Numerical study on adsorption enhancement of rectangular adsorption bed

The present paper has dealt with the one-sidewall cooling effect of spherical adsorbent particles packed in a rectangular bed on water vapor adsorption characteristics by a 2-dimensional numerical analysis. The analysis model was considered that one-sidewall of a rectangular packed bed with homogeneous spherical silica gel particles was cooled and another walls were adiabatic. The moist air flowed into the rectangular adsorption bed packed with spherical adsorbent particles. Fuji Sylsia silica gel B was selected as a suitable adsorbent with high adsorption ability over high relative humidity. Numerical results revealed the effects of moist air inlet humidity, airflow velocity, size of spherical silica gel particles, width of the rectangular packed bed, and the side-wall cooling temperature on the amount of water vapor adsorption.     

A numerical model for thermal systems with helically-coiled tubes and its experimental verification

 A conjugate numerical model proposed by Nakayama et al. for the steady problem of cooling a fluid flowing through a coiled tube, has been successfully extended to investigate two distinctive thermal problems, namely, the transient cooling processes associated with a beer dispenser, and the transient processes of heat storage and recovery associated with a packed bed saturated with a molten salt. An axisymmetric numerical procedure is adopted for determining the velocity and temperature fields within the chilled water bath of the beer dispenser. A simplified one-dimensional heat transfer model is introduced for coupling the tube flow with the recirculating flow in the bath. A similar axisymmetric finite difference procedure is applied for the heat transfer analysis of the packed bed saturated with a molten salt. For the heat recovery process, a one-dimensional heat balance equation for the two-phase flow with a helically-coiled tube is introduced to update the wall surface temperatures, which are needed to calculate the temperature field in the saturated packed bed. The numerical results for both thermal systems associated with coiled tubes agree very well with the corresponding velocity and temperature data obtained from the experiments. Received on 28 August 2000 / Published online: 29 November 2001     

Combined absorption-desiccant solar powered air conditioning system

This article presents a combined absorption-desiccant high performance airconditioning system suitable for hot humid areas. A LiBr-H₂O absorption machine is powered by medium concentrators with a collection temperature of 140°C. The heat released in the absorption system condenser at 75°C is used for firing a silica gel (desiccant) dehumidifier. This consists of 2 silica gel beds of the cross flow type working alternatively in series with the absorption machine one bed at a time.The system is analyzed and the mathematical model with the governing equations are given. Results of the analysis are shown for the silica gel beds over an assumed working period duration.     

Comparison of Uniform and Non-uniform Pressure Approaches Used to Analyze an Adsorption Process in a Closed Type Adsorbent Bed

Heat and mass transfer in an annular adsorbent bed filled with silica gel particles is numerically analyzed by uniform and non-uniform pressure approaches. The study is performed for silica gel–water pair, particle radius from 0.025 to 1 mm and two bed radii of 10 and 40 mm. For uniform pressure approach, the energy equation for the bed and the mass transfer equation for the particle are solved. For non-uniform pressure approach, the continuity and Darcy equations due to the motion of water vapor in the bed are added, and four coupled partial differential equations are solved. The changes of the adsorbate concentration, pressure, and temperature in the bed throughout the adsorption process for both approaches are obtained and compared. The obtained results showed that the particle size plays an important role on the validity of uniform pressure approach. Due to the interparticle mass transfer resistance, there is a considerable difference between the results of the uniform pressure and non-uniform pressure approaches for the beds with small size of particles such as $r_\mathrm{{p}} =$ 0.025 mm.     

Numerical simulation for fin effect of a rectangular latent heat storage vessel packed with molten salt under heat release process

The present numerical study has dealt with the enhancement of latent heat Release by using plate type fins mounted on the vertical cooling surface in the rectangular vessel packed with molten salt as a latent heat storage material. It was found that the fin thickness and pitch exerted an influence on solidification heat transfer in a liquid layer of a nitric molten salt. The numerical results elucidated the flow pattern, velocity profile and heat transfer rate in the melted liquid layer.     

Experimental heat and mass transfer of the separated and coupled rotating desiccant wheel and heat wheel

The experimental evaluation of the separated and coupled rotating desiccant wheel and heat wheel is reported. The study aims to investigate the performance of the desiccant wheel and of the heat wheel both when operated separately and jointly. The performance evaluation of the desiccant wheel is based on its moisture removal capacity (MRC), moisture removal regeneration (MRR), and moisture mass balance (MMB). In addition, the study used the total energy balance (TEB), sensible coefficient of performance (COP_Sensible), latent coefficient of performance (COP_Latent) and, total coefficient of performance (COP_Total). The performance of the heat wheel is based on its effectiveness. The COP_Sensible, COP_Latent and, COP_Total are used in the performance evaluation of the coupled desiccant wheel and heat wheel. The general results of the study show that the MRC, MRR and MMB coupled with the TEB, COP_Latent, COP_Sensible and COP_Total predict adequately the performance of the desiccant wheel. In addition, the coupled operation of the desiccant wheel and heat wheel, contributed to the reduction of the external thermal energy requirement for the regeneration of the desiccant wheel. This study can be applied in other researches seeking evaluation of the desiccant wheel, heat wheel, and their combined operation. Moreover, the data presented here are significant for the desiccant wheel benchmarking and for evaluation of the desiccant wheel models.     

