An index to characterize gas-solid and solid-solid mixing from average volume fraction fields

Abstract

A mixing index based on solid volume fraction fields is developed for gas-solid flows. Conventional mixing indices are based on particle realizations of granular mixing and are applicable to experimental data or discrete element method simulations. However, these indices cannot be used as-is for multifluid models, and an index for characterizing mixing in gas-solid flows from continuous fields is needed. The performance of the new mixing index is tested in two applications. The first is a 3D simulation of the mixing of biomass and sand in a fluidized bed reactor, and the second is a 2D simulation of binary particle segregation in a fluidized bed. The simulations are performed using OpenFOAM®. The mixing index is used to quantify gas-solid mixing using solid volume fractions and solid-solid mixing using solid fractions. The formulation of conventional mixing indices is extended to be used with solid volume fractions fields, and methods for performance improvement are presented.