A Review on

computational study of
gassolid fluidized
bed hydrodynamics
 Content
Introduction
Aim
ComputationalModel
GoverningEquations
ModelDescription
SolutionMethods
SolutionControl
Results&Discussion
Conclusions
 Introduction
Fluidization is the operation by which solid particles are
transformedintoafluidlikestatethroughsuspensioninagasor
liquid.
Fluidized beds are found in many plant operations in chemical,
pharmaceutical,andmineralindustries.
Toremovemathematicalcomplexitiesofthenonlinearequations
and in defining the interpenetrating and movingphase
boundaries ,CFD, is emerging as a very promising new tool (for
single phase flow as well as multiphase flow like fluid bed) in
modelinghydrodynamics.
 Two different approaches (Lagrangian model and Eulerian
Eulerianmodel)havebeentakeninearlyattemptstoapplyCFD
modelingtogassolidfluidizedbeds.
In EulerianEulerian continuum modeling, with the fluid and
solid phases treated as interpenetrating continuum phases, is the
mostcommonlyusedapproachforfluidizedbedsimulations.
Despite the modeling challenges, application of CFD to model
fluidizedbedhydrodynamicscontinuestodevelop,asithasmany
advantages including design optimization and scaleup of such
systems.
 Aim

Tostudyhydrodynamicsof2Dfluidizedbedtostudy
bubblepropertiesandtoprovidequalitativeviewingof
fluidizationcharacteristics.
 Computational Model
Thesimulationoffluidizedbedwasperformedbysolving
the governing equations of mass, momentum and energy
conservationusingFluentCFD16.1software.

A multi fluid Eulerian model, which considers the

conservation of mass and momentum for the gas and fluid
phases,wasapplied.

The kinetic theory of granular flow, which considers the

conservationofsolidfluctuationenergy,wasusedforclosure
ofthesolidsstressterms.
 Governing Equations
Massconservationequationsofgasandsolidphases:
d .(a g. pg ) + .(a g. pg .uuuuuuuu
r
vg ) = 0
dt
d .(a s.rs)+.(a s.rs.vs) = 0
dt
Momentumconservationequationsforgasandsolidphases:

d
.(a g. pg.vg ) + .(a g. pg.vg 2) = -a g .p + .tg + a g. pg.g + Kgs.(vg - vs)
dt
Fluctuationenergyconservationofsolidparticles:
3 d
.[ .(rS .aS .QS ) + .(rS .aS .nS.QS )] = (- PSI + tS ) : .nS + .( K QS..QS ) - gQS
2 dx
 Model description

Geometry Meshing Solver

 Model Geometry

Fig1.Geometryof2Dgassolid
Fluidizedbed

 Meshing parameters

NoOfcells CellType Min MaxMesh MaxFace

meshsize Size(m) size(mm_
(m)
11200 Rectangular 1.56* 5*e003 5*e003
e004

Fig.2MeshGeometry
 Model input parameters
Description Value Comment
Particle Density 2500kg/m3 GlassBeads
Gas Density 1.225kg/m3 Air
Mean Particle Diameter 275m UniformDistribution
Restitution coefficient 0.9/0.99 Range
Initial Solid Packing 0.6 Fixedvalue
Inlet Boundary Conditions Velocity SuperficialgasVelocity

Outlet Boundary Outflow Fullydevelopedflow

Conditions
Time Steps 0.001s Specified
Maximum Number of 20 Specified
Iterations
Convergence Criteria 103 Specified
 Solution Method
TheCFDcalculationiscarriedoutusingthesimplealgorithmforpressurevelocity
couplingandthefirstorderupwinddifferencingschemeformomentumequation.These
settingsareshowninsolutioncontrolswindowfigure

**Thepressurevelocitycouplingisbased
ontotalvolumecontinuityandtheeffectsofthe
interfacialcouplingtermsarefullyincorporatedinto
thepressurecorrectionequation.

