Monte-Carlo simulation of colliding particles or coalescing droplets transported by a turbulent flow in the framework of a joint fluid-particle pdf approach

The aim of the paper is to introduce and validate a Monte-Carlo algorithm for the prediction of an ensemble of colliding solid particles, or coalescing liquid droplets, suspended in a turbulent gas flow predicted by Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes approach (RANS). The new algorithm is based on the direct discretization of the collision/coalescence kernel derived in the framework of a joint fluid-particle pdf approach proposed by Simonin et al. (2002). This approach allows to take into account correlations between colliding inertial particle velocities induced by their interaction with the fluid turbulence. Validation is performed by comparing the Monte-Carlo predictions with deterministic simulations of discrete solid particles coupled with Direct Numerical Simulation (DPS/DNS), or Large Eddy Simulation (DPS/LES), where the collision/coalescence effects are treated in a deterministic way. Five cases are investigated: elastic monodisperse particles, non-elastic monodisperse particles, binary mixture of elastic particles and binary mixture of elastic settling particles in turbulent flow and finally coalescing droplets. The predictions using the new Monte-Carlo algorithm are in much better agreement with DPS/DNS results than the ones using the standard algorithm. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.