Influence of decelerating flow on incipient motion of a gravel-bed stream

An experimental study on incipient motion of gravel-bed streams under steady-decelerating flow is presented. Experiments were carried out in a flume with two median grain sizes, d ₅₀ = 16.7 mm for a fixed-bed case and d ₅₀ = 8 mm for a mobile bed case. In addition, an effort is made to determine a simplified method for the estimation of bed shear stress in decelerating flow over fixed and mobile beds for use in field situations. From the observation of eleven fixed-bed and nine mobile-bed velocity profiles, it is revealed that the parabolic law method (PLM) and the Reynolds stress method are comparable for estimation of shear velocity in general. Also, the results show that the shear stress distribution adopts a convex form over fixed and mobile beds. Due to this form the critical Shields parameter value for decelerating flow is less than the reported values in literature. This paper supports Buffington & Montgomery (1997) statement that less emphasis should be given on choosing a universal shields parameter, and more emphasis should be given on choosing defendable values based on flow structure.     

Analysis of constant-volume shear tests based on precise measurement of stresses in powder beds

This study demonstrates a new constant-volume shear test configuration to analyze the stresses in powder beds and evaluate powder flowability. A novel cylindrical shear cell geometry and load cell arrangement allowed precise measurement of the normal stress acting on the shear planes of the powder beds. The stress transmission ratio between the top and shear planes decreased with increasing ratio of the powder bed height in the upper section of the shear cell to the shear cell diameter. This was due to friction between the powder bed and the side wall of the upper section of the shear cell. Using the measured values of the normal stress on the shear planes, the effects of the powder bed height and shear cell diameter were eliminated from the data. In addition, to evaluate the shear properties of the powder beds, the powder yield locus, consolidation yield locus, critical state line, shear cohesion, and void fraction were obtained from a single shear test. The powder yield locus data were used to obtain flow functions.     

An analytical model for bedload layer thickness

A theoretical study has been carried out to determine the thickness of the bedload layer in an open channel turbulent flow with non-cohesive sediment, which is very crucial in sediment transport problems as this is treated as saltation height of a sediment particle and the reference level in suspension studies. A new expression of viscous shear stress is proposed, which is a function of effective viscosity of sediment–fluid mixture, velocity gradient and volumetric concentration of sediment particles. During particle collisions, impact shear stress is generated, which is another important parameter near the sediment bed. By including both the shear stresses, an expression for the thickness of the bedload layer is developed. The predicted bedload layer thickness is a function of viscous coefficient, impact coefficient, particle diameter, relative mass density of sediment particle, maximum bed concentration and non-dimensional shear stress. It agrees reasonably well when compared with a wide class of experimental data under different hydraulic conditions.     

Flow resistance in a compound gravel-bed bend

In this paper, the effect of a gravel-bed in a compound bend (similar to sinusoidal top view) of a natural river (Zayandehrud River flowing through Isfahan, Iran) has been investigated for flow resistance analysis, measuring the velocity with a micro current meter. The data were analysed and the following observations were made. In a compound bend, the law of the wall can be valid for up to 66% of the flow depth from the bed. The parabolic law is the most effective method for the determination of shear velocity. Based on the existing criteria for verifying the equilibrium boundary layer, the flow cannot be in equilibrium. The shear stress distribution and the sediment transport parameters have considerable influence on resistance to flow. Froude number and the flow depth relative to the representative gravel size have little effect on the flow resistance estimation.     

Approach the powder contact force,voidage, tensile stress,wall frictional stress and state diagram of powder bed by simple pressure drop monitoring

The evaluation of the mechanical properties and the state of a powder bed are essential for industrial powder operations. We assume that the bed incipient yield is approximately the bed incipient fluidization, and the particle contact force, the bed voidage, the bed tensile stress and the bed-wall frictional stress can be determined by simple pressure drop monitoring when gradually increasing the superficial gas velocity from zero. A two-dimensional powder bed voidage-tensile stress state diagram at zero shear stress under anisotropic consolidation is initially prepared. For the sample powder bed, we show that the isotropic tensile stress estimated by the powder yield locus extrapolation, 340 Pa−770 Pa, from a shear tester is different from the anisotropic tensile stress evaluated, 120 Pa–180 Pa, by the pressure drop overshoot approximation.     

Hall effects on unsteady couette flow

Hall effects on Couette flow of an electrically conducting fluid between two parallel plates for both the cases of impulsive as well as uniformly accelerated motion of one of the plates is discussed. Expressions for the shear stress components are obtained in terms of two non-dimensional parameters, the Hartmann number and the Hall parameter. It is found that for the case of impulsive as well as accelerated motion of one of the plates, the magnitude of the shear stress component due to the primary flow decrease whereas that due to the secondary flow increase with increase in Hall parameter.     

