Over the last 25 years a lot of work has been undertaken on constructing continuum models for segregation of particles of different sizes. We focus on one model that is designed to predict segregation and remixing of two differently sized particle species. This model contains two dimensionless parameters, which in general depend on both the flow and particle properties. One of the weaknesses of the model is that these dependencies are not predicted; these have to be determined by either experiments or simulations.We present steady-state simulations using the discrete particle method (DPM) for bi-disperse systems with different size ratios. The aim is to determine one parameter in the continuum model, i.e., the segregation Péclet number (ratio of the segregation velocity to diffusion) as a function of the particle size ratio.Reasonable agreement is found; but, also measurable discrepancies are reported; 1 October 21, 2011 10:39 2 Thornton, Weinhart, Luding and Bokhove mainly, in the simulations a thick pure phase of large particles is formed at the top of the flow. In the DPM contact model, tangential dissipation was required to obtain strong segregation and steady states. Additionally, it was found that the Péclet number increases linearly with the size ratio for low values, but saturates to a value of approximately 7.35.

In the past ten years much work has been undertaken on developing mixture theory continuum models to describe kinetic sieving-driven size segregation. We propose an extension to these models that allows their application to bidisperse flows over inclined channels, with particles varying in density and size. Our model incorporates both a recently proposed explicit formula for how the total pressure is distributed among different species of particles, which is one of the key elements of mixture theory-based kinetic sieving models, and a shear rate-dependent drag. The resulting model is used to predict the range of particle sizes and densities for which the mixture segregates. The prediction of no segregation in the model is benchmarked by using discrete particle simulations, and good agreement is found when a single fitting parameter is used which determines whether the pressure scales with the diameter, surface area or volume of the particle.

The discrete particle method (DPM) is used to model granular flows down an inclined chute with varying basal roughness, thickness and inclination. We observe three major regimes: arresting flows, steady uniform flows and accelerating flows. For flows over a smooth base, other (quasi-steady) regimes are observed: for small inclinations the flow can be highly energetic and strongly layered in depth; whereas, for large inclinations it can be non-uniform and oscillating. For steady uniform flows, depth profiles of density, velocity and stress are obtained using an improved coarse-graining method, which provides accurate statistics even at the base of the flow. A shallow-layer model for granular flows is completed with macro-scale closure relations obtained from micro-scale DPM simulations of steady flows. We obtain functional relations for effective basal friction, velocity shape factor, mean density, and the normal stress anisotropy as functions of layer thickness, flow velocity and basal roughness. Granular avalanche flows are common in both the natural environments and industry. They occur across many orders of magnitude. Examples range from rock slides, containing upwards of 1,000 m 3 of material; to the flow of sinter, pellets and coke into a blast furnace for iron-ore melting; down to the flow of sand in an hour-glass. The dynamics of these flows are influenced by many factors such as: polydispersity; variations in density; non-uniform shape; complex basal topography; surface contact properties; coexistence of static, steady and accelerating material; and, flow obstacles and constrictions. KeywordsDiscrete particle methods (DPMs) are an extremely powerful way to investigate the effects of these and other factors. With the rapid recent improvement in computational power the full simulation of the flow in a small hour glass of millions of particles is now feasible. However, complete DPM simulations of large-scale geophysical mass flow will, probably, never be possible.One of the main goals of the present research is to simulate large scale and complex industrial flows using granular shallow-layer equations. In this paper we will take the first step of using the DPM [9,34,42,43,46] to simulate small granular flows of mono-dispersed spherical particles in steady flow situations. We will use a refined and novel analysis to investigate three particular aspects of shallow chute flows: (i) how to obtain meaningful macro-scale fields from the DPM simulation, (ii) how to assess the flow dependence on the basal roughness, and (iii) how to validate the assumptions made in depth-averaged theory.The DPM simulations presented here will enable the construction of the mapping between the micro-scale and 123

An expression for the stress tensor near an external boundary of a discrete mechanical system is derived explicitly in terms of the constituents' degrees of freedom and interaction forces. Starting point is the exact and general coarse graining formulation presented by Goldhirsch (Granul Mat 12(3):239-252, 2010), which is consistent with the continuum equations everywhere but does not account for boundaries. Our extension accounts for the boundary interaction forces in a self-consistent way and thus allows the construction of continuous stress fields that obey the macroscopic conservation laws even within one coarse-graining width of the boundary. The resolution and shape of the coarse-graining function used in the formulation can be chosen freely, such that both microscopic and macroscopic effects can be studied. The method does not require temporal averaging and thus can be used to investigate time-dependent flows as well as static or steady situations. Finally, the fore-mentioned continuous field can be used to define 'fuzzy' (very rough) boundaries. Discrete particle simulations are presented in which the novel boundary treatment is exemplified, including chute flow over a base with roughness greater than one particle diameter.

We present space-and space-time discontinuous Galerkin finite element (DGFEM) formulations for systems containing nonconservative products, such as occur in dispersed multiphase flow equations. The main criterium we pose on the weak formulation is that if the system of nonconservative partial differential equations can be transformed into conservative form, then the formulation must reduce to that for conservative systems. Standard DGFEM formulations cannot be applied to nonconservative systems of partial differential equations. We therefore introduce the theory of weak solutions for nonconservative products into the DGFEM formulation leading to the new question how to define the path connecting left and right states across a discontinuity. The effect of different paths on the numerical solution is investigated and found to be small. We also introduce a new numerical flux that is able to deal with nonconservative products. Our scheme is applied to two different systems of partial differential equations. First, we consider the shallow water equations, where topography leads to nonconservative products, in which the known, possibly discontinuous, topography is formally taken as an unknown in the system. Second, we consider a simplification of a depth-averaged two-phase flow model which contains more intrinsic nonconservative products.

SUMMARYWe consider the problem of constructing balance dynamics for rapidly rotating fluid systems. It is argued that the conventional Rossby number expansion-namely expanding all variables in a series in Rossby numberis secular for all but the simplest flows. In particular, the higher-order terms in the expansion grow exponentially on average, and for moderate values of the Rossby number the expansion is, at best, useful only for times of the order of the doubling times of the instabilities of the underlying quasi-geostrophic dynamics. Similar arguments apply in a wide class of problems involving a small parameter and sufficiently complex zeroth-order dynamics.A modified procedure is proposed which involves expanding only the fast modes of the system; this is equivalent to an asymptotic approximation of the slaving relation that relates the fast modes to the slow modes. The procedure is systematic and thus capable, at least in principle, of being carried to any order-unlike procedures based on truncations.We apply the procedure to construct higher-order balance approximations of the shallow-water equations. At the lowest order quasi-geostrophy emerges. At the next order the system incorporates gradient-wind balance, although the balance relations themselves involve only linear inversions and hence are easily applied. There is a large class of reduced systems associated with various choices for the slow variables, but the simplest ones appear to be those based on potential vorticity.

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Variational methods are investigated asymptotically and numerically to model water waves in tanks with wave generators. As a validation, our modelling results using (dis)continuous Galerkin finite element methods will be compared to a soliton splash event resulting after a sluice gate is removed during a finite time in a long water channel with a contraction at its end.