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Drag coefficient on particle agglomerates: a CFD study with experimental validation

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Abstract

The formation of irregularly shaped particle agglomerates is a recurring phenomenon observed in equipment with particle-laden flows, which directly interferes in the flow profile, due to drag effects. To observe the capability of computational fluid dynamics to predict the drag coefficient in particle agglomerates, laboratory experiments were performed, aiming the validation of simulations. Experimental assays were performed to obtain both the fluids’ properties and the terminal velocities of the particle agglomerates. To evaluate the drag coefficient, simulations were carried out at steady state for the experimental conditions and the results were compared. Simulations presented good agreement with the experimental assays, with most of deviations lower than ±10%. Simulations of the agglomerates of four and five particles falling in water presented higher deviations, \(-\)12.73% and \(-\)19.92%, respectively. Higher deviations are expected in these agglomerates due to the difficulties to represent the wake region in the rear of the agglomerates, observed in flows with Reynolds number greater than 1000.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank also the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) for the financial support of this work.

Funding

This study was financed in part by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)—Finance Code 001. The authors would like to thank also the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq, grant number 140412/2020-4) for the financial support of this work

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program in Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Washington Luis Highway, km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565–905, Brazil

    Ricardo Arbach F. de Oliveira & Gabriela Cantarelli Lopes

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Washington Luis Highway, km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565–905, Brazil

    Gabriela Cantarelli Lopes

Authors
  1. Ricardo Arbach F. de Oliveira
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  2. Gabriela Cantarelli Lopes
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Correspondence to Ricardo Arbach F. de Oliveira.

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de Oliveira, R.A.F., Lopes, G.C. Drag coefficient on particle agglomerates: a CFD study with experimental validation. J Braz. Soc. Mech. Sci. Eng. 45, 473 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40430-023-04366-9

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