Investigation of flow characteristics in a rectangular spouted fluidized bed using electrical capacitance volume tomography

Abstract

The characterization of gas-solid flow behavior in rectangular spouted fluidized bed (RSFB) poses significant challenges due to the presence of complex gas-phase vortex flow within the bed. The flow characteristics of gas-solid two-phase flow in RSFB were investigated by using a self-developed 32-electrode electrical capacitance volume tomography (ECVT) system with an imaging speed of 105 frames per second when the spouting gas velocity Uf increased from 0.97 m/s to 1.78 m/s. Experimental results demonstrate that with increasing Uf, the flow transitions from weak bubbling/bubble fluidization to turbulent fluidization in the RSFB. The amplitude peak difference of particles in different planes of the fluidized bed gradually decreases, and the rising velocity of bubbles initially decreases and then increases. The gas-particle backmixing effect strengthens, while the entrainment effect during bubble rupture weakens. The research findings can provide valuable insights for understanding the flow behavior in RSFB and offer guidance for optimizing the process operation of fluidized bed reactors.