Author(s)

C. K. Jayarathna & B. M. Halvorsen

Abstract

The aim of this work is to study flow behaviour in a fluidized bed with different mixtures of particles. Mathematical simulation is an alternative way to study the fluidization behaviour. Experiments are performed in a cylindrical bed with a uniform air distribution. Spherical glass particles with different mixtures of particles are used in the experiments. The pressure and void fraction variations are observed for two different powders and mixtures of the powders. The commercial CFD code Fluent 6.3 is used for the corresponding simulations. Eulerian-Eulerian model are used to simulate a multiphase bubbling fluidized bed. The influence of particle size distribution on the bubble size, pressure and void fraction variation along the bed has been investigated computationally. The computational results are compared to the experimental data and the discrepancies are discussed. Keywords: fluidized bed, particle size distribution, pressure drop, CFD, fluent. 1 Introduction Fluidized beds are widely used in industry because of good mixing and large contact area between phases. It enhances the chemical reactions, heat transfer and mass transfer. Liquid like behaviour of the bed particles are giving smooth operation conditions and well mixed beds are obtaining isothermal properties, hence the operation can be easily controlled. Particle mixing in a fluidized bed is very much depending on bubble size distribution and the particle characteristics [1]. The behaviour of particles in

Keywords

fluidized bed, particle size distribution, pressure drop, CFD, fluent