Arastoopour.
J Powder Metall Min 2013, 2:1
Powder Metallurgy & Mining
Research
Editorial Article
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Application in Fluid/Particle Flow
Systems
Hamid Arastoopour*
Wanger Institute for Sustainable Energy Research (WISER), Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA
The widespread industrial application of fluid/particle flow systems
demands an increase in the overall development and enhancement of
such systems. In spite of recent advances in computational capability,
development of more general simulations, and design and scale-up tools
for particle flow systems continues to pose a considerable challenge due
to the complexity of flow pattern. Prior to the 1980s, research in fluid/
particle systems was mainly focused on the development of both overall
flow measurements and the correlation and equations for the main flow
parameter. During the last three decades, significant advances have been
made in the development of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
approach to fluid/particle flow systems. CFD approach is considered
to be one of the major contributors to the Design and Scale-up and
in turn economical feasibility of the processes deal with fluid/ particle
flows. In addition, CFD has played a significant role in shortening the
gap between fluid/ particle processes laboratory-scale and commercial-
scale. However, further research in the areas of reducing computational
time and performing additional model verification through simulation
of commercial-scale processes will be necessary to obtain successful
widespread industrial application of a computational fluid dynamics
approach to fluid/particle flow systems.
The first attempt in mathematical modeling of the fluid/particle flow
systems based on CFD is attributed to [1,2] for developing Eulerian/
Eulerian two-fluid governing equations. Later on, several attempts were
made to modify the one-dimensional flow equation and to simulate
flow in a vertical pneumatic conveying system [3]. Arastoopour et al.
[4] considered particles of each size as a separate phase, developed an
experimentally verified particle-particle collision equation, introduced
it in one-dimensional equations, and successfully compared the
calculated flow parameters with the experimental data for flow of dilute
gas/particle systems. However, in a more concentrated gas/particle flow
system, the radial distribution of phase velocities due to wall interaction
becomes a contributing factor to the flow. This can be characterized
by using a two- or three-dimensional fluid/particle flow models and
realistic boundary conditions [5,6]. In fluid/particle flow systems,
particles create structures including regions near the wall in the form of
clusters or sheets. This is mainly attributed to significant particle collision
and interaction that should be considered in the formulation of fluid/
particle flow equations. This finding motivated several investigators to
develop a theory of particle interaction and collision based on the [7]
kinetic theory approach [8-11]. The kinetic theory approach, which is
based on the oscillation of the particles, uses a granular temperature
equation to determine the turbulent kinetic energy of the particles,
assumes a distribution function for instantaneous particle velocity, and
defines a constitutive equation based on particle collision, interaction,
and fluctuation [12]. In fact, the kinetic theory approach for granular
flow allows the determination of, for example, particle phase stress,
pressure, and viscosity in place of the empirical equations [13,14].
Since the developmental stage of granular theory, there have been
several modifications to the constitutive equations such as: Ocone et al.
[15], who considered forces exerted between particles during sustained
rolling and sliding contacts; Louge et al. [16], who considered effects of
both gas turbulence and particle collision; and Kim and Arastoopour
[17], who considered the cohesiveness of the particles according to
J Powder Metall Min
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the Geldart [18] classification and extended the kinetic theory model
for cohesive particles. Jenkins and Mancini [19] extended the kinetic
theory of dense gases to a binary mixture of idealized granular material
for the low dissipation case. Iddir et al. [20] and Iddir et al. [21] then
extended the kinetic theory for granular flow for mixtures of multi-type
particles assuming a non-Maxwellian velocity distribution and energy
non-equipartition. Each type of particle was considered as a separate
phase with different velocity and granular temperature. Later, this model
was incorporated in the MFIX Code [22] and used to study the flow
of multi-type particles in the riser section of the circulating fluidized
bed systems [23]. However, further research is needed to extend the
kinetic theory for particles of different shapes and surface properties,
to develop more realistic boundary conditions for the particle phase,
and to obtain a more accurate expression for interaction between fluid
turbulence and particle fluctuation.
