Modeling of Magnetic-Field-Assisted Fluidization: Model Development and CFD Simulation of Magnetically Stabilized Fluidized Beds

Magnetic-field-assisted fluidization is starting to be considered as a viable alternative to standard fluidized beds for those operations (such as particle separations, filtration, adsorption) in which the solid phase can be made of magnetic particles or, alternatively, the fluidizing agent is a ferro-fluid; thus the fluid bed responds to the action of magnetic fields, and stabilized fluidization regimes can be generated. One of the major difficulties to be tackled is the development of a predictive model capable of estimating the stabilized-to-bubbling transition velocity for a given magnetic field or, on the other hand, the magnetic field intensity required to stabilize the bed to a quiescent condition. The fluid dynamics prediction of a stabilized bed is also a challenging task at the moment. On this basis, a very simple model for the description of MSFB was derived in this contribution starting from basic fluid dynamics and magnetodynamics equations. The model was implemented in a commercial CFD code in order to simulate the effect of the magnetic field onset on a freely bubbling fluidized bed.