Region-dependent analysis on particle behaviours in a spout-fluidized bed using the discrete hard sphere particle method

Discrete hard sphere particle models and improved large eddy simulations are utilized to investigate the relationship between gas channels and particle behaviour, and the spatial characteristics of particles are explored through region-dependent analysis. A spout-fluidized bed can be divided into upper and lower parts according to clear differences in particle behaviour. Particle motion in the lower section is driven by the gas channel generation process, which leads to a strong gas-solid interaction. In the upper section, strong gas-solid interactions occur only in the vicinity of the gas-channel. We find that the complex generation, evolution, and dissolution of the gas channel is anisotropic, which leads to spatial variations in particle behaviour. The influence of various models and operation parameters are investigated, and our results can be used to optimize the design of reactors and enhance gas-solid interactions.