Development and test of CFD–DEM model for complex geometry: A coupling algorithm for Fluent and DEM

• Published in: Computers & chemical engineering Vol. 58; pp. 260 - 268
• Main Authors: Liu, Daoyin, Bu, Changsheng, Chen, Xiaoping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 11-11-2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; CFD–DEM model; Chemical engineering; Complex geometry; Exact sciences and technology; Fluid dynamics; Fluidization; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Gas–solid fluidized bed; Mathematics; Methods of scientific computing (including symbolic computation, algebraic computation); Multiphase and particle-laden flows; Nonhomogeneous flows; Numerical analysis. Scientific computation; Physics; Sciences and techniques of general use; CFD–DEM model; Gas–solid fluidized bed; Complex geometry; Gas particle flow; Immersed body; Computational fluid dynamics; Conservation; Dense phase; Fluidization; Discrete element method; Particle suspension; Modeling; Bubbling; Gas solid flow; Circulating fluidized bed; CFD―DEM model; Gas flow; Dense gas; Jet; Gas―solid fluidized bed; Fluidized bed
• ISSN: 0098-1354; 1873-4375
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compchemeng.2013.07.006

•A CFD–DEM model is developed for simulations on complex geometries.•DEM is coupled with ANSYS/Fluent Eulerian multiphase model.•The current model is validated against a series of typical fluidization cases.
CFD–Discrete Element Method (DEM) model is an effective approach for studying dense gas–solid flow in fluidized beds. In this study, a CFD–DEM model for complex geometries is developed, where DEM code is coupled with ANSYS/Fluent software through its User Defined Function. The Fluent Eulerian multiphase model is employed to couple with DEM, whose secondary phase acts as a ghost phase but just an image copy of DEM field. The proposed procedure preserves phase conservation and ensures the Fluent phase-coupled SIMPLE solver work stable. The model is used to simulate four typical fluidization cases, respectively, a single pulsed jet fluidized bed, fluidized bed with an immersed tube, fluidization regime transition from bubbling to fast, and a simplified two-dimensional circulating fluidized bed loop. The simulation results are satisfactory. The present approach provides an easily implemented and reliable method for CFD–DEM model on complex geometries.