Computational simulations of hydrodynamics of supercritical methanol fluid fluidized beds using a low density ratio-based kinetic theory of granular flow

Hydrodynamics of fluid and particles were simulated using a low density ratio-based kinetic theory of granular flow (KTGF) in supercritical methanol (ScM) fluidized beds (FB). Results indicated that the fluidization state of the methanol fluid and particle mixtures change progressively from particulate to aggregative fluidization. A transition exists with wavy-like flows near the bottom and churn-like flows at the upper part along bed height, unlike the homogeneous fluidization in atmospheric methanol fluid FB and turbulent fluidization regime with particle strands in ScM FB. The threshold to identify the occurrence of strands was proposed in terms of mean value and standard deviation of solid volume fractions. The frequencies of particle strands increased with increasing methanol fluid temperatures and pressures. The computed fluid volume fractions agreed with experimental data in a supercritical carbon dioxide fluid fluidized bed.