Extending the Existing Modelling Framework for Non-Spherical Particles to Include Flat Plates in Free Fall - An Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Unsteady Aerodynamics of Flat Plates

Accurate modelling of flows with non-spherical
particles is important for a wide range of industrial
applications. State-of-the-art CFD software
fails to include crucial information on
exact shape and orientation of the particles,
resulting in less accurate modelling of highly
non-spherical objects such as flat plates.
An extensive study of the forces and torques on a
plate, reveals the existing modelling framework
for flat plates in free fall to be insufficient to
describe the actual trajectories using an Euler-
Lagrange approach. Through numerous CFD
simulations, new correlations are proposed for
rotational lift, rotational drag, and centre of
pressure location, resulting in a model able to
predict the trajectories with high accuracy.
A comparison to a regime map found in literature
suggests the model to be general applicable
to a wide range of plates, and therefore this
work has led to a significant improvement of the
existing modelling framework for flat plates in
free fall.