Study of Hydrodynamics of a Scaled-down Tapered Fluidized Bed
A. Venkataramanan (TU Delft - Applied Sciences)
J.T. Padding – Mentor (TU Delft - Mechanical Engineering)
R. Ramesh – Mentor (TU Delft - Mechanical Engineering)
W. de Jong – Mentor (TU Delft - Mechanical Engineering)
R.M. Manila – Mentor (TU Delft - Mechanical Engineering)
Atul Bansode – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Applied Sciences)
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Abstract
The transition toward a circular economy necessitates efficient energy recovery technologies for biomass and plastic waste. Fluidized bed reactors (FBRs) provide excellent gas–solid mixing and thermal efficiency; however, their scale-up is often limited by complex hydrodynamics. This study examines the hydrodynamics of a scaled-down tapered bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) through combined experimental and numerical analyses. A scaling methodology based on Glicksman’s inertial law was employed to design a small-scale reactor that replicates the flow characteristics of a large facility. Experimental investigations using γ-ray computed tomography (CT) and radiographic scans were conducted to quantify solid fraction distributions and visualize bed expansion under varying gas velocities, revealing axial variations in particle-phase packing and gas–solid interactions. Parallel computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, carried out in Ansys Fluent using a two-fluid Euler–Euler framework with the kinetic theory of granular flow (KTGF), successfully captured the onset of fluidization and the
evolution of gas inlet jets along the axial height. Nonetheless, extending the simulation runs to longer physical times would provide deeper insights into the underlying flow physics.