A numerical scale-up study of annular fluidized bed reactor with high centrifugal acceleration

• Published in: Powder technology Vol. 442; p. 119893
• Main Authors: Li, Tingwen, Pannala, Sreekanth, Dittrich, Christoph, West, David
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-06-2024
• Subjects: Computational fluid dynamics; Gas-solid contact; Process intensification; Reactor scale-up; Rotating fluidized bed; Solid entrainment; Solid entrainment; Process intensification; Gas-solid contact; Computational fluid dynamics; Reactor scale-up; Rotating fluidized bed
• ISSN: 0032-5910; 1873-328X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.powtec.2024.119893

A rotating fluidized bed imposes a strong centrifugal force to form the dense annular bed with high interphase slip velocity for significantly enhanced gas-solids contact. The fundamental fluidization behaviors in rotating fluidized beds have been well understood in small-scale systems. The current study focuses on the scale-up of a rotating fluidized bed from lab-scale to commercial-scale through computational fluid dynamics modeling. The computational model was first validated against a lab-scale horizontal rotating fluidized bed for the general flow behavior and pressure drop. The validated computational model with a column diameter of 0.12 m was then scaled up to 0.48 m and 1.92 m to investigate the flow hydrodynamics at larger scales. By comparing the solids distribution and other flow field variables, major limitations in the stable operation of a rotating fluidized bed at large scales were identified. The challenges faced in the scale-up of an annular fluidized bed with centrifugal acceleration are discussed and ways to overcome such challenges are explored.
[Display omitted]
•A systematic numerical scale-up study of rotating fluidized bed was conducted.•Simulations at different scales were conducted to facilitate reactor scale-up.•Factors affecting the stable operation of large-scale reactor were examined.•Challenges in the scale-up of a rotating fluidized bed were discussed.