Experimental and CFD-DEM numerical evaluation of flow and heat transfer characteristics in mixed pulsed fluidized beds

Pulsed fluidized beds can make gas-solid mix and contact more uniform, therefore obviously improving heat transfer efficiency. The mixed pulsed fluidized bed, whose total gas flow is composed of stable gas flow and pulsed gas flow, is proposed in this research. Firstly, the experimental device for drying particles in a mixed pulsed fluidized bed is established. Pressure signals with different frequencies and gas flow ratios are collected, and flow pattern diagrams are obtained through a high-speed camera. Secondly, the CFD-DEM parallel numerical simulation method is constructed to research the mixed pulsed fluidized bed performance. Particle mixing, motion and heat transfer characteristics under different pulse frequencies and flow ratios are studied. Results show that particles in the mixed pulsed fluidized bed exhibit regular periodic motion, thereby promoting the mixing effect of particles. Moreover the bubble nucleation point moves to the bottom of the bed with the increasing pulse frequency. When the total gas velocity is relatively low, particle mixing effect can be enhanced by increasing the proportion of pulsed gas. However, when the velocity is relatively high, particle mixing effect will be enhanced by decreasing the proportion.     

ISOTHERMAL PREDICTION OF PARTICLE AND GAS FLOW IN A COAL-FIRED REACTOR

The steady, turbulent gas flow with entrained coal particles in a laboratory-scale axisymmetric coal gasification reactor is numerically analyzed. The reactor is designed to provide rapid mixing and heatup of the coal in a configuration which results in a nearly isothermal and uniform flow in the main reaction chamber so as to allow controlled study of coal gasification. A detailed knowledge of the reactor dynamics is required in order to interpret experimental results. The nonreacting, isothermal flow pattern is first presented as a base case. Calculations are performed with an iterative, implicit scheme suitable to the elliptic nature of the gas flow equations in an Eulerian frame-work. The turbulent motion is resolved using the eddy-viscosity concept with the standard k-ε turbulence model. Coal particle trajectories are then calculated using the Lagrangian form of the momentum equations. The influence of solid particles on the gas phase is neglected. Particle trajectories and residence time distributions are presented for a variety of particle sizes and particle inlet locations. The influence of the inlet conditions, turbulent diffusion, and gravity on the particle motion, are investigated. Implications of the predictions, with respect to the design of the reactor, are discussed.     

Interception of two spherical particles with arbitrary radii in simple shear flow

Summary The interception of two force-free and torque-free spherical particles with arbitrary radii freely suspended in simple shear flow is investigated in the limit of vanishing Reynolds number. At any instant, the flow is computed in a frame of reference with origin at the center of one particle using a cylindrical polar coordinate system whose axis of revolution passes through the center of the second particle. The problem is formulated as a decoupled system of integral equations for the zeroth, first, and second Fourier coefficients of the boundary traction with respect to the meridional angle. The derived integral equations are solved with high accuracy using a boundary element method that features adaptive discretization and automatic time-step adjustment according to the inter-particle gap. The results illustrate particle trajectories and describe the particle rotation and evolution of the stress tensor during the interception. The particle interaction is found to always cause a positive shift in the rotational phase angle due to the rolling motion at close contact. As the gap between two particles tends to zero, the shear stress diverges even though the net force and torque exerted on each particle remain zero, independent of the particle relative radius. A frictional force for rough surfaces and small gaps eliminates the slip velocity and promotes the rolling motion.     

Viscosity and separation performance of a gas-solid separation fluidized beds

A theoretical model of viscosity in gas-solid separation fluidized beds is established according to the two-phase flow theory of fluidized beds. After comparing theoretical and measured values, the correlation coefficient between the two is as high as 0.99, showing that the model has good predictability for the viscosity of fluidized beds. Meanwhile, the viscosity and its influencing factors were studied using a Brookfield viscometer. The study shows that smaller medium particles (0.074–0.15?mm) can reduce the viscosity of fluidized beds, but they will aggravate the viscosity fluctuation at more than 5?wt% addition, which is unfavorable to the stability of fluidized beds. In addition, in the actual separation process, the external factors (such as moisture and coal powder content) also affect the viscosity of the fluidized beds. Increasing the moisture increases the viscosity of the fluidized bed, whereas coal dust has the opposite effect. In order to ensure the stability of the fluidized bed, the bed moisture content should be controlled below 1?wt%, while the content of coal powder should be limited below 5?wt%. Based on separation tests, reducing the viscosity will improve the separation performance of a fluidized bed at the proper fluidized gas velocity, with the lowest possible error E_p of 0.085.     

