Research on the Influence of the Scaling-up Process on the Flow Structure and Two-Phase Distribution of Gas–Solid Fluidized Beds

Abstract

In the continuous scaling-up process of the separating system, a mechanism exists that transforms the behavior of the flow field, resulting in deviations from the original model and conclusions. The paper examined the effects of the scale up of a fluidized bed by CFD. It was observed that increasing the diameter reduces the amplitude of axial density fluctuations. Similarly, increasing the static height increases the amplitude. Moreover, increasing the static bed height enhances the visibility of the cyclic flow structure of gas and solid phases. The flow structure in large bed diameters is disrupted. The impact of changing the bed diameter on bed density is more significant than the static height. As the bed diameter increases, the bubble disturbance decreases and the aggregation phase gradually disappears while the proportion of the emulsified phase keeps increasing. This study will guide and assist in the future application of separated fluidized beds in industry.