Investigation of particle collision statistics in varying dimensionality configurations in multiphase shocktube simulations

Simulation of multi-phase compressible flows are of great interest since they can help predict events such as solid-rocket boosters and volcanos. Such events require performing 3D simulations with particles as they can resolve the most of the flow physics. However, even for non-fully resolved point-particle simulations, 3D simulations can be computationally expensive. Any potential reduction in computational costs would be welcomed, however this requires accurate models to account for the loss of resolution. It was observed, when simulating a particle bed in a shocktube experiment, that the particle front position predictions noticeably improved with experimental data as the simulation increased dimensionality. These simulations modelled collisions using the Harris-Crighton model and used point-particle drag models. This work focuses on repeating the previous simulation but with the use of a resolved soft-sphere collision model to analyse particle-particle interactions in the flow. Investigation of the collision metrics and statistics on its contribution to the dimensionality effect will be explored. The shocktube experiment will be simulated using a finite-volume Euler-Lagrange hydrocode. Aspects of dimensionality such as particle seeding locations, and collisional vectors are varied in 2D and 3D over a range of simulations. By simulating these different configurations, the effects on dimension-based modelling constraints on particle collisions of the particle fronts can be studied.