Inertial particle velocity and distribution in vertical turbulent channel flow: A numerical and experimental comparison. (November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Guiquan; Fong, Kee Onn; Coletti, Filippo; Capecelatro, Jesse; Richter, David H.
• Is Part Of: International journal of multiphase flow. Volume 120(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-11
• Subjects: Inertial particles -- Wall turbulence -- Simulations -- Experiment; Multiphase flow -- Periodicals; Écoulement polyphasique -- Périodiques; Multiphase flow; Periodicals; 620.1064
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmultiphaseflow.2019.103105
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0301-9322

Abstract

Highlights: The point-force and volume-filtering method agrees well with each other. Particle clustering is strengthened with use of four-way coupling with high mass loading. The influence of turbophoresis in the simulations is stronger than in the experiments. The simulated RDFs are more correlated than the experimental RDFs. Discrepancies are increased at high mass loading. Abstract: This study is concerned with the statistics of vertical turbulent channel flow laden with inertial particles for two different volume concentrations ( Φ V = 3 × 10 − 6 and Φ V = 5 × 10 − 5 ) at a Stokes number of S t + = 58.6 based on viscous units. Two independent direct numerical simulation models utilizing the point-particle approach are compared to recent experimental measurements, where all relevant nondimensional parameters are directly matched. While both numerical models are built on the same general approach, details of the implementations are different, particularly regarding how two-way coupling is represented. At low volume loading, both numerical models are in general agreement with the experimental measurements, with certain exceptions near the walls for the wall-normal particle velocity fluctuations. At high loading, these discrepancies are increased, and it is found that particle clustering is overpredicted in the simulations as compared to the experimental observations. Potential reasons for the discrepancies are discussed. As this study is among the first to perform one-to-one comparisons of particle-laden flow statistics between numerical models and experiments, it suggests that continued efforts are required to reconcile differences between the observed behavior and numerical predictions.