Numerical study and experimental validation of particle strand formation

Pneumatic conveying of spherical glass particles through a rectangular channel is studied by means of numerical simulation and compared with optical measurements. Thereby, a double-looping is placed in front of the straight channel in order to generate a particle strand at the bottom of the channel. Finally the profiles of particle velocity and volume concentration are measured by Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). The corresponding numerical simulations are carried out with the Discrete Phase Model using the Fluent software package. Also some additional sub-models have been introduced in order to describe particle-wall collisions, particle-particle collisions and the influence of particle rotation.