Three-dimensional numerical simulation of a horizontal rotating fluidized bed

Three-dimensional numerical simulations of a horizontal rotating fluidized bed (RFB) containing glass bead particles (d(s) = 82 mu m, rho(s) = 2450 kg/m(3)) and washed alumina (d(s) = 89 mu m, rho(s) = 1550 kg/m(3)) were performed. FLUENT 6.1 software was used to carry out our simulation. The numerical results were compared with the experimental data of Qian and Pfeffer et al. [G.H. Qian, I. Bagyi, I.W. Burdick, R. Pfeffer, H. Shaw, Gas-Solid Fluidization in a Centrifugal Field." AIChE J. 47 (5) (2001) 1022-1034]. The rotating speed of the RFB was set at 325 rpm (34 rad/s), which is equivalent to a centrifugal acceleration of 7 g. The flow behavior of the solid particles was analyzed; the bed thickness and the calculated pressure drop were compared with the experimental results. Our calculated pressure drop agreed very well with the experimental results. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.