Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics investigation of hydrodynamics behaviour of gas–solid flow in fluidized bed of Geldart D particles

Fluidized beds are widely used in many industrial processes as they ensure the desirable high-intensity heat and mass transfers between gas and particles and offer the possibility to perform operations in a continuous mode and powders recycling. Some of these industrial processes use Geldart D type of powders and operate in the slugging mode. This paper presents a 3 D numerical model of gas-solid flows in a fluidized bed based on the Two-Fluid Model (TFM). Turbulence modeling (k- ε) was used to predict flow behavior in fluidized bed of Geldart D particles. The solid phase consists of Geldart D powders and the gas flow is in a slug regime. The numerical results are validated against the experimental work of Azzi et al. Model predictions on flow patterns, bed expansion, volume fraction time series and pressure drop fluctuations are presented and discussed in details in order to demonstrate the cyclic process of slug formation (onset, growth, rising and bursting of slugs) and its effects on the overall performance of beds fluidizing Geldart D type of powders.