NUMERICAL STUDY ON THERMAL CHARACTERISTICS IN FLUIDIZED BEDS USING DEM-CFD

This work used a pseudo three-dimensional discrete element method (DEM) to study the way gas supply patterns affect the thermodynamics characteristics in fluidized beds. During the simulations, gas-to-particle and particle-to-particle heat transfers were considered. Results indicate that there is a lateral temperature gradient of particles in fluidized bed using horizontal air distributor incorporated with even gas supply; nevertheless, in the case of inclined air distributor together with uneven gas supply, it takes a short time for particle phase to achieve a homogenous temperature field. Hydrodynamics analysis and comparison of solid fluxes between the two cases reveal that the bubbles' lateral movement are reduced due to even gas supply, and the particle-to-gas heat transfer is localized; however, there is an global circulating solids stream in the bed with uneven gas supply, which is thought to expand the particles' movement range and enhance the thermal transport performance of the fluidizing system.