CFD-simulation of gas-solid flow in bubbling fluidized bed reactor

Abstract

The hydrodynamic behaviour of gas-solid flow has been studied in a two-dimensional bubbling fluidized bed reactor filled with particles of 275 µm in size, using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The two-fluid model (TFM) approach based on the concept of Eulerian–Eulerian in combination with Kinetic Theory of Granular Flow (KTGF) is used to represent the fluid mechanics involved in the flow. The computational implementation was realized by the commercial software ANSYS FLUENT. Interphase momentum exchange between gas and solid phases were calculated using the modified Syamlal O’Brien drag force function. The simulation predictions have been comprehensively validated with experimental data measurements of bed expansion rate, pressure drops and average gas volume fraction profiles. The pressure drops predicted by the simulations were in comparatively strong agreement with the experimental data at higher superficial gas velocities. The bed expansion ratio of the simulation results is closer to that of the experimental data. This work provides a scalable means to assist in the design and operation of fluidised bed reactors and fluidisation processes.