Modeling and chemical vapor deposition in a fluidized bed reactor based on discrete particle simulation

For better understanding the process of particle coating by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) in the fluidized bed, the simulation of the deposition process was combined with a discrete particle model (DPM). Based on the experimental results of the thermal decomposition of tri-isobutyl-aluminum (TIBA) to produce aluminum onto glass beads, mechanisms on the micro-scale were investigated by single particle tracking. Zones of excessive growth as well as zones of insufficient mixing were identified. In particular, the take-up of aluminum was traced for selected particles that exhibited a large mass of deposited aluminum what in turn provides insight into the homogeneity and quantity of the coating throughout the bed material.