoids of revolution, rectangular prisms, and prisms with truncated vertices are considered. Surface roughness is defined as a two-dimensional profile whose scattering characteristics are close to those of real roughness induced by abrasive erosion of the surface in a high-speed gas-particle flow. Impact interaction of an individual particle with the surface is considered in a three-dimensional formulation. The scattering indicatrices of reflected particles are found to depend substantially on the particle shape in the case of rebound from a smooth surface and to be almost independent of the particle shape if the particles rebound from a rough surface. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 49, No. 2, pp. 79–88, March–April, 2008.     

Two-phase flow laden with spherical particles in a microcapillary

Solid–liquid two-phase flow in a finite Reynolds number range (2 < Re < 12), transporting neutrally-buoyant microspheres with diameters of 6, 10, and 16 μm through a 260-μm microcapillary, is investigated. A standard microparticle-tracking velocimetry (μ-PTV) that consists of a double-pulsed Nd:YAG laser, an epi-fluorescent microscope, and a cooled-CCD camera is used to examine the flow. The solid particles are visualized in view of their spatial distributions. We observe a strong radial migration of the particles across the flow streamlines at substantially small Re. The degree of particle migration is presented in terms of probability density function. Some applications based on this radial migration phenomena are discussed in conjunction with particle separation/concentration in microfluidic devices, where the spatial distribution of particles is of great importance. In doing so, we propose a particle-trajectory function to empirically construct the spatial distribution of solid particles, which is well correlated with our experimental data. It is believed that this function provides a simple method for estimating the spatial distribution of particles undergoing radial migration in solid–liquid two-phase flows.     

Diffusion of heavy spherical particles in a turbulent flow

A connection is established between the statistical characteristics of a turbulent flow and the coefficient of diffusion of spherical particles suspended in the flow.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 6, pp. 142–144, November–December, 1979.     

Study of dynamic structure and heat and mass transfer of a vertical ceramic tiles dryer using CFD simulations

In this study, we developed a two-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model to simulate dynamic structure and heat and mass transfer of a vertical ceramic tiles dryer (EVA 702). The carrier’s motion imposed the choice of a dynamic mesh based on two methods: “spring based smoothing” and “local remeshing”. The dryer airflow is considered as turbulent (Re = 1.09 × 10⁵ at the dryer inlet), therefore the Re-Normalization Group $k - \in$ model with Enhanced Wall Treatment was used as a turbulence model. The resolution of the governing equation was performed with Fluent 6.3 whose capacities do not allow the direct resolution of drying problems. Thus, a user defined scalar equation was inserted in the CFD code to model moisture content diffusion into tiles. User-defined functions were implemented to define carriers’ motion, thermo-physical properties… etc. We adopted also a “two-step” simulation method: in the first step, we follow the heat transfer coefficient evolution (H_c). In the second step, we determine the mass transfer coefficient (H_m) and the features fields of drying air and ceramic tiles. The found results in mixed convection mode (Fr = 5.39 at the dryer inlet) were used to describe dynamic and thermal fields of airflow and heat and mass transfer close to the ceramic tiles. The response of ceramic tiles to heat and mass transfer was studied based on Biot numbers. The evolutions of averages temperature and moisture content of ceramic tiles were analyzed. Lastly, comparison between experimental and numerical results showed a good agreement.     

Micromechanical investigation of granular ratcheting using a discrete model of polygonal particles

We use a two-dimensional model of polygonal particles to investigate granular ratcheting. Ratcheting is a long-term response of granular materials under cyclic loading, where the same amount of permanent deformation is accumulated after each cycle. We report on ratcheting for low frequencies and extremely small loading amplitudes. The evolution of the sub-network of sliding contacts allows us to understand the micromechanics of ratcheting. We show that the contact network evolves almost periodically under cyclic loading as the sub-network of the sliding contacts reaches different stages of anisotropy in each cycle. Sliding contacts lead to a monotonic accumulation of permanent deformation per cycle in each particle. The distribution of these deformations appears to be correlated in form of vortices inside the granular assembly.     

Micromechanical investigation of granular ratcheting using a discrete model of polygonal particles

We use a two-dimensional model of polygonal particles to investigate granular ratcheting. Ratcheting is a long-term response of granular materials under cyclic loading, where the same amount of permanent deformation is accumulated after each cycle. We report on ratcheting for low frequencies and extremely small loading amplitudes. The evolution of the sub-network of sliding contacts allows us to understand the micromechanics of ratcheting. We show that the contact network evolves almost periodically under cyclic loading as the sub-network of the sliding contacts reaches different stages of anisotropy in each cycle. Sliding contacts lead to a monotonic accumulation of permanent deformation per cycle in each particle. The distribution of these deformations appears to be correlated in form of vortices inside the granular assembly.     

Rheology of suspensions of spherical particles in a newtonian and a non-newtonian fluid

Properties of suspensions of spherical glass beads (25–38 μm dia.) in a Newtonian fluid and a non-Newtonian (NBS Fluid 40) fluid were measured at volume fractions, φ, of 0%, 10%, 20% and 30%. Measurements were made using a modified and computerized Weissenberg Rheogoniometer. Properties measured included steady shear viscosity, η($\text{γ}\text{.}$), first normal stress difference, N₁($\text{γ}\text{.}$), linear viscoelastic properties, η′(ω) and G′(ω), shear stress relaxation, σ^? ($\text{γ}\text{.}$, t), and growth, σ⁺($\text{γ}\text{.}$, t) and normal stress relaxation, N₁^?($\text{γ}\text{.}$, t).For a the Newtonian fluid, increasing φ causes both η and η′ to increase, with η′ showing a slight frequency dependence. Both N₁ and G′ are zero and stress relaxation and growth occur essentially instantaneously. For the NBS fluid, both η and η′ increse with φ at all $\text{γ}\text{.}$ and ω, respectively, the increase being greater as $\text{γ}\text{.}$ and ω approach zero. N₁ and G′ are less affected by the presence of the particles than η and η′ with the effect on G′ being more pronounced than on N₁. For fixed $\text{γ}\text{.}$, stress relaxation and growth exhibit greater non-linear effects as φ is increased. A model for predicting a priori the linear viscoelastic properties for suspensions was found to yeild reasonable estimates up to φ = 20%.     

CFD investigation on mixing in a rapidly mixed tubular flame burner

Computational fluid dynamics is used to simulate a mixing process in a rapidly mixed tubular flame burner (RTFB). The effect of several parameters such as the swirl number (S), the velocity ratio (α) and the injector arrangements (N₁ and N₂) is investigated. The mixing process is identified for a variation of the swirl number (from 0.23 to 5.44) via the Lagrangian discrete phase model. The validation of the numerical results is performed by confronting the predicted particle trajectory, the tangential velocity and the mixing layer thickness results to the experimental data. By means of the validated model, a mathematical correlation between the mixing coefficient and the different geometric parameters characterizing the RTFB is established, enabling the prediction of the mixing time for any RTFB design.