Particle-laden multiphase flows : a finite element analysis on biofuel particle emissions

Abstract

Particle-laden multiphase flow is an important subject of study in fluid mechanics, especially in the oil and gas industry. In this work, the particle emission from biofuel consumption is analyzed and simulated, in order to obtain the main effects of such transportation into the atmosphere, that may cause environmental and health damages. The continuous phase is numerically simulated directly through the Navier-Stokes equations, for which the results are in complete accordance to the ones presented in the literature. As for the solid dispersion, an Euler-Lagrange analysis is made, which provides a better understanding of each particle trajectory. A numerical simulator is built by means of the Finite Element Method (FEM) and the results are obtained for different geometries found in biofuel systems. All the results and comparisons are shown and discussed throughout this document. In order to simulate and compare particulate filtering mechanisms in the exhaustion of diesel engines, the DPF (Diesel Particle Filter) is used with data referring to diesel and biodiesel, being possible to make a comparison in particulate emissions pollutants, the latter being more advantageous due to the lower emission rate, as shown in the simulation in this text. Geometry variations are also evaluated regarding filtration efficiency.