Numerical simulation of sedimentation of microparticles using the discrete particle method--颗粒学报PARTICUOLOGY

Yang, C.-Y., Ding, Y., York, D., & Broeckx, W. (2008). Numerical simulation of sedimentation of microparticles using the discrete particle method. Selected papers from 1st UK-China Particle Technology Forum, 6(1), 38–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpart.2007.10.006

Numerical simulation of sedimentation of microparticles using the discrete particle method

Chane-Yuan Yang ^a *, Yulong Ding ^a, Dave York ^b, Walter Broeckx ^b

a Institute of Particle Science and Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
b Procter and Gamble Newcastle Technical Centre, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE12 9TS, UK

10.1016/j.cpart.2007.10.006

Volume 6, Issue 1, February 2008, Pages 38-49

Received 14 August 2007, Accepted 9 October 2007, Available online 7 March 2008.

E-mail: checy@leeds.ac.uk

Highlights

Abstract

A mathematical model has been formulated based on the combined continuous and discrete particle method for investigating the sedimentation behaviour of microparticles in aqueous suspensions, by treating the fluid phase as continuous and the particles phase as discrete, thus allowing the behaviour of individual particles to be followed and the evolution of the structure of the particle phase to be investigated as a function of time. The model takes into account most of the prevailing forces acting on individual particles including van der Waals attractive, electrostatic repulsive, gravitational, Brownian, depletion, steric, contact and drag forces. A code has also been developed based on the model. This paper reports some preliminary modelling results of mono-dispersed microparticles settling in aqueous suspensions under various conditions. The results show the short time dynamics of the fluid phase, which has a similar order of magnitude to the particle phase. Such short time dynamics could bear significance to processes such as particle aggregation when their size becomes very small. Preliminary analyses of the results have also been carried out on the evolution of particle settling based on a newly proposed parameter, local normalised volume fraction (LNVF).

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Numerical modelling; Combined continuous and discrete particle method; Sedimentation; Local normalised volume fraction; Interparticle interactions

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