Packing Fixed Bed Reactors with Cylinders: Influence of Particle Length Distribution

AbstractIn this work, we are interested in a better understanding of the local packing structure of fixed bed reactors made of cylindrical pellets packed in cylindrical tubes. Packing of cylindrical particles is simulated using Grains3D DEM code and results are analyzed in terms of void fraction using 3D analysis tools. With tube diameter as a secondary parameter, we investigate the porous structure depending on the pellet length distribution: average porosity, radial porosity, orientation of the pellets and variability of those indicators when repeating the numerical experiments