Evaluation of mechanical properties of nanoparticles using a constant-volume shear tester

Nanoparticles have advantageous small-size and surface effects that impart them with unique mechanical properties. To evaluate these properties, a constant-volume shear tester that can precisely measure stresses on the shear plane was used. Six samples, namely, hydrophilic and hydrophobic silica, alumina, and titania nanoparticles, were prepared for the shear tests. For each sample, a single shear test provided the void fraction, stress relaxation ratio, stress transmission ratio, powder yield locus, consolidation yield locus, critical state line, shear cohesion, and flow function. All the tests were conducted under ambient conditions using powder beds, in which the void fractions were in the range of 0.89–0.96. A series of analyses demonstrated that the hydrophilic nanoparticles have lower flowability than the hydrophobic nanoparticles, indicating that moisture on the surface increases the cohesion and inhibits the flow.     

Proposal of an approximation equation for the yield locus to evaluate powder properties

The yield locus (YL) of powder bed can be used to determine many mechanical properties of a powder such as cohesion, unconfined yield stress, stress ratio, etc. Generally, the YL of powder beds is obtained by fitting the results of shear tests to linear approximations based on the Coulomb equation or to curved approximations based on the Warren–Spring equation. Meanwhile, the yielding characteristics of a powder bed are expressed by the Roscoe condition diagram. In this diagram, the YL appears orthogonal to the normal stress axis at both ends corresponding to tensile and compressive strength. However, the YL approximated by the Coulomb or Warren–Spring equations is not orthogonal to the normal stress axis at both ends, and is not the same shape as the YL shown in Roscoe condition diagrams. Thus, the abovementioned mechanical properties obtained from the YL of a powder bed are likely to be affected by the approximate expression for the YL. Despite this, no one has investigated how the mechanical properties of powder beds such as stress ratios are affected by the approximation method for the YL. In this paper, we propose a new approximation equation for the YL that conforms both to the shape of the YL in the Roscoe condition diagrams and experimental results. Then, these YL obtained by our equation, and by the Coulomb and Warren–Spring equations are used to determine the mechanical and flow properties of powder beds. These values are compared with each other in order to discuss the validity of our equation.     

Porosity Distribution in Monodisperse and Polydisperse Fixed Beds and Its Impact on the Fluid Flow

This work is devoted to the numerical study of the porosity distribution and gas flow within randomly packed fixed beds comprising polydisperse spherical particles with Rosin–Rammler particle size distribution in a cylindrical container. The fixed bed is numerically generated using gravity-forced sedimentation modeled utilizing the discrete element method. The radial porosity distribution of monodisperse fixed beds was validated against published experimental data and good agreement was achieved. The diameter ratio of smallest to largest particle was varied from 1:2 to 1:5 and then 1:10. The simulation revealed overall porosities of 0.38 for the monodisperse bed and 0.345 and 0.33 for polydisperse beds with ratios of 1:2 and 1:10, respectively. In the second part, the fluid flow within the generated fixed beds was examined using a numerical solution to the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations in the Brinkman–Forcheimer formulation. An analysis of the results showed that in the case of a monodisperse fixed bed and low Reynolds numbers (Re) the pressure drop predicted numerically is close to the values calculated using Ergun's relation. The increase inRe leads to the deviation between the numerical and analytical predictions. This effect is because of channeling due to the sinusoidal distribution of the void fraction close to the wall.     

Upscaled DEM-CFD model for vibrated fluidized bed based on particle-scale similarities

Simulation based on discrete element method (DEM) coupled with computational fluid dynamics (CFD), coupled DEM-CFD, is a powerful tool for investigating the details of dense particle–fluid interaction problems such as in fluidized beds and pneumatic conveyers. The addition of a mechanical vibration to a system can drastically alter the particle and fluid flows; however, their detailed mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, a DEM-CFD model based on a non-inertial frame of reference is developed to achieve a better understanding of the influence of vibration in a vibrated fluidized bed. Because the high computational cost of DEM-CFD calculations is still a major problem, an upscaled coarse-graining model is also employed. To realize similar behaviors with enlarged model particles, non-dimensional parameters at the particle scale were deduced from the governing equations. The suitability and limitations of the proposed model were examined for a density segregation problem of a binary system. To reduce the computational costs, we show that the ratio between the bed width and model particle size can be reduced to a minimum value of 100; to obtain similar segregation behaviors, the ratio between the bed height and model particle size is considered unchanged.     

