A novel method to quantify gas–particle interactions in fluidized beds using 3D-printed fluidization structures

Gas–particle interactions are fundamental to fluidized bed theory and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, yet hindered by inherent structural instability. This study pioneers a novel method using high-fidelity 3D printing to manufacture stable fluidization structures (uniform, clusters, bubbles) with controlled solids holdup (εs, 0–0.65), particle diameter (dp, 40–2000 μm), and geometries. Intrinsic pressure drops are measured via a custom experimental system, enabling drag coefficient quantification through energy balance. Validation against fixed beds (high εs) and liquid-particle systems (medium/low εs) confirms <5% εs error and ±8% drag coefficient accuracy. The method can potentially be applied to resolve long-standing discrepancies in gas–particle interaction models (e.g., drag variance >118), advance fluidization theories, and enable precise CFD optimization of fluidized beds.