Experimental analysis and computational fluid dynamics simulations for heat transfer in sound assisted fluidized bed of fine powders

Abstract

Fine powders in the size range of 20-200 μm are widely used in industries for fluid bed operations and are ideal for gas-solid reactions because of their large external surface areas and favorable heat transfer rates. The fine powders have very poor flow characteristics. Most of the earlier research work in heat transfer in bubbling fluidized beds is focused on coarse grained Geldart B and D particles. Acoustic energy of sufficient intensity and sound pressure level improved the quality of fluidization of fine powders. The objective of this investigation is experimental analysis and CFD simulations for heat transfer in a fluidized bed of fine powders at different acoustic conditions. The Eulerian approach has been identified as an efficient method for the numerical simulation of fluidized beds. The experimental and CFD results are in good agreement with each other.