Investigating the jamming of particles in a three-dimensional fluid-driven flow via coupled CFD–DEM simulations

Abstract

The clogging of a dense stream of particles when passing through an orifice occurs ubiquitously in both natural and industrial fields. Since most of the jamming phenomena lead to the negative effects, studying and preventing jamming is of great importance. There are two typical types of jamming due to different types of driving force: (a) gravity-driven jamming and (b) fluid-driven jamming. Among these two types of jamming, the fluid-driven jamming occurs in fluid-driven particle flows, and the initial solid concentration, the fluid velocity, and the orifice-particle size ratio has been demonstrated to have effects on the occurrence of this jamming. Although the individual influence of the initial solid concentration and orifice-particle size ratio on jamming has been studied, the coupled effects of these two factors on jamming are little known. In addition, the complex effects of the fluid velocity on jamming have not been fully discussed. To address these problems, this work performs a three-dimensional simulation of the fluid-driven jamming using the coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics-Discrete Element Method (CFD-DEM) model. At first, the jamming probability under different initial conditions is studied. The jamming probability is displayed on the solid concentration-orifice size ratio plane to illustrate the coupled effects of these two factors on jamming. The simulation results show that the critical solid concentration, at which the jamming probability increases to 1, increases with the orifice-particle size ratio. This is because an orifice with a larger orifice size ratio has a greater particle discharge capacity, which allows more particles to pass through without jamming. Then, we reveal the influence of fluid velocity over a wide range on the fluid-driven jamming type, jamming probability and shape of the jamming dome. To the author's knowledge, this is the first time that the shape of the jamming dome has * Corresponding author. Tel: +86 130 6571 0028. Liuhe Road, Xihu District, College of Civil Engineering and Architecture,

Hydrodynamic and electrostatic jamming of microparticles in narrow channels

“…This approach was subsequently adopted in computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method (CFD-DEM) simulations of a particle monolayer at a channel step-constriction [5]. Methodologically similar CFD-DEM approaches have been adopted in a 3D flow from a square channel to a circular orifice [6], as well as that of a particle monolayer in a tapered channel [7]. Limited other research [8], however, has gone into fitting jamming probabilities with functions.…”

Numerical simulation of particulate suspension transport and permeability impairment in an actual rough fracture under normal stresses

“…Considerable research based on numerical simulation methods has been conducted. The numerical simulations can be divided into several types, such as the particle quasi‐fluid method, CFD‐DEM method (including LBM‐DEM, LES‐DEM, and DNS‐IB), particle tracking method, and Brownian dynamics simulation . The existing studies demonstrated that the numerical simulation is an effective means to study the particulate suspensions transport and permeability damage to the porous media.…”

“…The existing studies demonstrated that the numerical simulation is an effective means to study the particulate suspensions transport and permeability damage to the porous media. The particle size‐exclusion mechanism in a smooth fracture with a constrict has been extensively studied, and the general conclusion of these studies is that mechanical bridging is more prone to occur when the particle size is larger than one‐third of the fracture width . The phenomena of particle penetration and mud cake formation in packed beds have been studied widely .…”

“…The numerical simulations can be divided into several types, such as the particle quasi-fluid method, CFD-DEM method (including LBM-DEM, LES-DEM, and DNS-IB), particle tracking method, and Brownian dynamics simulation. [12][13][14][15][16][17][18] The existing studies demonstrated that the numerical simulation is an effective means to study the particulate suspensions transport and permeability damage to the porous media. The particle size-exclusion mechanism in a smooth fracture with a constrict has been extensively studied, and the general conclusion of these studies is that mechanical bridging is more prone to occur when the particle size is larger than one-third of the fracture width.…”

“…The particle size-exclusion mechanism in a smooth fracture with a constrict has been extensively studied, and the general conclusion of these studies is that mechanical bridging is more prone to occur when the particle size is larger than one-third of the fracture width. [14][15][16]19 The phenomena of particle penetration and mud cake formation in packed beds have been studied widely. [20][21][22] However, the packed bed cannot mimic the real porous media.…”