Chemical Engineering Science, Vol.122, 173-181, 2015
Agglomeration of solid particles by liquid bridge flocculants: Pragmatic modelling
The present paper proposes a model for agglomeration of solid particles covered with a liquid flocculant. Rather then being derived by time-consuming numerical simulations of collision dynamics as the particles are in contact, the model is based on analytic relations: thus the computational cost is significantly reduced. The model was implemented into a computer code simulating a set of particles using the Eulerian-Lagrangian approach, that is, it forms an attractive alternative to Distinct Element Modelling (DEM). Moreover numerical simulations in a shear-flow system were done and the results were compared with a theoretical model. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords:Agglomeration;Multiphase flow;Liquid bridge;Hard-sphere model;Population balance modelling;DEM