Física do escoamento multifásico: uma abordagem computacional utilizando o software OpenFOAM

Abstract

The multiphase flow has a great importance in research and understanding of a wide range of natural phenomena and engineering applications. Processes such as gas diffusion in a medium, drug transport in air or blood pathways and internal combustion engines are just a few examples of this type of flow. Given the nature of the involved equations, the analytical approach of multiphase problems faces great difficulty in obtaining satisfactory solutions. Thus, it is necessary to make use of computational and experimental studies to elucidate the dynamics of these processes. The Computational Fluid Dynamics aims to clarify the flow of such complexity. The numerical simulation of multiphase flow, making use of free software OpenFOAM®, is the main goal of this work. By the methods of finite volume and fluid volume, the free surface for a flow involving two Newtonian fluids (water and air) was determined as well as the distribution of pressure and velocity fields. Initially, a two-dimensional case is solved and then a case where the flow develops in three dimensions. The physical fidelity obtained in determining the properties of interest shows the great ability of the software to solve transportation problems. However, the absence of a turbulence model to better determine the interaction between the phases compromises the results obtained.