Insights in hydrodynamics of bubbling fluidized beds at elevated pressure by DEM

Mansourpour, Z., Karimi, S., Zarghami, R., Mostoufi, N., & Sotudeh-Gharebagh, R. (2010). Insights in hydrodynamics of bubbling fluidized beds at elevated pressure by DEM–CFD approach. Particuology, 8(5), 407-414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.partic.2010.03.017

Insights in hydrodynamics of bubbling fluidized beds at elevated pressure by DEM–CFD approach

Zahra Mansourpour, Sedighe Karimi, Reza Zarghami, Navid Mostoufi^*, Rahmat Sotudeh-Gharebagh

Process Design and Simulation Research Center, Oil and Gas Centre of Excellence, School of Chemical Engineering, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 11155-4563, Tehran, Iran

10.1016/j.partic.2010.03.017

Volume 8, Issue 5, October 2010, Pages 407-414

Received 13 October 2009, Revised 11 February 2010, Accepted 3 March 2010, Available online 9 July 2010.

E-mail: mostoufi@ut.ac.ir

Highlights

Abstract

A numerical simulation was conducted to study the effect of pressure on bubble dynamics in a gas–solid fluidized bed. The gas flow was modeled using the continuum theory and the solid phase, by the discrete element method (DEM). To validate the simulation results, calculated local pressure fluctuations were compared with corresponding experimental data of 1-mm polyethylene particles. It was shown that the model successfully predicts the hydrodynamic features of the fluidized bed as observed in the experiments. Influence of pressure on bubble rise characteristics such as bubble rise path, bubble stability, average bubbles diameter and bubble velocity through the bed was investigated. The simulation results are in conformity with current hydrodynamic theories and concepts for fluidized beds at high pressures. The results show further that elevated pressure reduces bubble growth, velocity and stability and enhances bubble gyration through the bed, leading to change in bed flow structure.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Fluidized bed; Discrete element method; Computational fluid dynamic; Bubble; Elevated pressure; Pressure fluctuations

文章导读