High-resolution model of complexly shaped bodies motion using an IBM-VOF-DEM coupling method

Abstract

A new coupling model that focuses on the simulation of gas-liquid flow and irregular-shaped particulate flows was proposed based on the coupling of FD/IBM, VOF and DEM. A wide range of computing cases was presented for validation, including the spherical and cylindrical particle settling in fluid, where the particle Reynold's number is small, and the vortex shedding phenomenon could still be captured. Further, the simulations that the wooden blocks float upward and the cones fall into the water at a high Reynolds number were constructed. All these simulating results keep well consistent with the experiments. It turns out that the model is reliable for simulating the particulate flows as Reynold's number is up to 420,000. Besides, the model shows great strength of the solid-fluid motions capture capability, especially for the irregular-shaped objects moving trajectories at different scales from 0.00167 to 0.3 m, which is potentially helpful in industrial engineering. • A fully rsolved IB-VOF-DEM model is developed. • Typical and multi-scaling validating simulations are presented. • The model covers a wide range of Reynolds number from 400 to 420,000. • Multi-sphere model and Monte-Carlo method are employed.