A computational study of a multi-solid-liquid fluidized bed incorporating inclined channels

Abstract

Simulations were performed under continuous processing conditions using the 2D continuum model to describe the internal state of a multi-solid system, comprising solid particles of different sizes and densities at the same time. The feed consisted of 35 types of solid particle species with five different sizes, 1.70, 1.20, 0.85, 0.60 and 0.35 mm, and seven different densities ranging from 1400 to 2000 kg/m3. The simulations results have been used to plot the concentration profiles of solid particles along the bed height. The concentration profiles of the solid particles depicted that the fine dense particles, 0.60 mm, having density equal to 1900 kg/m3 and terminal velocity 0.058 m/s moved downwards and discharged into the underflow. However, the low-density coarse particles, 1.20 mm, having density equal to 1400 kg/m3 and terminal velocity 0.068 m/s moved upwards and conveyed to the overflow, hence, show a separation process based on the density difference. Furthermore, simulation results showed that the particle species having densities close to the value of the separation relative density exhibited higher concentrations along the system height, and the suspension within the system was mainly composed of these species.

Keywords

• density separation
• fluidization
• multiphase flow
• polydisperse suspension
• segregation-dispersion model
• simulations