Authors: Peter Blaser and Niraj Mehta
CPFD Software, 13501 Katy Fwy, Suite 3505 Houston, TX 77079 USA
Source: This article was published in the AIChE Particle Technology Forum 2024 Summer Newsletter.
Abstract: Fluidization is a cornerstone of particle technology. Fluidized beds and other fluid-particle systems comprise critical parts in processes across a wide range of energy and energy-intensive industries, including refining, chemicals, and materials. In the 21st century, industries such as these are undergoing an energy transition, marked by sustainability and decarbonization aspirations. The need and desire to reduce an industry’s environmental footprint has driven companies, research institutions, and governments to pursue innovative solutions and novel technologies. As the more promising technologies reach a scale-up and commercialization phase, many of these are utilizing fluidized bed platforms to achieve their ambitious goals.
This article examines the current trends in fluidization that have come about due to the newfound focus on sustainable applications, and how the role of computation tools used by those pursuing the applications is changing as well. From traditional industries driven by risk reduction motivators resulting in incremental process changes to the swift technological advancements in cutting-edge spaces driven by environmental and commercial urgency, we present a series of examples that illustrate the changing nature of fluidization in industrial processes and the parallel evolution of the role of computational tools used for such sustainability applications.