Flow behavior of gas and particles is simulated by means of the second-order moments method (SUM) in a tapered bubbling fluidized bed. The frictional stress model proposed by Johnson et al. (1990) is used to predicate the frictional stresses of particles. A drag coefficient model for gas-monosized particles flow is proposed for predicting the interaction between gas and solid phase in the tapered bubbling fluidized beds. Distributions of concentration, velocity and moments of particles are predicted in the tapered bubbling fluidized bed. The ratio of the vertical normal second-order moment to the lateral normal second-order moment increases with the increase of tapering angle. The averaged ratios are larger than unity in the inner section (IS region) in the cylinder of the bed. It is, however, reverse in the outside of the cylinder (OS region). The second-order moments are direction-dependence, and the anisotropy of the normal components of the second-order moments is obvious in tapered bubbling fluidized beds. A comparison has been made between the simulations using proposed model and the experimental data. Simulated concentration of particles, bed pressure drop and bed expansion agreed reasonably with experimental measurements. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.