CFD simulation of cylindrical spouted beds by the kinetic theory of granular flow

Pairing Experimental and Mathematical Modeling Studies on Fluidized Beds for Enhancement of Models Predictive Quality: A Current Status Overview

Modeling of gas-solid fluidized systems has been a prevailing challenge over the last few decades. With different approaches and implementing different sub-models to capture the essential multiphase and multiscale phenomena in these systems, major advances have been achieved, even though most models are only subject to a practical validation of macroscopic parameters. The current description of fluidized beds through mathematical models relies on the inclusion of vast sub-models, leading to an unquantifiable degree of uncertainty on the models’ applicability for extrapolation studies. Furthermore, each closure and fitting parameter in the model represents a possible source of deviation, and their optimization, hence, becomes another major challenge. The recent advances in measurement techniques can enable us to troubleshoot and optimize the implemented models and sub-models based on local scale measurements. Local multiphase hydrodynamic information obtained by advanced measurement techniques can enable the validation of local predictions and optimization of the coupled sub-models, leading to the development of simplified and highly predictive models. Thus, pairing advanced experimental studies on these systems with insightful modeling approaches is required to advance the shortcoming and enhance the predictive quality of the models. In this work, an overview of the status of modeling and experimental measurement techniques for gas-solid fluidized beds is presented; then, an overview on pairing both experimental and modeling studies to improve the models’ local predictions for fluidized beds is presented.

Mathematical Modeling and Pointwise Validation of a Spouted Bed Using an Enhanced Bed Elasticity Approach

With a Euler–Euler (E2P) approach, a mathematical model for predicting the pointwise hydrodynamic behavior of a spouted bed was implemented though computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques. The model considered a bed elasticity approach in order to reduce the number of required sub-models to provide closure for the solids stress strain-tensor. However, no modulus of elasticity sub-model for a bed elasticity approach has been developed for spouted beds, and thus, large deviations in the predictions are obtained with common sub-models reported in literature. To overcome such a limitation, a new modulus of elasticity based on a sensitivity analysis was developed and implemented on the E2P model. The model predictions were locally validated against experimental measurements obtained in previous studies. The experimental studies were conducted using our in-house developed advanced γ-ray computed tomography (CT) technique, which allows to obtain the cross-sectional time-averaged solids holdup distribution. When comparing the model predictions against the experimental measurements, a high predictive quality for the radial solids holdup distribution in the spout and annulus regions is observed. The model predicts most of the experimental measurements for different particle diameters, different static bed heights, and different inlet velocities with deviations under 15%, with average absolute relative errors (AARE) between 5.75% and 7.26%, and mean squared deviations (MSD) between 0.11% and 0.24%

Hydrodynamics, numerical study and application of spouted bed

This article reviews the major research and development on spouted beds (SBs). Due to its unique structural and flow characteristics, the SB is a very successful system in most applications. Two-phase and sometimes three-phase interactions generate a large number of variables to be noted in each process. Up-to-date information on the fundamentals and applications of SBs has been briefly presented, based on the published works. Thousands of interesting studies on hydrodynamic characteristics, numerical simulations, and new applications of SBs are reported. In the first step, the present work presents a review of hydrodynamic characteristics (circulation of solids in SB, measurement techniques for particle tracking and empirical hydrodynamics, pressure drop, maximum spoutable height, minimum spouting velocity, and diameter of the spout). In the second step, main mathematical models and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of the SB to predict and analyze different processes are described. Some main mathematical modeling and the recent advances of two fluid methods and discrete element method approaches in CFD simulation of SBs are summarized. In the last step, some new applications of the SB are presented. As the result of this review, we can observe the importance of further development of hydrodynamics structure, working on modeling and related correlations and improve the applications of SBs.