Application of the MP-PIC method for predicting pneumatic conveying characteristics of dilute phase flows

摘要

This study investigated the applicability of the multiphase particle-in-cell (MP-PIC) method for predicting pneumatic conveying characteristics. Three-dimensional computational particle fluid dynamics (CPFD) simulations were performed to assess the dilute-phase pneumatic conveying of plastic pellets in a horizontal circular pipe. The pellets were 80-500 pm in diameter and 1000 kgm(-3) in density. The air velocities ranged from 6 to 15 ms(-1), and the solids-to-air mass flow ratios (solids loading ratios) ranged from 1 to 3. The predicted pressure drops and solids and air velocity profiles were compared with experimental data from the existing literature. A parametric study was carried out to investigate the effects of model collision parameters on pneumatic conveying characteristics. Moreover, the importance of including new collision terms developed by other researchers in the MP-PIC method for the prediction of dilute phase flows was emphasized. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.