An improved CFD simulation for investigation of the sand particles flow behavior in the sand shooting process

The flow behavior of sand particles has been examined by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and experimental validations in sand shooting process. To avoid over-estimating the drag force between gas and solid phases, the energy minimization multiscale model(EMMS)has been incorporated. An applicable value of grid size is determined by grid dependency study. Three specularity coefficients are simulated to get an insight into the influence on the flow hydrodynamics of sand particles. The specularity coefficient affects tangential velocity and volume distribution of sand particles. No slip wall boundary condition is in better agreement with experimental data. With validation of sand shooting experiment, agreement is achieved between experiment images and simulation results. A comparison between EMMS drag model and Gidaspow model has been discussed in terms of simulating particles flow behavior with different particle diameters. The EMMS drag model has an accuracy prediction especially for smaller particles and dense flow.