CFD simulation of hydrodynamics and heat transfer in gas phase ethylene polymerization reactors

The hydrodynamics and temperature of a two-dimensional gas–solid fluidized bed of gas phase olefin polymerization reactor had been studied. A two-fluid Eularian Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model with closure relationships according to the kinetic theory of granular flow has been applied in order to simulate the gas–solid flow. Fluidization regime and gas–solid flow pattern were investigated using three different drag models. Model predictions of bed pressure drop were compared with corresponding experimental data reported in the literature to validate the model. The predicted values were in reasonable agreement with the experimental data. The temperature behavior of fluidized bed with various drag models was investigated. The temperature gradient in the primary section of the bed was much larger than the gradient in other sections and the effect of all drag models on temperature gradient along the bed was approximately similar.