Efficient approaches of determining the motion of a spherical particle in a swirling fluid flow using weighted residual methods

Abstract

The motion of a spherical particle released in a swirling fluid flow is studied employing the least-squares method and method of moments. The governing equations are obtained and solved employing the two methods. The accuracy of the results is examined against the results of a fourth-order Runge–Kutta numerical method. The effects of various parameters, namely the initial radius, initial radial velocity, initial angular velocity, and drag-to-inertia ratio, on the non-dimensional velocity profiles and particle position distribution are considered. The results show that the radial velocity increases over time while the angular velocity decreases, and that an increase in the initial radial velocity increases the particle radial distance and angular velocity but decreases the radial velocity profile.