To account for continuous variation in particle size density
distribution due to phenomena such as chemical reaction,
agglomeration, breakage, attrition, and growth, with less required
computational time for numerical simulation, a new approach to solve
Population Balance Equations (PBE) linked with CFD is needed. PBE is
a balance equation based on the number density function that accounts
for the spatial and temporal evolutions of the particulate phase internal
variable distribution function in a single control volume [24]. This
equation is an integro-differential equation that involves both integrals
and derivatives of the distribution functions. The most promising
method of solution at the present time for CFD/PBE equations is the
method of moments. The method of moments [25,26] is based on
solving the distribution function transport equation in terms of its
lower order moments. Some of the variables in the population balance
equation (PBE) need to be calculated from the CFD model and, in turn,
solution of the population balance gives some of the phase properties
needed in the CFD model. Therefore, PBE and CFD need to cross-
talk via a two-way coupling. In recent years, [27,28] introduced a new
version of method of moments called Finite size domain Complete set
of trial functions Method of Moments (FCMOM). In FCMOM, the
size distribution function is presented as an explicit series expansion
by a complete system of orthonormal functions. This means no
specific assumption for the size distribution function is needed
using the FCMOM approach. However, further research is needed
to develop more accurate models to account for variation of particle
properties during the processes such as physical properties, rate of
reaction, nucleation and growth, rate of breakage and attrition, and
*Corresponding author: Hamid Arastoopour, Wanger Institute for Sustainable
Energy Research (WISER), Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA,
E-mail: arastoopour@iit.edu
Received May 09, 2013; Accepted May 10, 2013; Published May 13, 2013
Citation: Arastoopour H (2013) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Application
in Fluid/Particle Flow Systems. J Powder Metall Min 2: e110. doi:10.4172/2168-
9806.1000e110
Copyright: © 2013 Arastoopour H. This is an open-access article distributed under
the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and
source are credited.
Volume 2 • Issue 1 • 1000e110
Citation: Arastoopour H (2013) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Application in Fluid/Particle Flow Systems. J Powder Metall Min 2: e110.
doi:10.4172/2168-9806.1000e110
rate of agglomeration incorporated in the PBE equation. Furthermore,
further research in obtaining more robust numerical schemes using the
method of moments is needed for obtaining simulation of the entire
three-dimensional process in less required computational time.
Another approach to simulate a gas/particle flow system is the
Distinct Element Method, which is based on an equation of motion for
each individual particle [29]. Thus, in principle, individual particle size,
shape, and density can be introduced directly into the equation without
relying on theories, such as the kinetic theory, or correlations based
on experimental data to provide closure for the governing equations.
However, this approach requires huge computational time when many
particles exist in a system such as a fluidized bed.
In summary, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach
has placed itself as an advanced tool for the simulation, design, and
scale-up of fluid/particles processes that include chemical reaction,
particle properties distribution variation, and heat and mass transfer.
At the present time, the kinetic theory approach with experimentally
verified interfacial forces and method of moments as a solution tool
is the most promising method to describe chemical, material, and
biological processes that include fluid/particle flows. To obtain realistic
simulation and design parameters, three- dimensional transient
numerical simulation of the entire system including the reactors,
piping, valves, cyclones, and standpipes is essential. This requires a very
powerful computational facility to perform the most efficient parallel
processing calculations and robust numerical schemes for better and
faster convergence. Future research topics in this area may include:
further development of the constitutive equations for the particulate
phase including the effect of particle shape, and development of more
accurate models for particles variation properties such as physical
properties, rate of reaction, nucleation and growth, rate of breakage and
attrition, and rate of agglomeration. Further improvement in particle
phase boundary conditions, interparticle forces, fluid/particle drag
force, and turbulence interaction between fluid and particle phases could
also be excellent future research topics in this area. In addition, more
advanced research in numerical techniques, specifically in the method
of moments and parallel processing of the CFD/PBE codes, is needed
to obtain more realistic simulation of the entire three-dimensional
process with complex geometry in a reasonable computational time.
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Citation: Arastoopour H (2013) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
Application in Fluid/Particle Flow Systems. J Powder Metall Min 2: e110.
doi:10.4172/2168-9806.1000e110
Volume 2 • Issue 1 • 1000e110