Numerical simulation of fluid–particle hydrodynamics in a rectangular spouted vessel

Abstract

A three-dimensional, Eulerian simulation was developed to describe isothermal, two-phase flow of the continuous (water) and dispersed (solid particles) phases in a rectangular spouted vessel. The mass and momentum conservation equations for each phase were solved using the finite volume technique, which treats each phase separately, while coupling them through drag, turbulence, and energy dissipation due to particle fluctuations. Particle–particle interactions via friction were also included. Model results in terms of fluid and solid flow properties, such as volume fraction, pressure and velocity fields were validated with experimental results obtained in a rectangular spouted vessel apparatus. The effects of inlet jet velocity, particle loading, particle diameter, and density on solids volume fraction distributions, pressure field, and particle recirculation rate were investigated with the resultant model. The model is shown to be able to successfully predict the experimentally observed phenomenon of particle “choking” where the particle recirculation rate remains constant with increasing particle loading once a “critical loading” is achieved. Simulations also confirmed the manner in which particle size, density, loading, and inlet jet velocity affect solids circulation. This investigation was motivated by the need for hydrodynamic information related to the development of spouted bed electrolytic reactors (SBER) as moving bed cathodes for metals recovery.