DEM-CFD modelling of electrostatic phenomena in fluidization

Abstract

Electrostatic phenomena, including contact electrification and electrostatic interactions, can influence the dynamic behaviors of particles in fluidization. In this paper, a discrete element method coupled with computational fluid dynamics is advanced with implementation of contact electrification and electrostatic interaction models to investigate electrostatic phenomena and dynamic behaviors of particles in fluidization. Two fluidization cases are investigated: (i) only contact electrification is considered and (ii) both contact electrification and electrostatic interactions are considered. In both cases, particles with different work functions are bi-charged. Agglomerates of bi-charged particles are formed when electrostatic interactions are considered. When the gas velocity is large enough to break the agglomerate, the accumulation of charge is faster than the case that electrostatic interactions are negligible. However, a smaller gas velocity leads to a higher coordination number but slower increase of the charge.