Enhancing semi-resolved CFD-DEM for dilute to dense particle-fluid systems: A point cloud based, two-step mapping strategy via coarse graining

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel two-step point cloud based coarse graining strategy for CFD-DEM coupling, improving stability and accuracy in simulating dense to dilute particle-fluid systems across various grid resolutions.

Contribution

It proposes a new point cloud based coarse graining method that enhances CFD-DEM coupling stability and accuracy, especially in dense granular systems.

Findings

Successfully validated in multiple configurations including sedimentation and fluidized beds.

Achieves accurate coupling across a wide range of grid-to-particle size ratios.

Improves stability and pore pressure capture in dense granular flows.

Abstract

Computational fluid dynamics and discrete element method (CFD-DEM) coupling is an efficient and powerful tool to simulate particle-fluid systems. However, current volume-averaged CFD-DEM relying on direct grid-based mapping between the fluid and particle phases can exhibit a strong dependence on the fluid grid resolution, becoming unstable as particles move across fluid grids, and can fail to capture pore fluid pressure effects in very dense granular systems. Here we propose a two-step mapping CFD-DEM which uses a point-based coarse graining technique for intermediate smoothing to overcome these limitations. The discrete particles are first converted into smooth, coarse-grained continuum fields via a multi-layer Fibonacci point cloud, independent of the fluid grids. Then, accurate coupling is achieved between the coarse-grained, point cloud fields and the fluid grid-based variables. The algorithm is validated in various configurations, including weight allocation of a static particle on one-dimensional grids and a falling particle on two-dimensional grids, sedimentation of a sphere in a viscous fluid, size-bidisperse fluidized beds, Ergun's pressure drop test, and immersed granular column collapse. The proposed CFD-DEM represents a novel strategy to accurately simulate fluid-particle interactions for a wide range of grid-to-particle size ratios and solid concentrations, which is of potential use in many industrial and geophysical applications.