Influence of Mass Loading on Particle-Laden Turbulent Pipe Flow

A CFD code in the framework of OpenFOAM was validated for simulations of particle-laden pipe and channel flows at low to intermediate mass loadings. The code is based on an Eulerian two-fluid approach with Reynolds-averaged conservation equations, including turbulence modeling and four-way coupling. Pipe flow simulations of particles in air against gravity were conducted at Reynolds numbers up to 50000. The particle mass loading was varied and its effect on the mean velocities and turbulent fluctuations of the two phases was studied. Special attention was paid to the influence of mass loading on the centerline velocity and the wall shear velocity of the fluid phase for various flow parameters and particle properties. Empirical correlations were established between these two quantities and the flow Reynolds number, particle Reynolds number, Stokes number and particle to fluid density ratio for a range of particle mass loadings. (© 2013 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)