Speaker
Description
Packed beds are widely employed in chemical and process engineering applications, including separation columns and catalytic reactors, where hydrodynamic behavior and heat transfer performance are often critical design considerations. Traditional random packings offer simplicity and
robustness but typically incur relatively high pressure drops, while structured packings can reduce hydraulic resistance at the cost of increased manufacturing and installation complexity. Recently, a
novel radially layered packing concept has been proposed, aiming to combine the low pressure drop characteristics of structured packings with the practical advantages of random packings.
In this contribution, a comprehensive computational study of radially layered packed beds is presented using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations performed with OpenFOAM.
The performance of the radially layered configuration is systematically compared against that of conventional random packings to assess its impact on flow and thermal behavior. Two representative packing geometries are considered: spherical particles and cylindrical particles, allowing the influence of particle shape to be explicitly evaluated.
The simulations resolve the detailed flow field within the packed beds, capturing velocity distributions, local flow heterogeneities, and the development of preferential flow paths induced by the radial layering. In addition, conjugate heat transfer simulations are conducted to quantify the resulting temperature fields under representative operating conditions. Particular attention is given to radial and axial temperature profiles, which are of central importance for reactor performance
and thermal management in packed bed systems.
The results demonstrate that the radially layered arrangement significantly modifies the internal flow structure compared to random packings, leading to more organized flow patterns and reduced
flow maldistribution. These hydrodynamic changes are reflected in the thermal behavior of the system, with observable differences in temperature gradients and heat transfer characteristics for both spherical and cylindrical packings. The findings indicate that radially layered packings have the potential to improve thermal performance while maintaining favorable hydraulic properties.
Overall, this study provides detailed insight into the coupled flow and heat transfer mechanisms in radially layered packed beds and establishes CFD as a valuable tool for their systematic evaluation.
The results support the potential of this packing concept as a promising alternative for heat-transfer-limited packed bed applications.
| Country | Italy |
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