Agglomeration of solid particles by liquid bridge flocculants: Pragmatic modelling

The present paper proposes a model for agglomeration of solid particles covered with a liquid flocculant. Rather then being derived by time-consuming numerical simulations of collision dynamics as the particles are in contact, the model is based on analytic relations: thus the computational cost is significantly reduced. The model was implemented into a computer code simulating a set of particles using the Eulerian-Lagrangian approach, that is, it forms an attractive alternative to Distinct Element Modelling (DEM). Moreover numerical simulations in a shear-flow system were done and the results were compared with a theoretical model.