Simulation of particle deposition and multilayer formation between periodic steps

In a pebble-bed high temperature reactor core where thousands of pebbles are amassed, the friction between the outer graphite layers of the fuel elements triggers the formation of carbonaceous dust. This dust eventually deposits in the primary circuit of the reactor. The numerical prediction of graphite dust deposition is therefore a key safety issue and needs investigation. The deposition of aerosol graphite particles in a turbulent channel flow obstructed by periodic steps is here numerically investigated at Reynolds number Re = 8,000. Particles in the size range d = 1...100μm deposit non-uniformly on the various wall surfaces and eventually form a fairly thick layer of dust. The build-up of the dust layer affects the air flow which in turn affects the deposition rate of the conveyed particles. To numerically reproduce the growth of the dust layer an interdisciplinary study involving the dynamic coupling of fluid simulation, Lagrangian particles, mesh deformation and granular bed is carried out. A two dimensional quasi-static simulation is performed. The quasi-static assumption is motivated by the time duration of the experimental test which lasts several hours. The iterative process is decomposed as follows: a Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes turbulence model is employed to generate the flow field. The turbulent dispersion of the particles is reproduced through the use of a continuous random walk model. After sufficient deposition of the particulate matter, the build-up of the dust layer is computed using mechanics of dry granular material. The wall boundaries of the computational domain are then updated prior to the next flow simulation. The procedure is repeated until the dust layer reaches appropriate growth. The result of the multi-layer deposition matches reasonably well that of the experimental test performed on-site