Numerical analysis of gas-solid hydrodynamics and heat transfer characteristics in a multi-stage fluidized bed temperature stabilizer

The research aims to evaluate gas-solid's hydrodynamics and heat transfer physiognomies in a multi-stage fluidized bed temperature stabilizer. This dual-functioning type device is highly recommended for preserving grain quality or nutritional value during drying and gradually cooling dried grain. In this investigation, CFD simulation on a 2-D model of a multi-stage fluidized bed temperature stabilizer has been carried out using the ANSYS FLUENT 14.5 software by employing Eulerian-Eulerian methodology for the gas-solid phase. This investigation examines the effect of volume fraction, temperature, and pressure variation at different inlet air velocities of 0.05, 0.1, and 0.15 m s-1, for 500, 1000, and 1500 g particle loading capacities, respectively. Comparing numerical outcomes with the experimental results, a good agreement is found with a maximum variation of temperature and heat transfer coefficient of 2.19% and 1.56%, respectively.