Modelling of gas–solid turbulent channel flow with non-spherical particles with large Stokes numbers

This paper describes a complete framework to predict the behaviour of interacting non-spherical particles with large Stokes numbers in a turbulent flow. A summary of the rigid body dynamics of particles and particle collisions is presented in the framework of Quaternions. A particle-rough wall interaction model to describe the collisions between non-spherical particles and a rough wall is put forward as well. The framework is coupled with a DNS-LES approach to simulate the behaviour of horizontal turbulent channel flow with 5 differently shaped particles: a sphere, two types of ellipsoids, a disc, and a fibre. The drag and lift forces and the torque on the particles are computed from correlations which are derived using true DNS.The simulation results show that non-spherical particles tend to locally maximise the drag force, by aligning their longest axis perpendicular to the local flow direction. This phenomenon is further explained by performing resolved direct numerical simulations of an ellipsoid in a flow. These simulations show that the high pressure region on the acute sides of a non-spherical particle result in a torque if an axis of the non-spherical particle is not aligned with the flow. This torque is only zero if the axis of the particle is perpendicular to the local direction of the flow. Moreover, the particle is most stable when the longest axis is aligned perpendicular to the flow.The alignment of the longest axis of a non-spherical particle perpendicular to the local flow leads to non-spherical particles having a larger average velocity compared to spherical particles with the same equivalent diameter. It is also shown that disc-shaped particles flow in a more steady trajectory compared to elongated particles, such as elongated ellipsoids and fibres. This is related to the magnitude of the pressure gradient on the acute side of the non-spherical particles. Finally, it is shown that the effect of wall roughness affects non-spherical particles differently than spherical particles. Particularly, a collision of a non-spherical particle with a rough wall induces a significant amount of rotational energy, whereas a corresponding collision with a spherical particle results in mostly a change in translational motion.