Engineering Applications of Computational Fluid Mechanics

Advanced CFD for Particulate Flows: Numerical Methods, Data-driven Modeling, and Physical Insights

Accurate prediction of particulate flows, where discrete particles interact dynamically with a continuous fluid phase, remains one of the most enduring and technically demanding challenges in computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Such flows are central to a wide range of engineering applications, including mechanical and aeronautic systems, chemical processing, energy conversion technologies, and environmental engineering. Their complexity arises from the strong coupling of multiscale physical mechanisms, such as inter-phase momentum and heat/mass transfer, particle-particle collisions, and turbulence modulation, which collectively govern macroscopic flow behavior. This Article Collection focuses on advanced CFD methodologies that either directly resolve or rigorously model these intertwined phenomena with high fidelity. Particular emphasis is placed on recent progress in core numerical frameworks, including CFD coupled with the discrete element method (CFD-DEM), Eulerian-Lagrangian approaches, and highly resolved Eulerian-Eulerian simulations. More recently, these methods have been increasingly augmented by data-driven techniques that refine predictive fidelity, strengthen modeling robustness, and extend their applicability to realistic, industrial-scale problems.

High-fidelity CFD of particulate flows is critical for the virtual design, scale-up, and optimization of key industrial equipment like fluidized-bed reactors, cyclone separators, and pneumatic conveyors. Reliable numerical tools can dramatically reduce the cost and time associated with experimental prototyping and enable systematic exploration of extreme or inaccessible operating conditions. Despite significant advances, the development of robust and generalizable CFD frameworks and constitutive models for particle-fluid and particle-particle interactions remains a key bottleneck. By leveraging machine learning to complement (not replace) rigorous CFD methodologies, we can develop more accurate closure models, bridge critical scale gaps, and unlock new levels of predictive capability, ultimately leading to more efficient and innovative engineering solutions.

 This Article Collection seeks contributions that advance the state-of-the-art in CFD for particulate flows, with an emphasis on novel numerical methods, physically grounded modeling strategies, and the judicious use of data-driven approaches to enhance traditional CFD paradigms. Both fundamental investigations and applications-oriented studies are welcome. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Advanced Eulerian-Lagrangian methodologies (e.g., CFD-DEM) for dilute and dense particulate systems
• Highly resolved simulations (e.g., particle-resolved DNS) for model development and fundamental insight
• Novel numerical algorithms for inter-phase coupling, particle collision dynamics, and heat/mass transfer
• CFD of reactive particulate flows in complex or industrially relevant geometries
• High-performance computing and scalable algorithms for large-scale particulate flow simulations
• Data-driven development, calibration, and validation of constitutive models (e.g., drag, lift, and turbulence modulation).
• AI-enhanced sub-grid and coarse-grained modeling for unresolved particulate phenomena
• Engineering applications in diverse particulate systems

Keywords: Particulate Flows, CFD, Eulerian-Lagrangian Methods, Data-Driven Modeling, Inter-phase Interaction

­­All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisor for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member).

Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 10 November 2026.

Please contact Hang Ke at [email protected] with any queries and discount codes regarding this Article Collection.

Please be sure to select the appropriate Article Collection from the drop-down menu in the submission system.

Jianzhong Lin is a professor of fluid mechanics at Ningbo University and Zhejiang University, China. He received his Ph.D. degree from Peking University in 1991. His research interests span multiphase flows, nanofluids, microfluidics, turbulence, and fluid machinery. Prof. Lin has authored hundreds of academic papers in both international and domestic journals. He has served in editorial roles for many leading journals, including Associate Editor of the International Journal of Multiphase Flow and Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, Editor-in-Chief of Mechanics in Engineering, and as an editorial board member of several other journals. He has also been actively involved in scientific societies and academic leadership roles in the field of fluid mechanics.

Xiaoke Ku is an associate professor in the Department of Engineering Mechanics at Zhejiang University, China. He received his PhD in fluid mechanics in 2009 from Zhejiang University. After graduation, he successively worked at the University of Twente (Netherlands), the Eindhoven University of Technology (Netherlands), and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norway). He joined Zhejiang University in 2015. His research focuses on the numerical simulation and experimental studies of reactive multiphase flows. He has authored more than 100 academic papers in both international and domestic journals. He currently serves as an editorial board member of the Journal of Hydrodynamics and a young professional editorial board member of Particuology.

Xiao Hu is an associate professor in the School of Engineering Mechanics at Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, China. He received his PhD in fluid mechanics in 2021 from Zhejiang University. He has mainly engaged in teaching and research on multiphase flow and heat and mass transfer, multiphase fluid mechanics, enhanced heat and mass transfer, and non-Newtonian fluid mechanics in seawater desalination. He has authored more than 50 academic papers in both international and domestic journals, and has been granted 5 national invention patents and 10 national utility model patents. He currently serves as a young professional editorial board member of the Applied Mathematics and Mechanics and Journal of Ningbo University (Science and Engineering Edition).