A question about volume fraction of solid

In your 2D simulation (it is actually 3D simulation with one cell in the Z direction, sometimes is called pesudo 2D ), you can increase the cell length in the Z direction and allows more particles in one cell.
Also, you can do a test by setting the inlet gas velocity to ZERO and let the particles pack, then you can determine the effect of cell length (Z direction) on the maximum solid packing volume fraction.