Comprehensive sensitivity analysis of draft-plate spouted beds

This article introduces a comprehensive model for simulating the hydrodynamics of a draft-plate spouted bed by employing a coupled CFD–DEM (computational fluid dynamics–discrete element method) approach. In contrast to studies focusing on isolated parameters, the present work applies the DEM approach to analyze the combined influence of all pertinent parameters thoroughly, thus offering significant insights into their collective impact on simulation outcomes. This study investigated five distinct drag force models, evaluated the inclusion and influence of the Saffman lift force, and compared three different formulations for the Magnus lift force. Moreover, five diverse combinations of turbulence models were explored to capture the complex flow dynamics within the spouted bed. Finally, the effects of varying the restitution coefficient on particle collisions were investigated to understand its impact on particle behavior. The simulation results show that the Gidaspow drag model demonstrated superior adaptability, making it appropriate for simulating draft-plate spouted beds. In addition, the study assessed the impact of the Saffman lift force and identified specific regions within the bed where its influence is most pronounced. Moreover, the work established the Robinow–Keller model as the most effective formulation for the Magnus lift force coefficient. Regarding turbulence modeling, the standard k–ε model paired with the dispersed multiphase behavior expression yielded the lowest error, indicating superior accuracy. Moreover, a restitution coefficient of 0.9 was identified as the appropriate value for simulating particle collisions. Furthermore, this study substantially improved accuracy, reducing the simulation root-mean-square error (RMSE) by 55.5% from 0.155 to 0.069.