Numerical analysis of heat and mass transfer through beds of spherical and non-spherical elements

Abstract Many issues related to mass and heat transfer through beds of granular materials are still not fully understood. In this work, non-isothermal turbulent flow is analysed within layers spherical non-spherical elements. We apply a volume penalization (VP) approach formulated in the framework an immersed boundary technique (IB) on Cartesian computational meshes. It allows modelling flows around solid objects with almost arbitrarily complex shapes any form contact. The validation solution accuracy performed against ANSYS Fluent simulations using body-fitted meshes experimental literature data. shows capability IB-VP for geometries. main research focuses comparison influence various types particles their temperature vorticity, turbulence level pressure drop inside behind bed. particular, we analyse how shape affects efficiency different conditions. obtained results reveal occurrence very structures (recirculation stagnation regions) beds. Comparison also point out preferred configurations