Numerical simulation of dissolution of solid particles in fluid flow using the SPH method

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to numerically study the dissolution of solid particles using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method. Design/methodology/approach To implement dissolution, an advection–diffusion mass transport equation is solved over computational particles. Subsequently, these particles disintegrate from the solute when their concentration falls below a certain threshold. Findings It is shown that the implementation of dissolution is in good agreement with available data in the literature. The dissolution of solid particles is studied for a wide range of Reynolds and Schmidt numbers. Two-dimensional (2D) results are compared with three-dimensional (3D) cases to identify where 2D results are accurate for modelling 3D dissolution phenomena. Originality/value The present numerical model is capable of addressing related problems in pharmaceutical, biochemical, food processing and detergent industries.