Liquid Fluidized Beds of Granular Particles

Abstract

We suggest a simple model for the dynamics of granular particles in suspension which is suitable for an event driven algorithm, allowing to simulate N = O(106) particles or more. As a first application we consider a dense granular packing which is fluidized by an upward stream of liquid, i.e. a fluidized bed. In the stationary state, when all forces balance, we always observe a well defined interface whose width is approximately independent of packing fraction. We also study the dynamics of expansion and sedimentation after fast and slow changes in flow rate and determine the timescales to reach a stationary state.