Flow + EDEM (External)

Solutions > Coupled Solution > Flow + EDEM (External)

AcuSolve+EDEM coupling is used for modeling particle-fluid multiphase flow applications which are commonly encountered in many industries including energy, agriculture, mining, oil and gas and pharmaceutical.

This can be used for the following:
  • To resolve inter particle and particle-equipment collisions
  • To model accumulation or separation of particles in a fluid-particle system
  • When particles impact the flow field and vice versa
  • For tracking individual particle or a set of particles
  • Calculating forces on each particle
There are 3 ways to work with particle-fluid flow simulations in SimLab
  1. Unidirectional Coupling (one-way transient)
  2. Bidirectional Coupling (two-way transient)
    • EDEM 3-Phase
      • Three phases may now be simulated when coupling AcuSolve with EDEM. Particles are modelled in one phase, a liquid could be modelled in the second phase, and a gas can be modelled as the third phase, for example. As many manufacturing or process-related design simulations require including both a liquid and air along with particles, this new capability widens the range of applications for this unique coupling. Surface tension input should be defined and the behaviour due to the contact angle definition will be respected for all three phases.
  3. Sequential Coupling (one-way steady)

SimLab currently supports all 3 types of coupling. The type of coupling to be used can be decided based on the following information.

Do particle affect the flow field? Are the boundary conditions time varying? Type of Coupling
No No Sequential
No Yes / No Uni-Directional
Yes Yes / No Bi-Directional

In the sequential coupling, both solvers are run sequentially ( first AcuSolve and then EDEM). There will be no data exchange in real time. The CFD velocity field data should be imported into EDEM. In this approach, the particles do not affect the flow field and the flow boundary conditions are fixed.

In Unidirectional and Bidirectional coupling both solvers are run in tandem and there is data exchange in real time. Below images provide the overview of coupling process.

Bidirectional coupling process flow:

Unidirectional coupling process flow:

SimLab provide an intuitive, easy to use workflow for running coupled simulations. The Flow+EDEM simulation can be done in 3 easy steps.
  1. Setup the transient Flow solution in SimLab. Select multiphase type as Disperse-EDEM Unidirectional or Eulerian-EDEM bidirectional.
  2. Setup the particle simulation in EDEM UI and starting the server.
  3. Create the Coupled solution in SimLab and run Flow solution.

The coupled simulation can be setup if there is a transient Flow solution available in SimLab solution browser. Select the Flow solution as “Solution 1” and the Coupling type will be automatically updated.

Set the coupling parameters in the Material section,

Right click Transfer Geometry to EDEM will load the transient flow solution geometry in EDEM automatically.

Note: The geometry will be loaded automatically in EDEM, only when EDEM is opened and if the Coupling Server is turned ON.

Right click Results > Update will launch both AcuSolve and EDEM in the background. Once the simulation is completed, flow results will be loaded in SimLab and particle results in the EDEM UI for postprocessing.