Structure Optimization of a Rotating Zigzag Bed via Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation

3D physical and computational fluid dynamics models have been developed to describe the rotating zigzag bed (RZB). The pressure distribution in a RZB was investigated first. It was found that the simulations agreed well with experiments, so the reliability of the models was proved. The simulations suggest that the pressure drop decreases with the rotating bed thickness (H, the height between the rotating and stationary disks) within certain limits, particularly under a high gas flow rate. Also, the dead zones in the flow field are obviously reduced when we enlarge the rotor in the radial dimension. The optimal rotating bed thickness of 96 mm obtained by the principle of equal area was verified in the simulations. So, the principle can be used in the structural design of a RZB.