Invited plenary speaker: Srdjan Sasic, a Professor of Multiphase Flow and Fluid Dynamics at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

Continuum Simulations of Dense Granular Flows

We address in this lecture a number of possible formulations of a continuum description for modelling dense inelastic granular flows. Continuum models, along with their ability to reproduce correct dynamics of such flows, have been a subject of debate for a long time in the literature and no consensus has been achieved so far. Here, we examine and compare a number of ways for making it possible to study dense granular flows in a continuum framework: the kinetic theory of granular flow approach that considers the stress tensor of a particulate phase as a sum of frictional and kinetic-collisional terms, the approach based on the revised Enskog theory, the framework that benefits from modification of transport coefficients of the kinetic theory of granular flow and, finally, the approach that takes granular media as a visco-plastic fluid (the μ-rheology approach). For all the approaches we look at their ability to predict possible coexistence of different regimes of granular flow (from solid-like, through an intermediate, liquid-like to a gaseous regime) in a domain of interest. In addition, we look at how different models behave at the phase transition from a liquid to a crystalline state. Finally, we discuss numerical implementations of the described approaches.

About the author:

Srdjan Sasic is professor of multiphase flow and fluid dynamics at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. His research interests comprise modelling and simulations of a wide array of flow problems involving solid particles, bubbles and droplets. The applications of interest can be found in different types of industries: energy converters, water-cleaning technologies, pharmaceutical industry, chemical reactors, nuclear reactors etc. Srdjan Sasic leads projects related both to fundamental research and to applied research and development in direct cooperation with national and international industries. He is also one of the coordinators of the Swedish Industrial Association of Multiphase Flows.

Professor Sasic website can be found under this link