3D numerical simulation of the behaviour of a spherical particle suspended in a Newtonian fluid and submitted to a simple shear

The 3D flow around a rigid spherical particle suspended in a Newtonian fluid and submitted to simple shear is numerically studied using Rem3D^® finite element code. The sphere motion is imposed by a sticking contact between the sphere and the fluid. The effect of the particle size as compared with the finite dimension of the shear cell was investigated. The direct calculations show that 3D modelling is necessary to correctly predict the sphere behaviour. The proximity of the particle and the cell walls strongly affects the flow velocities, the sphere motion (increase of the rotation period of the sphere) and the stress field (change of orientation angle and increase of maximal local stresses).     

Fully developed steady flow in a slightly curved annular pipe

Summary A theoretical study of steady flow in a slightly curved annular pipe is presented. The equations of motion are expanded in powers of a non-dimensional radius ration . It is shown that the presence of the axial core affects essentially the axial flow and the wall shear stress. In addition the secondary flow is modified depending on the size of the annular gap.     

单相水流阶段煤层气井裂隙水运移的临界裂隙尺寸数学模型

查明煤层气井排采的单相水流阶段裂隙水运移的裂隙临界尺寸大小,能为煤层气井的压力传播研究提供理论依据。根据煤储层孔裂隙结构特征,构建了煤储层地质概念模型;基于弹塑性力学理论,构建了单相水流阶段煤储层裂隙中水运移的力学平衡方程;结合有效应力原理和损伤理论分析了裂隙周围的应力分配与损伤演化,建立了一种适用于不同储层条件的单相流阶段水运移的煤储层裂隙临界尺寸的数学模型。晋城寺河矿煤储层条件下的计算结果表明：原始状态下煤储层水运移的临界尺寸为0.1μm,所得结果与其他学者实验室测试结果基本相符。同时还得出：随着排采过程中水的产出,水运移的煤储层裂隙的临界尺寸有增大的趋势,但变化幅度较小,仍在0.1μm左右。所建模型能较准确预测不同条件下煤储层单相水流阶段水运移的煤储层裂隙临界尺寸及排采过程中临界尺寸的变化规律。     

A new method for evaluating powder flowability using constant-volume shear tester,

This is an article translated from the original version published in the Journal of the Society of Powder Technology, Japan. A new method for evaluating powder flowability is developed using a constant-volume shear tester; this tester measures the upper and lower normal stresses and the shear stress acting on a powder bed. A single shear test provides a series of characteristics, such as the powder yield locus (PYL), consolidation yield locus (CYL), critical state line (CSL), shear cohesion, stress relaxation ratio, stress transmission ratio, and void fraction. The values of shear stress as a function of the normal stress and void fraction are visualized in three-dimensional diagrams. Furthermore, powder flowability is evaluated using a flow function obtained from the PYL.     

Dynamic forces on an immersed cylindrical tube and analysis of particle interaction in 2D-gas fluidized beds

The interactions of bubbles and particles with fixed cylindrical tubes in two-dimensional fluidized beds were investigated by experiments and by simulations, based on results for single bubbles impinging on a tube. The experimental results based on PIV analysis support our previous force origin model and indicate that the model is able to successfully model bubble behavior and particle motion around fixed objects. The simulation results give useful predictions, dynamic force induced on a tube consists of the force from pressure gradient, fluid viscous force and particle contact force. The predominant force component is from the pressure gradient. As bubbles directly interact with a tube, the particle contact force contribution briefly becomes predominant.Bubble behavior and particle motion are greatly affected by the state of the emulsion phase as the medium of the fluidized bed into which gas is injected. Hence the dynamic forces on immersed objects are directly affected by the state of the emulsion phase.     

Numerical simulation of gas-solid flow in a novel spouted bed: Influence of row number of longitudinal vortex generators

The flow characteristics in a novel cylindrical spouted bed with spherical longitudinal vortex generators is numerically investigated by two-fluid model (TFM) with kinetic theory for granular flow, the longitudinal vortex technology is adopted in the spouted bed so as to strengthen the particles radial mixing between spout and annulus zones, the row number effect (1–3 rows) of longitudinal vortex generators (LVGs) on gas–solid flow behavior in three dimensional spouted beds was numerically simulated. The CFD results show that, longitudinal vortices can effectively increase particle volume fraction near annulus zone in the spouted bed, the maximum increase of particle volume fraction near annulus region is 183％, and the pressure drop in spouted beds increases with increasing of LVGs’ row number. There exists an optimal row number (equal 2) of LVGs, at witch the radial velocity of particle phase reaches maximum in the limited spouted bed space, the value of turbulent kinetic energy of gas phase in spouted bed can be significantly promoted by longitudinal vortex, espeically in the spout zone and near the annulus region. Also, the enhancement effect of multi-row LVGs on turbulent kinetic energy of gas phase decreases when the cross section height of spouted beds increases.