EnSight: A Powerful Tool for

Visualizing Fluid Flow Coupled with

Particle Simulation

Nicolas Spogis, Ph.D.Business Coordinator

E-mail: nicolas@esss.com.br

Daniel Schiochet NasatoBusiness Analist

E-mail: nasato@esss.com.br

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Acknowledgements

Simulation of Grain Cleaning System Using

Coupled CFD, DEM and FEA Methods

Alberto Hö her Junior

Product Engineering - Combines

AGCO do Brasil

Simulation of an Aggregate Dryer Using

Coupled CFD and DEM Methods

Andrew Hobbs

Research Engineer

Astec, Inc.

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Agenda

• ESSS – The company

• Multi-physics

– Coupled Physics

• Simulation of an Aggregate Dryer Using

Coupled CFD and DEM Methods

• Simulation of Grain Cleaning System Using

Coupled CFD, DEM and FEA Methods

• Concluding Remarks

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~ 500 Customers

Auto

Aerospace

Appliances Oil & Gas

Metals

Turbomachinery

EMBRACO

WHIRLPOOL

ELECTROLUX

CARRIER

WEG

TECUMSEH

ARNO

EMBRAER

CTA

INPE

CONIDA

EQUATORIAL

ALSTOM

EDELCA

IMPSA

KSB

VOITH

EAFIT

THEBE

MAGNESITA

CSN

ARCELORMITTAL

VALE

CODELCO

GERDAU

PETROBRAS

MAERSK LINE

SAUDI ARAMCO

PDVSA

CHEVRON

STATION

EXXONMOBIL

ALSTOM

DAIMLER

SIEMENS

FORD

VDO

LUK

MAHLE

“Developing scientific

software and providing

leading-edge technology

for engineering problems,

ESSS brings to the market

know-how in numerical

methods and computer

science available only in

advanced research

centers.”

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Computer Aided

Engineering

SoftwareDevelopment

Divisions

Sales

Support

Training

Consulting

Custom Software Development

Software Customization

Team

Offices

~100 Members

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Multi-Physics

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Multi-physics

• As companies start producing

more innovative and higher

quality products, the simulation

of individual physics is no longer

adequate for the design of many

products.

• Multi-physics simulation allows

engineers and designers to

evaluate their designs operating

under real-world conditions.

DEM

Structural

Fluids

Thermal

EmagPlantD(s)y(t)u(t)+

-

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Why do Coupled Simulations?

• Most industrial processes involve more than one

type of physics

• In many problems, the surrounding fluid effects the

particulate phase or the structure and vice versa

• Often, continuum methods alone cannot capture

bulk particle behavior, fluid/particle interaction or

the particle/particle interaction

• A multi-physics approach is needed:DEM (particle phase) + CFD (fluid phase) + FEA (Structure)

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Multi-Physics Post-Processor - EnSight

• EnSight allows engineers anddesigners to post-process theinteraction between:– Structural mechanics (FEA)

– Heat transfer (FEA, CFD)

– Fluid flow (CFD)

– Acoustics (FEM)

– Particles (DEM)

– Electromagnetics (FEM)

– Import CAD Geometries

• All within a single interface!

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CFD-DEM Coupling

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Characteristics of particle-fluid systems

• Dilute– Cyclone separation

– Agitation: fluidized and spouted beds

– Entrainment: erosion, cleaning

• Dilute dense– Filtration, sedimentation

• Dense– Dense phase conveying

– Slurry transport

– Mixing

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EDEM / FLUENT Coupling

• EDEM can be coupled with ANSYS-FLUENT for

simulation of multi-phase flows at the particle-

scale.

• The coupling enhances ANSYS-FLUENT

multiphase models by including particle

characteristics (size distribution, shape,

mechanical properties, surface forces, etc.) which

strongly influence both particle and fluid dynamics

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FLUENT

iterated to

convergence

Drag forces on

DEM particles

calculated

DEM iteration

performed

Particle

parameters

updated

Momentum

sinks / sources

added to the

CFD mesh cells

Fluid velocity vector

EDEM / FLUENT Coupling Method

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Fluid Mass

Conservation

Momentum

Conservation

Particle Reynolds Number

0

FFFFF v

t

vLcell

Re

44.0

Re/)Re25.00.1(24

Re/24

687.0

Dc

1000Re

1000Re5.0

5.0Re

vvAcF Dd 5.0Free Stream

Drag Force

V

F

gpvvvt

n

i

D

FFFFFFFFFFF

Eulerian CFD-DEM Coupling Theory

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Heat Transfer

Ranz & Marshall

Mass fraction calculated using sample points

PFPPFPF TAhQ P

PFPF

d

NuKh

3/12/1 PrRe6.02 PNu

8.15

3/18.02/1

3/12/1

Re5.42

PrRe02.0Re5.02

PrRe6.02

P

n

F

P

n

FP

n

F

P

n

F

e

Nu

1500Re

1500Re200

200Re

P

P

P

Li & Mason

particles

pcp

pN

Vntm

Eulerian CFD-DEM Coupling Theory

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DEM-FEA Coupling

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Multi-Physics

• The ANSYS Multi-field solver provides the ability to solve coupled-field

problems such as the following:

– MEMS Actuation (electrostatic/structural without fluid coupling)

– Electric Machines (magneto/thermal/structural coupling)

– Joule Heating (thermal/electric/structural coupling)

– Induction Heating (harmonic electromagnetic/thermal coupling)

– Induction Stirring (harmonic electromagnetic/thermal/fluid coupling)

– RF Heating (high-frequency electromagnetic/thermal/structural coupling)

– Thermal/Stress Analysis (thermal/structural coupling)

– Fluid Solid Interaction Analysis (fluid/structural coupling)

ESSS and DEM Solutions are implementing

EDEM / ANSYS Coupling

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EDEM / ANSYS Coupling

• EDEM simulates the

geometry movement and

calculate loads on the

structure due to particle

interaction

• ANSYS calculates the

stresses using loadsets

provided by EDEM.

