Simulation of particle flow in an inertial particle separator with an Eulerian velocity re-associated two-node quadrature-based method of moments

This paper presents research into practical simulations of particle flow in inertial particle separators (IPS) for helicopters and tilt rotor aircraft. The flow field of the carrier gas is predicted by means of the two-equation k-ϵ turbulence model. An Eulerian methodology is used to trace the particle trajectories of foreign particles such as droplets, ice and sand. To predict the characteristics of particle wall bouncing in dilute particle flow, the velocity re-associated two-node quadrature-based method of moments (VR-QMOM) is used. The particle distribution in the IPS is predicted for various particle sizes and these are compared with results from a Lagrangian particle tracking method. The particle-wall interactions and the separation efficiencies are studied for solid particles bouncing off perfectly elastic walls and an IPS shell coated with the M246 alloy which changes the coefficients of restitution. The simulated separation efficiencies predicted by the Eulerian method are compared with the simulation using the Lagrangian method over a range of particle sizes. The VR-QMOM method is seen to reproduce the particle bouncing and trajectory crossing behavior and to agree well with the Lagrangian method for predicted separation efficiencies. The new VR-QMOM method is shown to be an accurate and convenient alternative to established Lagrangian approaches.