[mail.leonardo]

Dear all,

I am currently involved into the study of fluid dynamic of a small bench reator (a simple cylindrical reactor with a porus plate as air distributor). Actually I still have to start with serious experimental tests (pressure drop trend recorded on Labview platform) but up to now I have the chance to perform some manual recorded test at different inlet velocity and for different particules size distribution. ConsequentlyI have plotted gained data to build the fluidization curve and I know more or less what I should expect from my CFD model for a given air velocity set up at the bottom boundary condition.

The problem is that my model seems to not be sensitive to air velocity changings for what regards the pressure drop trend. COnsequently if O work with the measured fluidization velocity I obtain a pressure drop trend which is reliable and similar to the one effectively recorded during the test but if I decrease this velocity of 50 % I would expect to obtain more or less the half value of it (being into the linear part of the pressure drop) but this does not happen and I continue to have values which are close to those valid for Umf which is obviously unphysical.

Is there anybody who has pass through the same kind of application and problem which could give me some adivice about it

I honestly consider the problem to be into a wrong bed parameters set up (intial solid bed voidage, voidage at fluidization condition etc) which could affect the final result. AFter all there still could be something that I have not consider and I would appreciate if you can help me!!

Thank you very much for your attention and possibly for your help

Leonardo