Hour glass: particle tracking with particleinteractions
Problem description
Particles flow through a narrow constriction and fall to a floor where they bounce and settle.
Physics and modelling
The consists of particles that flow under gravity. The framework for the model is Lagrangian, particle movements being tracked during the
simulation. Interactions between particles or the domain boundary are modelled using specialised particle physics.
The modelling uses the basic Lagrangian phase utilities, that deal with the generic concept of a set of Lagrangian particles tracked and interacting with a mesh,
as well as the facilities of defining fields of arbitrary properties on the given set of particles. This forms the basis of all Lagrangian models, from the very purest
particle interaction modelling here to spray models that include a range of other complex thermofluid analysis.
OpenFOAM solver
Customised solvers.
Animations
The animation shows the particles fall through the constriction and settle on the hour glass base. The particle interaction physics determines the pattern
of settled particles on the base. Note that the animation is part of the longer, larger animation that can be downloaded.
Author
This work was performed by Dr. Niklas Nordin, Chalmers University. Animation of the hour glass simulation reproduced with kind permission of Niklas
Nordin.