Thermo-mechanical analysis of packed beds for large-scale storage of high temperature heat

Thermal storage systems are central elements of various types of power plants operated using renewable and conventional energy sources. Where gaseous heat transfer media are used, a regenerator-type heat storage with a packed bed inventory is a particularly cost-effective solution. However, suitable design tools to analyse the thermo-mechanical aspects of large-scale storage of high temperature heat are currently still missing. As a basis for such a tool, this contribution presents a novel approach for the prediction of the thermo-mechanical behaviour of such storage under thermo-cyclic operation. The relevant relations are formulated on the basis of the discrete element method (DEM). Here, the forces interacting between spherical particles are calculated by spring, dashpot and friction models and the resulting translations and rotations are determined solving Newton’s equations of motion. Coupling these equations with a simplified thermal model that considers the heat resistance within the particles allows for investigation of the thermo-mechanical behaviours of a packed bed. For adequate implementation of this new approach and for reduced computational effort, a time-step control has been implemented and validated. Initial simulation results include the temporal and spatial displacements as well as the forces acting on the individual bodies for a thermo-cyclic operation.     

Mixed convective heat transfer characteristics and mechanisms in structured packed beds

The structured packed bed is considered a promising reactor owing to its low pressure drop and good heat transfer performance. In the heat transfer process of thermal storage in packed beds, natural convection plays an important role. To obtain the mixed convective heat transfer characteristics and mechanisms in packed beds, numerical simulations and coupling analyses were carried out in this study on the unsteady process of fluid flow and heat transfer. A three-dimensional model of the flow channel in the packed bed was established, and the Navier–Stokes equations and Laminar model were adopted for the computations. The effects of the driving force on fluid flow around a particle were studied in detail. The differences in velocity and density distributions under different flow directions due to effect of the aiding flow or opposing flow were intuitively demonstrated and quantitatively analyzed. It was found that the driving force strengthens the fluid flow near the particle surface when aiding flow occurs and inhibits the fluid flow when opposing flow occurs. The boundary layer structure was changed by the natural convection, which in turn influences the field synergy angle. For the aiding flow, the coordination between the velocity and density fields is higher than that for the opposing flow. By analysis the effects of physical parameters on mixed convective heat transfer, it is indicated that with an increase in the fluid-solid temperature difference or the particle diameter, or a decrease in the fluid temperature, the strengthening or inhibiting effect of natural convection on the heat transfer became more significant.     

Numerical investigation of transient heat and mass transfer in a parallel-flow liquid-desiccant absorber

Liquid desiccant systems have received significant attention as a way to reduce latent loads. Tests of liquid desiccant systems in humid climates have shown significant reductions in energy consumption. As moisture in the air is absorbed at the dehumidifier, the temperature of the liquid desiccant increases due to the addition of heat from the enthalpy of condensation of the water vapor. Thus, the coupled effects of heat and mass transfer are relevant for these applications. A two-dimensional mathematical model of the transient heat and mass transfer for an absorber where a thin film of liquid desiccant flows down its walls and dehumidifies the air in parallel-flow configuration is developed and the dynamics of the modeled system are analyzed.     

The experimental investigation of heat transport and water infiltration in granular packed bed due to supplied hot water from the top: Influence of supplied water flux, particle sizes and supplied water temperature

In the present study an experimental investigation of heat transport and water infiltration in granular packed bed (unsaturated porous media) due to supplied water flux is carried out. The study is focus on the one-dimensional flow in a vertical granular packed bed column assuming local thermal equilibrium between water and particles at any specific space. This experimental study described the dynamics of heat transport and water infiltration in various testing condition. Experimentally, the influences of particle sizes, supplied water flux and supplied water temperature on heat transport and water infiltration during unsaturated flow are clarified in details. The results showed that the granular packed bed with larger particle size results in faster infiltration rate and form a wider infiltration depth. Furthermore, the increase of the supplied water flux and supplied water temperature corresponds to faster infiltration rate, but the results not linearly related to the interference between the heat transport and hydrodynamics characteristics in granular packed bed.     

