A new drag correlation from fully resolved simulations of flow past monodisperse static arrays of spheres

We performed fully resolved simulations of flows past fixed assemblies of monodisperse spheres using an iterative Immersed Boundary (IB) Method, for both face-centered-cubic (FCC) array and random configurations. For the latter, a methodology has been applied such that the computed gas-solid force is almost independent of the grid resolution. Simulations in this work extend the previously similar studies to a wider range of solids volume fraction (φ ∈ [0.1, 0.6]) and Reynolds number (Re ∈ [50, 1000]). We propose a new drag correlation combining the existed drag correlations for low-Re flows and single-sphere flows, which fits the entire data set with an average relative deviation of 4%. This correlation is so-far the best possible expression for the drag force in monodisperse static arrays of spheres, and is the most accurate basis to introduce the particle mobility for dynamic gas-solid systems, such as in fluidized beds.