Thermal and hydraulic performance of a three-phase fluidized bed cooling tower

An experimental study was made of the thermal and hydraulic characteristics of a three-phase fluidized bed cooling tower. The experiments were carried out in a packed tower of 200 mm diameter and 2.5 m height. The packing used was spongy rubber balls 12.7 mm in diameter and with a density of 375 kg/m³. The tower characteristic was evaluated. The air-side pressure drop and the minimum fluidization velocity were measured as a function of water/air mass flux ratio (0.4–2), static bed height (300–500 mm), and hot water inlet temperature (301–334 K).

The experimental results indicate that the tower characteristics KaV/L increases with increases in the bed static height and hot water inlet temperature and with decreases in the water/air mass flux ratio. It is also shown that the air-side pressure drop increases very slowly with increases in air velocity. The minimum, fluidization velocity was found to be independent of the static bed height.

The data obtained were used to develop a correlation between the tower characteristics, hot water inlet temperature, static bed height, and the water/air mass flux ratio. The mass transfer coefficient of the three-phase fluidized bed cooling tower is much higher than that of packed-bed cooling towers with higher packing height.     

Phase holdups in three-phase fluidized beds in the presence of disc promoter

Three-phase fluidized beds are found to have wide applications in process industries. The present investigation essentially comprises of the studies on gas holdup, liquid holdup and bed porosity in three-phase fluidized beds with coaxially placed disc promoter. Holdup data were obtained from bed expansion and pressure drop measurements. Analysis of the data was done to elucidate the effects of dynamic and geometric parameters on gas holdup, liquid holdup and bed porosity. Data were correlated and useful equations were obtained from empirical modeling.     

Heat transfer and pressure loss of a very shallow fluidized-bed heat exchanger Part 2. Experiment with multirow tube banks

Experiments were carried out on heat transfer and pressure-loss characteristics of a low-pressure-loss fluidized-bed heat exchanger with an extremely small ststic bed height of glass beads. This heat exchanger was composed of a tube bankd in a staggered arrangement and a multislit distributor designed especially to reduce the pressure loss. The effect of the cross-sectional shape of the distributor, the particle size of the glass beads, the static bed height, and the number of rows on heat transfer performance were examined. The heat transfer and pressure-loss characteristics are compared with experimental data in terms of fan power consumption and the compactness of the heat exchanger.     

Parametric studies and effect of scale-up on wall-to-bed heat transfer characteristics of circulating fluidized bed risers

In the present work a comparative study of steady state wall-to-bed heat transfer was conducted along the risers of height 2.85 m of three different circulating fluidized beds (CFBs) with bed cross sections of 0.15 m × 0.15 m, 0.20 m × 0.20 m, and 0.25 m × 0.25 m, respectively. Experiments were conducted on each CFB unit for five superficial air velocities (U = 2.5 m/s, 2.75 m/s, 3 m/s, 3.3 m/s, and 4 m/s) and two different weights of sand inventory per unit area of the distributor plate (P = 1750 N/m² and P = 3050 N/m²) with average sand particle size of 460 μm. Bed temperature distributions across the three risers were measured and compared at different heights (1.04 m, 1.64 m, and 2.24 m above the distributor plate). Axial distribution of heat transfer coefficient along the height of riser was evaluated and compared for the three bed cross sections. Effect of superficial velocity of air, sand inventory, and bed cross section on bed temperature and heat transfer coefficient was investigated. An empirical correlation was developed for the bed Nusselt number as a function of various non-dimensional parameters based on the parametric study. The correlation was compared with available literatures.     

X-ray measurements of bubble hold-up in fluidized beds with and without vertical internals

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Scale-up of bubbling fluidized beds with continuous particle flow based on particle-residence-time distribution

Few studies have investigated scale-up of the residence-time distribution (RTD) of particles in bubbling fluidized beds (BFBs) with continuous particle flow. Two approaches were investigated in this study: first, using well-known scaling laws that require changes in particle properties and gas velocity; second, using a simple approach keeping the same particles and gas velocity for different beds. Our theoretical analysis indicates it is possible to obtain similar RTDs in different BFBs with scaling laws if the plug-flow residence time (t_plug) is changed as m^0.5, where m is the scaling ratio of the bed; however, neither approach can ensure similar RTDs if t_plug is kept invariant. To investigate RTD variations using two approaches without changing t_plug, we performed experiments in three BFBs. The derivatives dE(θ)/dθ (where E(θ) is the dimensionless RTD density function and θ is the dimensionless time) in the early stage of the RTDs always varied with m⁻¹, which was attributed to the fact that the particle movement in the early stage were mainly subject to dispersion. Using the simple approach, we obtained similar RTDs by separately treating the RTDs in the early and post-stages. This approach guarantees RTD similarity and provides basic rules for designing BFBs.     

Heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of turbulent flow in a circular tube fitted with regularly spaced twisted-tape elements

The results of an experimentalnvestigation of turbulent flow heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics in a circular tube fitted with regularly spaced twisted-tape elements connected by thin circular rods are reported. The characteristics are governed by Reynolds number, Prandtl number, twist ratio, space ratio, and rod-to-tube diameter ratio. Correlations for friction factor and Nusselt number are also reported. It is shown that on the basis of both constant pumping power and constant heat duty, regularly spaced twisted-tape elements do not perform better than full-length twisted tapes.     

Experimental investigation on forced convective heat transfer and pressure drop of ethylene glycol in tubes with three-dimensional internally extended surface

A new type of tube is introduced that has a three-dimensional internally extended surface used to enhance convective heat transfer inside the tube. Results are presented from experimental investigations into heat transfer performance in seven copper tubes of about 13.5 mm I.D. with three-dimensional internally extended surfaces (3-DIESTs) varying in axial pitch, circumferential pitch, height, width, and fin arrangement. The heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of ethylene glycol flowing in the 3-DIESTs were tested in the Re range 250–7000 and Pr range 60–90. The average Stanton number in the most superior 3-DIEST can be increased by about 2.8-fold in laminar flow and 4.5-fold in transitional and turbulent flow compared with that in the smooth tube. The corresponding friction factor is 1.7-fold as high in laminar flow and fourfold in transitional and turbulent flow inside the 3-DIEST compared to that inside a smooth tube. The correlations of heat transfer and friction factor are obtained separately in the different flow regions that can be used in practical design.     

Hydrodynamic behavior of magnetized fluidized beds with admixtures of Geldart-B magnetizable and nonmagnetizable particles

This work focuses on the hydrodynamic behavior of admixtures of Geldart-B magnetizable and nonmagnetizable particles in a magnetized fluidized bed. The applied magnetic field was axial, uniform, and steady. In operating the beds, the magnetization-LAST mode was adopted under which four distinct flow regimes exist: fixed, magnetized-bubbling, partial segregation-bubbling, and total segregation-bubbling. The operational phase diagram was drawn to display the transitions between flow regimes in an intuitive manner. Only in the magnetized-bubbling regime could the magnetic field reduce the bubble size and improve fluidization quality. In the segregation-bubbling regimes, fluidization quality deteriorated as segregation developed. The segregation of the binary mixture was quantitatively studied by observing pressure drops in the local bed. Reasons for the improvement in fluidization quality as well as the occurrence of segregation were analyzed. Furthermore, the flow regime transition under magnetization-LAST operation mode was different from that under magnetization-FIRST mode. The magnetically stabilized bed (MSB) flow regime, which could be easily created under magnetization-FIRST mode, could no longer be achieved under magnetization-LAST mode. With the admixture, the MSB was proved to be a metastable equilibrium state. Under the magnetization-LAST mode, the admixture bed reached directly the stable equilibrium state—bubbling with segregation.     

Experimental and numerical study of pseudo-2D circulating fluidized beds

We present experimental investigations and numerical simulations of a pseudo-2D riser. Experiments were performed for various airflow rates, particle types/diameters, and particle size distributions. Pressure distributions along the wall of the riser were measured. Additional measurements from a smaller pseudo-2D riser (Kallio et al., 2009; Shah et al., 2012) were used to analyze horizontal solids volume fraction profiles. The experimental data were compared with simulation results carried out using an Euler–Euler approach. A mesh sensitivity study was conducted for numerical simulations and effects associated with simplifying real 3D geometry to a 2D model were examined. In addition, the effect of using an algebraic equation to represent the granular temperature versus a full partial differential equation also was examined for numerical simulations. Results showed small but significant near-wall sensitivity of the flow variables to mesh size. Substantial differences in mean pressure, solids distribution, and solid velocities were obtained, when 2D and 3D simulation results were compared. Finally, applying the simplified granular temperature equation for turbulent fluidization and for dilute-phase transport can lead to incorrect predictions in models.     

