Abstract:
Traditional modeling of fluidized bed operations has focused on the
development of models and correlations for specific systems or narrow areas of
application. With recent advances in computing power, new methods of modeling
fluidization are possible. One such approach is the Computational Fluid Dynamic
Discrete Particle Method (CFD-DPM), which treats the fluid as a continuum and
the particles as discrete Newtonian entities. The promise of the CFD-DPM
approach lies in its ability to incorporate particle interactions in a way that
previous models could not.
One area of fluidization that has not been actively modeled is the inclusion
of non-traditional forces in the fluidization operation. As an example, the use of
external magnetic fields in fluidization has provided some interesting applications
including; fluidized beds capable of operation in micro-gravity, manipulation of
bed structure, and stabilizing bubbling fluidized beds. The ability to model
external forces and particle interactions would increase our understanding of these
phenomena and potentially lead to new applications for fluidization.
A Computational Fluid Dynamic Discrete Particle Method code, named
Particle-X, is developed from first principles. The development includes the
consideration of external fields and forces, as well as inter-particle forces. The
code is validated against experimental data collected from a variety of fluidized
bed operations. Particle-X can be used as a tool for the scientific investigation of
fluidization under conditions that cannot be accurately reproduced in a laboratory
environment; specifically the development of various fluidization operations for
use in micro-gravity is considered.
