Towards accurate modeling of vibration in CFD-DEM simulations of vibrated gas-fluidized beds without using a moving mesh

Abstract

Vibrated gas-fluidized beds are widely used industrially, and two main methods exist to simulate them computationally: (i) in a moving reference frame by oscillating gravity and (ii) in a stationary reference frame by moving the distributor. Further, it is unclear whether gas flow in the plenum chamber of a vibrated fluidized bed should be modeled as constant or oscillating. Here, we challenge the accuracy of different potential modeling methods by comparing with experimental results of structured bubbling because these results are deterministic, avoiding the need for comparing via statistically averaged quantities. Results show that modeling a moving distributor and moving sidewalls as physically accurately as possible is important, and modeling the system in the moving reference frame is less accurate than in the stationary reference frame, due to subtle differences. Further, it is more accurate to model the gas flow as constant rather than oscillatory in the plenum chamber.