(193b) Bubbletree: A Rigorous Algorithm for Lagrangian Tracking and Statistical Analysis of Bubble or Cluster Motion and Flux within 3D Fluid Bed Simulations

Bubbling dynamics and distribution of gas flow critically influence the performance of fluidized bed reactors and must be quantified accurately for their design and performance optimization. In this study, BubbleTree (BT) toolset is developed using python based Visualization Tool Kit (VTK) for analyzing computational fluid dynamics simulation data and performing statistical analysis of bubbling dynamics such as their volume, location and velocity. In addition, this toolkit provides the capability to (a) track bubbles through coalescence and splitting events and (b) compute gas bypass (or throughflow) by integrating gas fluxes through the bubble surface. The BT toolset also incorporates a robust statistical method to improve the certainty of the analysis. In addition to the bubble tracking capabilities, the BT toolset can track particle clusters. Integration with the MFiX CFD simulation allows for in situ updating of physical model parameters based on bubble or particle cluster tracking. Additional developments include analyzing flow inside the bubble or cluster region and flow between regions to quantify channeling phenomena.