Suspensions
The understanding of the fluid dynamic behavior of liquid solid suspensions is vital to a large number of industrial processes, such as in the backwashing of granular filters, particle classification and bioreactors to name a few. By means of the pseudo-fluid approach, we are able to estimate the general suspension behavior in a wide range of conditions.
This approach outlines possible application of suspension theory to geological phenomena, such as the vertical transport of water-sand suspensions.
Fluidisation
We are carrying out theoretical and experimental studies in order to develop a better understanding of the fluid dynamic behavior of liquid solid suspensions and how this behavior is affected by process parameters, such as the bed composition. Here, a summary of recent findings on the wall effect over the transition from fixed to fluidized state of a liquid-solid mixture is presented.
Our research approach extends also to the study of two and three phase flows in a loop reactor.
Computational fluid dynamics
Some aspects of fluidisation such as voidage profiles, slug formation, pressure drop and pressure fluctuations are simulated by dedicated CFD softwares. Figure below shows the results for the numerical simulation of a bidisperse fluidization in a spouted bed.