Thermodynamic performance of a hybrid air cycle refrigeration system using a desiccant rotor

Due to the concern on global warming, the demand for a system using natural refrigerant is increasing and many researches have been devoted to develop systems with natural refrigerants. Among natural refrigerant systems, an air cycle system has emerged as one of alternatives of Freon gas system due to environmentally friendly feature in spite of the inherent low efficiency. To overcome the technical barrier, this study proposed combination of multiple systems as a hybrid cycle to achieve higher efficiency of an air cycle system. The hybrid air cycle adopts a humidity control units such as an adsorber and a desorber to obtain the cooling effect from latent heat as well as sensible heat. To investigate the efficacy of the hybrid air cycle, the cooling performance of a hybrid air cycle is investigated analytically and experimentally. From the simulation result, it is found that COP of the hybrid air cycle is two times higher than that of the conventional air cycle. The experiments are conducted on the performance of the desiccant system according to the rotation speed in the system and displayed the feasibility of the key element in the hybrid air cycle system. From the results, it is shown that the system efficiency can be enhanced by utilization of the exhausted heat through the ambient heat exchanger with advantage of controlling the humidity by the desiccant rotor.     

A three phase model of a batch fluidized bed

A three phase mathematical model of simultaneous heat and mass transfer of a batch operation for a fluidized bed is presented. The three phases are a solid free bubble, emulsion and solid phases. The model employs an elaborate five equations porosity model. Various correlations for the minimum fluidization parameters are surveyed and compared with the adequate one is being adopted in the model. The governing equations together with the boundary and initial conditions are presented for a cyclic operation of the bed. These are numerically solved for a test case where the bed is charged with silica gel particles to dehumidify a process air stream. Thus the bed works in an air dehumidification mode/bed regeneration mode cyclic operation with matching conditions.Results for the bed operation are presented as the temperature and humidity ratio variations for the test case. The results indicate the ability of the developed model to provide the␣required data for the concerned batch operated fluidized bed. Received on 11 May 1998     

固定床化学链燃烧氧化反应的数值模拟

基于Chimera网格采用有限体积法模拟了450个颗粒随机填充固定床中的化学链燃烧的氧化反应过程,并采用三维瞬态N-S方程,结合压力Poisson方程方法,详细分析了床层入口Re=5时的颗粒内部和外部的传质传热过程．模拟结果揭示了在大颗粒的固定床中,颗粒内部有效扩散系数对颗粒内部的传质起着决定性作用,而且颗粒表面的浓度梯度决定了总反应速率;另外,有惰性芯的结构化颗粒能有效地改善颗粒内部总的反应速率,颗粒的转化速率,并且能使床层很快地达到热平衡．模拟结果能更好地帮助我们认识固定床化学链反应器中的反应和组分传递机理．     

Numerical and experimental investigation of convective drying in unsaturated porous media with bound water

The heat and mass transfer in an unsaturated wet cylindrical porous bed packed with quartz particles was investigated theoretically for relatively low convective drying rates. Local thermodynamic equilibrium was assumed in the mathematical model describing the multi-phase flow in the unsaturated porous media using the energy and mass conservation equations to describe the heat and mass transfer during the drying. The drying model included convection and capillary transport of the free water, diffusion of bound water, and convection and diffusion of the gas. The numerical results indicated that the drying process could be divided into three periods, the temperature rise period, the constant drying rate period and the decreasing drying rate period. The numerical results agreed well with the experimental data verifying that the mathematical model can evaluate the drying performance of porous media for low drying rates. The effects of drying conditions such as the ambient temperature, the relative humidity, and the velocity of the drying air, on the drying process were evaluated by numerical solution.     

An experimental study of electrorheological fluid flow through a packed bed of glass beads

This paper shows that pressure drop-flow rate performance of an electrorheological (ER) fluid flowing through a packed bed of glass beads is consistent with a modified Ergun equation for yield stress flow through a packed bed. ER fluids are of scientific and engineering interest due to the sensitivity of their rheological properties on the applied electric field. As far as we know ER fluids have not been studied for flows through porous media. In this work a silica particle–silicone oil suspension is pumped through a rectangular packed bed of glass beads with applied electric fields. The silica particles are observed to form fibrous structures parallel to the electric field that stretch between the beads and extend between the electrodes. The pressure drop-flow rate performance agrees well with the expected performance calculated from a modified Ergun equation for a yield stress fluid flow through the packed bed with the viscosity and yield stress as functions of the applied electric field.     

