The flow field is simulated for a ceramic filter vessel containing three candle filters which are arranged in the form of an equilateral triangle. Grids generated by GAMBIT are adopted for the simulations. The Reynolds stress model provided by FLUENT code is applied to evaluate gas flow and temperature field in the filter vessel. The temperature profiles in the ceramic candle filter cavity during the pulse cleaning process are analyzed under different operating conditions and for different lengths of candle filter. The evolution of radial velocity in the porous wall of the filters being cleaned and the normal working filters as well as around the filters is discussed. Sharp temperature change takes place in the top of the candle filter which is subject to thermal stress. The phenomenon of temperature increase during the pulse cleaning process has been carefully observed and interpreted based on the effect of gas compression. The simulated results show qualitative agreement with the experimental field observations with the filter vessel. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.