Yade

Using Yade to model spherical void phase porous media

Asked by Nolan Dyck

Hi,

I'm a masters student (mechanical engineering) doing research in porous media. I would like to be able to generate some computer models (Solidworks) of spherical void phase porous media cubes called Representative Elemental Volumes (REVs). I have had some success with an algorithm of my own design, however I have had some problems with my algorithm not filling some of the space within the REV. I am also required to make this structure periodic along all three principal axis. This would be accomplished using the Lubachevsky–Stillinger algorithm. Using this algorithm means that the bubbles need to be resized at every time-step and, as the REV approaches the maximally jammed state, neighbouring bubbles will have large interference with eachother. As per the algorithm the time step needs to be dynamically controlled. One note is that the goal is to simulate the final structure of the porous media (not the physical process by which it is formed: that is, I will be ignoring bubble coalescence). I'm thinking right now that each REV will be filled with around 500-1000 bubbles.

I realize that learning to work with a new api (and in my case a new operating system) will be a significant investment, so I would like the honest opinion of those in the Yade community. My question is:

Is Yade the right tool for this job? If not, is there some other software or strategy that would be better suited to my research? If so, is there anything I should be wary of when using Yade for this purpose?

Thank you in advance,

Nolan Dyck

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
Yade Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Solved by:
Bruno Chareyre
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
Bruno Chareyre (bruno-chareyre) said : 		#1

Dear Nolan,
From this problem statement I don't really see how DEM could be used (well, I can imagine something, but only after a lot of speculation).
Can this problem be somehow related to collections of solid particles interacting with each other? Would bubbles be the particles in your problem?

Revision history for this message
Nolan Dyck (ndyck) said : 		#2

Hi Bruno,

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, the idea is to model the bubbles as solid particles. The algorithm I
am proposing is this:

A large, finite number of particles are initialized in a cube. These
particles are assigned random velocities and prescribed growth rates based
on a desired size distribution. As the simulation progresses in time, the
particles move around and collide with other particles, each growing
according to its prescribed growth rate. The walls of the cube are
periodic, so any 'collisions' with a wall result in the particle appearing
at the opposite side of the cube. Because the particles are growing,
eventually they will fill the cube and each particle will be 'locked' in
place. At this point further growth in any particles will result in
interference with neighboring particles. The simulation is finished when
the desired particle (or void) fraction is attained and I will have a truly
periodic packed bed (or spherical void phase porous media block).

Would Yade be good for this or no?

Nolan

On Thu, May 2, 2013 at 1:01 PM, Bruno Chareyre <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #228023 on Yade changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/yade/+question/228023
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Bruno Chareyre proposed the following answer:
> Dear Nolan,
> >From this problem statement I don't really see how DEM could be used
> (well, I can imagine something, but only after a lot of speculation).
> Can this problem be somehow related to collections of solid particles
> interacting with each other? Would bubbles be the particles in your problem?
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/yade/+question/228023/+confirm?answer_id=0
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/yade/+question/228023
>
> You received this question notification because you asked the question.
>

Revision history for this message
Best Bruno Chareyre (bruno-chareyre) said : 		#3

Well... what you describe is done by some of the most used example scripts.
It is even possible to do this using only the graphical interface (except that in that case it will not be periodic). So yes, definitely, yade can do that.

The computation time will be seconds, minutes, or hours depending on the number of particles (for 1000 bubles it can be done in a few seconds).

Revision history for this message
Anton Gladky (gladky-anton) said : 		#4

Hi,

I do not know, whether it will be easier to implement, but from my
point of view Yade is the most suitable tool for such task. At least
among of other open source DEM-codes.

Cheers,

Anton

Anton

2013/5/2 Nolan Dyck <email address hidden>:
> Question #228023 on Yade changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/yade/+question/228023
>
> Status: Answered => Open
>
> Nolan Dyck is still having a problem:
> Hi Bruno,
>
> Thanks for your reply.
>
> Yes, the idea is to model the bubbles as solid particles. The algorithm I
> am proposing is this:
>
> A large, finite number of particles are initialized in a cube. These
> particles are assigned random velocities and prescribed growth rates based
> on a desired size distribution. As the simulation progresses in time, the
> particles move around and collide with other particles, each growing
> according to its prescribed growth rate. The walls of the cube are
> periodic, so any 'collisions' with a wall result in the particle appearing
> at the opposite side of the cube. Because the particles are growing,
> eventually they will fill the cube and each particle will be 'locked' in
> place. At this point further growth in any particles will result in
> interference with neighboring particles. The simulation is finished when
> the desired particle (or void) fraction is attained and I will have a truly
> periodic packed bed (or spherical void phase porous media block).
>
> Would Yade be good for this or no?
>
> Nolan
>
> On Thu, May 2, 2013 at 1:01 PM, Bruno Chareyre <
> <email address hidden>> wrote:
>
>> Your question #228023 on Yade changed:
>> https://answers.launchpad.net/yade/+question/228023
>>
>> Status: Open => Answered
>>
>> Bruno Chareyre proposed the following answer:
>> Dear Nolan,
>> >From this problem statement I don't really see how DEM could be used
>> (well, I can imagine something, but only after a lot of speculation).
>> Can this problem be somehow related to collections of solid particles
>> interacting with each other? Would bubbles be the particles in your problem?
>>
>> --
>> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
>> know that it is solved:
>> https://answers.launchpad.net/yade/+question/228023/+confirm?answer_id=0
>>
>> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
>> following page to enter your feedback:
>> https://answers.launchpad.net/yade/+question/228023
>>
>> You received this question notification because you asked the question.
>>
>
> --
> You received this question notification because you are a member of
> yade-users, which is an answer contact for Yade.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~yade-users
> Post to : <email address hidden>
> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~yade-users
> More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp

Revision history for this message
Nolan Dyck (ndyck) said : 		#5

Thanks Bruno Chareyre, that solved my question.