• Objective

– Prediction of structural

response for different

geometries and materials.

EDEM Model

Solve ANSYS

Model

Interpolate loads on

ANSYS mesh

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DEM-FEA Coupling Procedures

• 1-Way DEM-FEA

– Coupling - Steady State

– Get one time-step EDEM

result and interpolate loads

on ANSYS Mesh

EDEM

EDEM

ANSYS

ANSYS

• 1-Way DEM-FEA

– Coupling - Transient

– Transient EDEM loads

interpolated on ANSYS Mesh –

Load Steps

• 2-Way DEM-FEA

– Coupling - Transient

dev

elo

ped

Un

der

dev

elo

pm

ent

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Bucket Search Method

• The bucket search method is designed to alleviate the inefficiency problem that the global method has when the number of nodes increases.

• Interpolation Methods:– Conservative interpolation

– Profile preserving interpolation

• Computational Nonlinear Mechanics in Aerospace Engineering,

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, edited by S. Atluri,

ISBN 1563470446, Chapter 5, Fast Projection Algorithm for Unstructured

Meshes by K. Jansen, F. Shakib, and T. Hughes, 1992.

Area-weighted Interpolation

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EDEM-ANSYS 1-Way Coupling

Setup ANSYS Model Run EDEM Model

Export EDEM

LoadsCreate Named

Surface

Solve and Evaluate

ANSYS ResultsInterpolate Loads

With APDL

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Simulation of an Aggregate Dryer

Using Coupled CFD and DEM Methods

Andrew HobbsResearch Engineer

Astec, Inc.

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Astec Industries, Inc.

• 2007 Revenues $869 million

• Asphalt Group $240 million

Astec, Inc. (Asphalt Group)

based in Chattanooga,

Tennessee

America’s leading manufacturer of

equipment for aggregate processing,

asphalt road building and pipeline

and utility trenching

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• Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) is made of various sizes of rock aggregates mixed

with liquid asphalt cement (AC) binder

• For the binder to adhere properly the aggregate must be completely dry

• 5% aggregate moisture is common for most locations

• Plant output of 350 Tons per hour = 35,000 lbs/hr H2O

• Approximately half total heat input goes towards the evaporation of H2O

Drying efficiency is a key aspect

of the HMA production process

Drying Rock in a HMA Drum Mixer

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Wet material in

Dry material out

Burner

Drying Rock in a HMA Drum Mixer

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• Hex/tet hybrid mesh

1.7 million cells

• Eulerian multiphase

• Realizable k-ε

• Eddy Dissipation

with 2 step CH4

reaction

• Premixed fuel/air

velocity inlet

• Adiabatic wall

conditions

Fluent 6.3

FLUENT Parameters

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• Geometry creation

• FLUENT grid without interior features

• Converge steady, multiphase FLUENT case with reacting

natural gas flame

• Change to FLUENT case to unsteady

• Setup EDEM, rotating drum with interior features

• Couple to EDEM as E-E with heat transfer between phases

• Run….

Coupled Simulation Methodology

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Simulation Results

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Simulation Results

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Simulation Results

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Simulation Results

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Simulation of Grain Cleaning System using

Coupled CFD, DEM and FEA Methods

Alberto Höher JuniorProduct Engineering - Combines

AGCO do Brasil

www.esss.com.br

Agricultural Innovations

• Massey Ferguson is part of AGCO Corporation. As an individual brand,

it is one of the biggest names in farm equipment throughout the world

with a 150 year history and heritage that confirms its leading role in

global agriculture.

• MF is truly international in its breadth of experience and sells its

products in more than 140 countries through a network of over 5000

dealers.

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• Objective:– Simulate Straw material and Soybean

separation on a Cleaning System

• Straw Material modeled as

14 spheres of 3mm radius

• Soy grain – 3mm radius

Grain Cleaning System Simulation

Initial Studies

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Cleaning System

• An 11 inch or 13 inch diameter fan assures high volume, low pressure air flow for increased cleaning capacity and exceptional grain quality.

• EDEM + FLUENT+ ANSYS Analysis – Evaluate particles trajectory.

– Ensure good particles separation.

• Identify the ideal air velocity:– To carryon raw material

– Keep the grains on the screens

• EDEM / ANSYS Analysis – Evaluate possible grain waste

and wear.

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Cleaning System Details

Particles

Inlet

Outlet

(storage)Grain transport

Grain / raw material

separation

Air blower

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Vibrating Screens Details

Displacement: y = 18.7mm z= 58.4mm

frequency 5.67Hz

Air Blower Top Screen

Air Blower Bottom Screen

Feed distributor

displacement: y = 17.9mm z= 81.4mm

frequency 5.67Hz

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Air Blow System Details

Air: 6m/s

Particle Inlet from

Feed distributor

Air: 10m/s

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Simulation Results

Particles Inlet

Outlet to Storage

Screw Auger

Separated Soybeans

Screw Auger

Particles Recirculation

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Simulation Results

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Thank You!

– Andrew Hobbs - Astec, Inc.

– Höher Junior - AGCO do Brasil

– All CEI staff, especially Darin McKinnis and Amanda Baley

– Sriram Ramanathan - DEM Solutions

– Fabiano Nunes Diesel - ESSS Brazil