Effect of Longitudinal Forced Motion on the Stability of Convection in a Plane Vertical Layer with Internal Heat Sources

The effect of longitudinal forced fluid motion on the mechanisms of instability of a convection flow developing in a plane vertical layer in the presence of internal heat sources is considered. It is found that forced motion which intensifies the central stream of the convection flow can lead to moderate stabilization of the hydrodynamic and thermal crisis mechanisms. In the presence of counterstream forced motion the flow stability increases sharply.__________Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Academii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 2, 2005, pp. 14–17.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Lobov.     

Evaluation of the effect of wall boundary conditions on numerical simulations of circulating fluidized beds

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of the gas–solids two-phase flow in a circulating fluidized bed (CFB) riser is carried out. The Eularian–Eularian method with the kinetic theory of granular flow is used to solve the gas–solids two-phase flow in the CFB riser. The wall boundary condition of the riser is defined based on the Johnson and Jackson wall boundary theory (Johnson & Jackson, 1987) with specularity coefficient and particle–wall restitution coefficient. The numerical results show that these two coefficients in the wall boundary condition play a major role in the predicted solids lateral velocity, which affects the solid particle distribution in the CFB riser. And the effect of each of the two coefficients on the solids distribution also depends on the other one. The generality of the CFD model is further validated under different operating conditions of the CFB riser.     

Local heat transfer coefficients on the circumference of a tube in a gas fluidized bed

A heated horizontal heat transfer tube was installed 14.8 cm above the distributor plate in a square fluid bed measuring 30.5 × 30.5 cm. Four different Geldart B sized particle beds were used (sand of two different distributions, an abrasive and glass beads) and the bed was fluidized with cold air. The tube was instrumented with surface thermocouples around half of the tube circumference and with differential pressure ports that can be used to infer bubble presence. Numerical execution of the transient conduction equation for the tube allowed the local time-varying heat transfer coefficient to be extracted. Data confirm the presence of the stagnant zone on top of the tube associated with low superficial velocities. Auto-correlation of thermocouple data revealed bubble frequencies and the cross-correlation of thermal and pressure events confirmed the relationship between the bubbles and the heat transfer events. In keeping with the notion of a “Packet renewal” heat transfer model, the average heat transfer coefficient was found to vary in sympathy with the root-mean square amplitude of the transient heat transfer coefficient.     

Experiments on the local heat transfer characteristics of a circulating fluidized bed

The role of particle diameter in the heat transfer of a gas–solid suspension to the walls of a circulating fluidized bed was studied for particles of uniform size. This work reports and analyzes new experimental results for the local bed to wall heat transfer coefficient, not including the radiation component, in a long active heat transfer surface length laboratory bed, which extend previous findings and clear up some divergences. The research included determining the effects of extension and location of the heat transfer surface, circulating solids mass flux and average suspension density. An experimental set-up was built, with a 72.5 mm internal diameter riser, 6.0 m high, composed of six double pipe heat exchangers, 0.93 m high, located one above the other. Five narrow sized diameter quartz sand particles − 179, 230, 385, 460 and 545 μm − were tested. Temperature was kept approximately constant at 423 K and the superficial gas velocity at 10.5 m/s. The major influence of suspension density on the wall heat transfer was confirmed, and contrary to other authors, a significant effect of particle size was found, which becomes more relevant for smaller particles and increasing suspension density. It was observed that the extension of the heat transfer surface area did not influence the heat transfer coefficient for lengths greater than 0.93 m.The heat transfer surface location did not show any effect, except for the exchanger at the botton of the riser. A simple correlation was proposed to calculate the heat transfer coefficient as a function of particle diameter and suspension density.     

Heat Transfer and Pressure loss of a very shallow fluidized-bed heat exchanger Part 1. Experiment with a single row of tubes

A novel gas fluidized-bed heat exchanger with a very small static bed height has been developed for a heat-exchanging system using a low-pressure fan. This fluidized bed is composed of a multislit distributor, a single row of 8 mm diameter tubes, and glass beads 48–195 μm in diameter. The measured performance of heat transfer is excellent and that of fluidization is satisfactory, in spite of the static bed height being as small as 13 mm. In the best case, the test fluidized bed exhibited a heat transfer performance comparable to that of a conventional fluidized bed with a perforated plate distributor and a static bed height of 150 mm, and showed one-fourteenth the pressure loss.     