Heat Transfer and Gas Flow through Feed Stream within Horizontal Pipe

In the feeding process, the feed stream forms a moving packed bed of particle from the feedstock in the feed channel. When the feeding is at emergency interruption especially in the case of flooding and uncontrollable discharge, the hot gases from reactor would infiltrate into the feed stream. The high heat penetration into feed stream would affect the feeder performance. In this paper, transient thermal response of feed stream within horizontal pipe is described mathematically with a gas flow and heat transfer model. Influences of varied factors on the thermal penetration into feed stream are examined for different conditions. The temperature of the packed-bed particles and the gas velocity distribution curves are obtained for the feeding service at interruption and at normal operating conditions. The numerical results show that the thermal penetration to the packed-bed particles by the seepage flow fluid is high only in the position near the gas entrance. The thermal penetration depth tends to increase with the seepage flow velocity and decrease with feeding rate. There is no appreciable thermal penetration in the feed stream when the feeding service is at normal running. The operating conditions and the porosity of solid bed have importance effects on the gas velocity and temperature field in the thermal penetration zone. A test system is set up to determine the transient thermal response experimentally for the packed bed of particles within a horizontal pipe. The model results are found to compare favorably with the experimental data.     

Transient behavior of heat removal from a cylindrical heat storage vessel packed with spherical porous particles

The transient heat transfer behavior in the case of heat removal from a cylindrical heat storage vessel packed with spherical particles was investigated experimentally for various factors (flow rate, diameter of spherical particles packed, temperature difference between flowing cold air and spherical particles accumulating heat, and physical properties of spherical particles). The experiments were covered in ranges of Reynolds number based on the mean diameter of spherical particles packed Re_d = 10.3–2200, porosity?=0.310 to 0.475, ratio of spherical particle diameter to cylinder diameterd/D = 0.0075–0.177 and ratio of length of the cylinder to cylinder diameterL/D=2.5–10. It was found that especially the flow rate and the dimension of spherical particles played an important role in estimating the transient local heat transfer characteristics near the wall of the cylindrical vessel in the present heat storage system. As flow rate and diameter of spherical particles were increased under a given diameter of the cylinder heat storage vessel, the mean heat transfer coefficient between the flow cold air and the hot spherical particles increased and the time period to finish removing heat from the vessel reduced. In addition, the useful experimental correlation equations of mean heat transfer coefficient between both phases and the time period to finish removing heat from the vessel were derived with the functional relationship of Nusselt numberNu _d=f [modified Prandtl numberPr ^* (d/D), Re_d) and Fourier numberFo = f(d/D, L/D, Pr^*, Re_d).     

Modeling of simultaneous heat and mass transfer processes in ammonia–water absorption systems from general correlations

This paper presents a general differential mathematical model to analyze the simultaneous heat and mass transfer processes that occur in different components of an ammonia–water absorption system: absorber, desorber, rectifier, distillation column, condenser and evaporator. Heat and mass transfer equations are considered, taking into account the heat and mass transfer resistances in the liquid and vapour phases. The model considers the different regions: vapour phase, liquid phase and an external heating or cooling medium. A finite difference numerical method has been considered to solve the resulting set of nonlinear differential equations and an iterative algorithm is proposed for its solution. A map of possible solutions of the mass transferred composition z is presented when varying the interface temperature, which enables to establish a robust implementation code. The analysis is focused on the processes presented in ammonia–water absorption systems. The model is applied to analyze the ammonia purification process in an adiabatic packed rectification column and the numerical results show good agreement with experimental data.     

Experimental and numerical investigation of dynamic heat transfer parameters in packed bed

Dynamic experiments in a nonadiabatic packed bed were carried out to evaluate the response to disturbances in wall temperature and inlet airflow rate and temperature. A two-dimensional, pseudo-homogeneous, axially dispersed plug-flow model was numerically solved and used to interpret the results. The model parameters were fitted in distinct stages: effective radial thermal conductivity (K _r) and wall heat transfer coefficient (h _w) were estimated from steady-state data and the characteristic packed bed time constant (τ) from transient data. A new correlation for the K _r in packed beds of cylindrical particles was proposed. It was experimentally proved that temperature measurements using radially inserted thermocouples and a ring-shaped sensor were not distorted by heat conduction across the thermocouple or by the thermal inertia effect of the temperature sensors.     

Modeling and experiments of energy storage in a packed bed with PCM

This work presents a numerical and experimental study of the transient response of a packed bed filled with a granular phase change material (PCM). The proposed numerical model accounts for the progressive evolution of the enthalpy with temperature during the phase change rather than using a constant phase change temperature. This temperature-dependent enthalpy is included in the model as an apparent specific heat that is dependent on temperature according to the measurements obtained by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The model also includes the energy stored in the wall, which has been shown to have a non-negligible effect in several experimental facilities.The equations presented are non-dimensionalized, which results in the same differential equation system regardless of whether a granular PCM or sensible heat storage material is used. In this manner, the same numerical method can be used in cases with or without a granular PCM. Numerical and experimental results are obtained for a conventional granular material (sand) and two commercial granular PCMs with different phase change temperatures. The numerical and experimental heating results exhibit good agreement, and the energy stored in the wall of the bed represents between 8 and 16% of the energy stored in the granular material.