CFD simulation of a spouted bed: Comparison between the Discrete Element Method (DEM) and the Two Fluid Model (TFM)

A spouted bed was simulated through two Computational Fluid Dynamic models: CFD-TFM and CFD-DEM. The two models were compared and validated with data from literature, showing good agreement between experimental and simulated results. Both models were able to predict the dynamics of the bed from the static situation to stable spouting conditions, even though some discrepancies in the solid volume fraction or velocity profiles were observed. Overall, CFD-DEM reproduced better the experimental measurements, and, since the computational effort was proved to be similar in both cases due to the low number of particles in the bed, it was preferred to describe the present spouted bed. In larger systems, however, CFD-DEM might not be so convenient, requiring the evaluation of the degree of accuracy and the computational costs prior to the application of this or alternative models.