Numerical prediction of laminar flow and heat transfer characteristics in a tube fitted with regularly spaced twisted-tape elements

By numerically solving the Navier-Stokes and energy equations in their three-dimensional parabolic form, the friction and heat transfer characteristics are predicted for laminar flow in a circular tube fitted with regularly spaced twisted-tape elements that are connected by circular rods. The predictions have agreed closely with the experimental data for water. It is shown that a strong L/D effect is associated with the configuration under consideration. By extending the predictions outside the range of experimental data, it is found that considerably enhanced thermohydraulic performance is achievable by increasing the number of turns on the tape elements, by reducing the connecting rod diameter, and at high fluid Prandtl numbers.     

Numerical investigation on cold flow dynamics of supercritical water fluidized bed reactor with inclined distributor: Design and scale up

Supercritical water fluidized bed reactor (SCWFBR) is a novel concept for the gasification of coal and biomass to produce hydrogen. In this work, to enhance the mixing in the axial direction, an inclined distributor is introduced to optimize the flow dynamics in SCWFBR with partitioned fluid supply. Through numerical simulations based on the two fluid model (TFM), the effects of the inclined distributor structure and operating parameters on the solid distribution and the residence time are evaluated with the optimal values determined. Numerical results show that, area ratio = 2:1, SCW velocity ratio = 3:1, flow ratio = 3.36:1 and inclination angle = 20° are the optimal design in this paper. A predictive correlation of the minimum fluidization velocity for the improved SCWFBR is also proposed based on the numerical data. The average error between the correlation and numerical simulation results is approximately 1.4% which strongly demonstrates its capability. Finally, based on the optimal design, the lab-scale reactor is further scaled up and the studies about two scale-up rules are carried out. Only the cold flow is simulated in this study without considering chemical reaction which would be involved in future work.     

Heat and mass transfer study in fluidized bed granulation-Prediction of entry length

Fluidized bed granulation is a process by which granules or coated particles are produced in a single piece of equipment by spraying a binder as solution, suspension, or melt on the fluidized powder bed. Heat and mass transfer correlation useful for designing a granulator has been derived based on the equivalence of evaporation rate of the liquid to the heat transferred from hot gas to particles: (m/A)Dp2λ/(Lmf(1- εmf)(Tg-Tl)Kg)=hDp/Kg . This equation is applied to data on granulation experiments by different workers to calculate Reynolds number and Nusselt number to obtain a relation between heat and mass transfer from gas to particles during granulation on a logarithmic scale from which the following empirical relation is obtained: Nu = 0.0205Re1.3876 which is comparable to Kothari's correlation Nu = 0.03Re1.3. By using the heat and mass transfer correlation obtained, the entry length, that is the length of granulator up to which effective heat transfer from gas to bed particles takes place, is estimated, which is also validated with experimental study. The correct estimation of entry length is useful in optimal design of a granulator.     

Effects of bubble size on heat transfer enhancement by sub-millimeter bubbles for laminar natural convection along a vertical plate

Injection of sub-millimeter bubbles is considered a promising technique for enhancing natural convection heat transfer for liquids. So far, we have experimentally investigated heat transfer characteristics of laminar natural convection flows with sub-millimeter bubbles. However, the effects of the bubble size on the heat transfer have not yet been understood. The purpose of this study is to clarify the effects of the bubble size on the heat transfer enhancement for the laminar natural convection of water along a vertical heated plate with uniform heat flux. Temperature and velocity measurements, in which thermocouples and a particle tracking velocimetry technique are, respectively used, are conducted to investigate heat transfer and flow characteristics for different bubble sizes. Moreover, two-dimensional numerical simulations are performed to comprehensively understand the effects of bubble injection on the flow near the heated plate. The result shows that the ratio of the heat transfer coefficient with sub-millimeter-bubble injection to that without injection ranges from 1.3 to 2.2. The result also shows that for a constant bubble flow rate, the heat transfer coefficient ratio increases with a decrease in the mean bubble diameter. It is expected from our estimation based on both experimental data and simulation results that this increase results from an increase in the advection effect due to bubbles.