Heat transfer in a tapered fluidized bed of biomass particles with pulsed gas flow

•Biomass was successfully fluidized in a tapered fluidized bed with pulsed gas flow.•Flow pattern varied from channeling, slugging to bubbling at different flow rates.•Weak gas pulsations led to core-annulus flow that increased lateral segregation.•Maximum heat transfer coefficient was found around the natural frequency of pulsed fluidized bed.•Smaller biomass particles exhibited faster heat transfer and smoother fluidization.