Multi-scale modeling of flow resistance in granular porous media

Wojciech Sobieski and Qiang Zhang

Mathematics and Computers in Simulation (MATCOM), 2017, vol. 132, issue C, 159-171

Abstract: A new methodology for modeling fluid flow through porous beds consisting of spherical or quasi-spherical particles is proposed. The proposed approach integrates the Discrete Element Method (DEM) with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques. A porous bed was first modeled using the DEM to quantify its pore structure, including the number, coordinates and diameters of all spheres in the bed. Then, a numerical algorithm (PathFinder) is developed to use the DEM simulation results to calculate the micro-scale properties of the porous bed, including porosity, tortuosity and other geometrical parameters. Finally, the determined property parameters are used in a CFD model to simulate fluid flow through porous beds. It was shown that the Discrete Element Method was capable of simulating the spatial structure of granular porous media, providing geometrical parameters that are required by commonly used models for predicting flow through porous media.

Keywords: PathFinder code; Porous beds; Spatial structure; Discrete Element Method; Computational Fluid Dynamics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:matcom:v:132:y:2017:i:c:p:159-171

DOI: 10.1016/j.matcom.2016.02.008

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