SIMULATION OF STRUCTURAL PHENOMENA IN MIXED-PARTICLE FLUIDIZED-BEDS

A statistical mechanical simulation was developed and used to predict the macroscopic and microscopic behavior of fluidized beds. In particu lar, the model was used to study structural phenomena in liquid fluidi zed beds that contain a distribution of particle sizes and/or densitie s. Bed structural phenomena, such as density-based and size-based segr egation, classification, expansion, inversion, and solids dispersion h ave all been successfully simulated. Experimental data for the segrega tion of glass beads of different sizes and different densities agree w ell with predictions made from the simulation (without adjustable para meters). Classification and dispersion simulations also show good agre ement with experimental data.