A study was performed to investigate the interesting observation that when using an Eulerian–Eulerian model to simulate a bubble column flow in two dimensions, accuracy did not always increase with increasing grid resolution. A correlation was found between the characteristic bubble diameter numerically specified and grid size, which identified a threshold where results lose physical meaning. An ideal relationship between grid size and bubble diameter was determined to optimize grid resolution and retain accuracy. The two-dimensional (2D) Eulerian model was validated using the experimental data of Rampure et al. (2003, “Modelling of Gas-Liquid/Gas-Liquid-Solid Flows in Bubble Columns: Experiments and CFD Simulations,” Can. J. Chem. Eng., 81(3–4), pp. 692–706). Further studies demonstrated that grid resolution could be increased to improve the numerical accuracy for three-dimensional (3D) simulations of the bubble column. The novel contributions of this study will show that the ratio of bubble diameter-to-grid cell size should equal for the 2D simulations.
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November 2016
Technical Briefs
On the Ideal Grid Resolution for Two-Dimensional Eulerian Modeling of Gas–Liquid Flows
Robert Picardi,
Robert Picardi
Department of Mechanical Engineering (MC 0238),
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
Goodwin Hall, Room 210,
635 Prices Fork Road (0238),
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
Goodwin Hall, Room 210,
635 Prices Fork Road (0238),
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Search for other works by this author on:
Lei Zhao,
Lei Zhao
Department of Mechanical Engineering (MC 0238),
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
Goodwin Hall, Room 210,
635 Prices Fork Road (0238),
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
Goodwin Hall, Room 210,
635 Prices Fork Road (0238),
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Search for other works by this author on:
Francine Battaglia
Francine Battaglia
Fellow ASME
Department of Mechanical Engineering (MC 0238),
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
Goodwin Hall, Room 227,
635 Prices Fork Road (0238),
Blacksburg, VA 24061
e-mail: fbattaglia@vt.edu
Department of Mechanical Engineering (MC 0238),
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
Goodwin Hall, Room 227,
635 Prices Fork Road (0238),
Blacksburg, VA 24061
e-mail: fbattaglia@vt.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Robert Picardi
Department of Mechanical Engineering (MC 0238),
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
Goodwin Hall, Room 210,
635 Prices Fork Road (0238),
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
Goodwin Hall, Room 210,
635 Prices Fork Road (0238),
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Lei Zhao
Department of Mechanical Engineering (MC 0238),
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
Goodwin Hall, Room 210,
635 Prices Fork Road (0238),
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
Goodwin Hall, Room 210,
635 Prices Fork Road (0238),
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Francine Battaglia
Fellow ASME
Department of Mechanical Engineering (MC 0238),
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
Goodwin Hall, Room 227,
635 Prices Fork Road (0238),
Blacksburg, VA 24061
e-mail: fbattaglia@vt.edu
Department of Mechanical Engineering (MC 0238),
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
Goodwin Hall, Room 227,
635 Prices Fork Road (0238),
Blacksburg, VA 24061
e-mail: fbattaglia@vt.edu
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Fluids Engineering Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF FLUIDS ENGINEERING. Manuscript received January 10, 2016; final manuscript received April 19, 2016; published online July 15, 2016. Assoc. Editor: Samuel Paolucci.
J. Fluids Eng. Nov 2016, 138(11): 114503 (6 pages)
Published Online: July 15, 2016
Article history
Received:
January 10, 2016
Revised:
April 19, 2016
Citation
Picardi, R., Zhao, L., and Battaglia, F. (July 15, 2016). "On the Ideal Grid Resolution for Two-Dimensional Eulerian Modeling of Gas–Liquid Flows." ASME. J. Fluids Eng. November 2016; 138(11): 114503. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4033561
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