Fig.3Settingsofalgorithmforpressure
Velocitycoupling
 Solution Control
CFDs solution control parameters are shown in the following
window:

Fig.4Settingsofalgorithmfor
SolutionControl
 Results & Discussion
TheCFDsimulationswereperformedusingthetransientEulerian
GranularmodelinFluentsoftware.Superficialgasvelocities0.38m/s
whichcorrespondstosixtimesofminimumfluidizationvelocitywere
examined

Fig.5showsacontourplotof
solidsfractionforthe
SyamlalOBriendragmodel

RightmostcontourimageFrom
Paper
Fig.6showsacontourplotofsolidsfraction
fortheSyamlalOBriendragmodel
Left contour images
has been taken from
paper
Comparison Between Simulated solid volume fraction for different drag
models

Fig.7showssimulatedvolumefractionforthreedragmodels(U=
0.38m/s,at3s).
Fig.8showsComparisonofexperimentandsimulatedbubblesforthreedrag
models(U=0.38m/s,ess=0.9at5s).

FromtheaboveresultitcanbeobservedthatTheexperiments
indicatedsmallbubblesnearthebottomofthebedresemblesthe
Gidaspowdragmodel
 Bed expansion ratio curve for
Gidaspow drag model

Fig.9.1showsComparisonofexperimentalandsimulatedbed
expansionratio(ess=0.9)forGidaspowdragmodel.
Bed expansion ratio curve for Syamlal
drag model

Fig.9.2showsComparisonofexperimentalandsimulatedbed
expansionratio(ess=0.9)forSyamlaldragmodel.
 Bed expansion ratio curve for
Wen & Yu drag model

Fig.9.3showsComparisonofexperimentalandsimulatedbed
expansionratio(ess=0.9).
 Pressure drop curve for
Gidaspow drag model

Fig.10.1showsComparisonofexperimentalandsimulatedbedpressure
drop(ess=0.9)forGidaspowdragmodel.
 Pressure drop curve for
Syamlal drag model

Fig.10.2showsComparisonofexperimentalandsimulatedbedpressure
drop(ess=0.9)forSyamlaldragmodel.
 Pressure drop curve for
Wen & Yu drag model

Fig.10.3showsComparisonofexperimentalandsimulatedbedpressure
drop(ess=0.9)forWen&Yudragmodel.
 Discussion
Solutionsareconvergedafter4998iterationswith0.001stimestep.

A comparison of the timeaverage bed pressure drop, using three drag

functions,againstsuperficialgasvelocityisplottedinFig.10.13.

Thesimulationandexperimentalresultsshowbetteragreementatvelocities
aboveminimumfluidizationvelocity.

FromFig.9.13IthasbeenshownthatLikemodels,interparticleforcesplay
aminorroleinfluidizationbehaviorofrelativelylargeparticles.
.
 ThecontourplotsofsolidsfractionshowninFig.8indicate
similaritiesbetweentheexperimentalandsimulationsforallthreedrag
models.

Theexperimentsindicatedsmallbubblesnearthebottomofthebed.

Thebubblesgrowastheyrisetothetopsurfacewithcoalescencedue
towalleffectsandinteractionwithotherbubbles.

PressuredropdecreaseswithBedexpansionratiofor3dragfunctions.

FromtheresultIthasbeenshownthatTheexperimentsindicated
smallbubblesnearthebottomofthebedresemblestheresultsfor
Gidaspowdragmodel.
 Conclusions

A multi fluid Eulerian model integrating the kinetic theory for

solid particles using Fluent CFD software was capable of
predictingthegassolidbehaviorofafluidizedbed.

Gidaspowdragmodelresembles thetimeaveragebedpressuredrop,
bed expansion, and qualitative gassolid flow pattern indicated
reasonable agreement for most operating Condition with experimental
results.
 Reference

FariborzTaghipour,NaokoEllis,ClaytonWong,Experimental
andcomputationalstudyofgassolidfluidizedbed
hydrodynamics,Elsevier,ChemicalEngineeringScience60
(2005)68576867