CFD Analysis of the Fluidised Bed Hydrodynamic Behaviour inside an Isothermal Gasifier with different Perforated Plate Distributors

The hydrodynamic behaviour of gas-solid mixtures inside Bed Fluidised Beds (BFB) gasifiers has a major impact on the gasification process due to particles - gas and particle - particle contact mechanisms. The Discrete Phase Model DPM with Multiphase Particle-in-Cell method MPPIC was used as a CFD approach to study the hydrodynamic behaviour of an 800 height x 83 mm φ prototype fluidised bed gasifier with 4 different perforated plate distributors. In terms of bubble forming, pressure drop and superficial velocity, the type D distributor, i.e. triangular, had the best performance among the other types and in turn better bed height and bed movement, thus allowing best fluidisation performance as a consequence of better flow distribution.