Scaling method of CFD-DEM simulations for gas-solid flows in risers

In this paper a scaling method is proposed for scaling down the prohibitively large number of particles in CFD-DEM simulations for modeling large systems such as circulating fluidized beds. Both the gas and the particle properties are scaled in this method, and a detailed comparison among alternative mapping strategies is performed by scaling both the computational grid size and the riser depth. A series of CFD-DEM simulations has been performed for a pseudo-2D CFB riser to enable a detailed comparison with experimental data. By applying the scaling method, the hydrodynamic flow behavior could be well predicted and cluster characteristics, such as cluster velocity and cluster holdups agreed well with the experimental data. For a full validation of the scaling method, four mapping conditions with different ratios of the grid size and particle volume and of modified ratio of riser depth to particle size were analyzed. The results show that in addition to hydrodynamic scaling of the particle and fluid properties, scaling of the dimensions for the interphase mapping is also necessary.