A TWO-PHASE FLOW MODEL FOR PARTICLE-GAS FLOWS AND COMPARISON WITH EXPERIMENTAL MEASUREMENTS

This paper presents a two-phase flow numerical model for spouting gas-particle flow reactors used in chemical vapor deposition processes for manufacturing heart valves and other biomedical implants. The objective is to develop a model based on the Eulerian-Eulerian formulation of gas-particle flows, with modifications to the k-e engineering model to account for particles in the description of turbulent gas flows. The methodology involves setting up physical models to visualize particle flows and spout characteristics using particle image velocimetry, along with optical probes to measure particle velocities. The results show that the predictions from the numerical model align reasonably well with the experimental measurements, indicating the model's potential to enhance understanding of the gas-particle flow phenomena. This advancement is crucial, as optimizing operating parameters for improved reactor performance has traditionally relied on empirical data and trial-and-error methods. By offering a modeling approach, this study addresses the limitations in current practices and aims to facilitate more efficient product development in the biomedical field.