CFD-DEM investigation into flow characteristics in mixed pulsed fluidized bed under electrostatic effects

Static electricity has an important effect on gas–solid fluidized bed reactor fluidization performance. In the process of fluidization, electrostatic interaction between particles will obviously accelerate particle agglomerate formation, which consequently reduces the fluidization performance. Pulsed gas flow injection is an efficient method to enhance particle mixing, thereby weakening the occurrence of particle agglomerate. In this study, the two-dimensional hybrid pulsed fluidized bed is established. The flow characteristics are studied by using the coupled CFD-DEM numerical simulation model considering electrostatic effects. Influences of different pulsed frequencies and gas flow ratios on fluidized bed fluidization performance are investigated to obtain the optimal pulsed gas flow condition. Results show that in the presence of static electricity, the bubble generation position is lower, which is conducive to the particle flow. Pulsed gas flow can increase the particle velocity and improve the diffusion ability. The bubble generation time is different at different frequencies, and the frequency of 2.5 Hz has the most obvious effect on the flow characteristics. Different gas flow ratios have significant impacts on the particle movement amplitude. When the pulse gas flow accounts for a large ratio, the particle agglomerate tends to be larger. Therefore, in order to improve the fluidization effect, the ratio of pulsed gas flow to stable gas flow should be appropriately reduced to 0.5 or less.     

Bottom bed regimes in a circulating fluidized bed boiler

This paper extends previous work on the fluidization regimes of the bottom bed of circulating flyidized bed (CFB) boilers. Pressure measurements were performed to obtain the time-average bottom bed voidage and to study the bed pressure fluctuations. The measurements were carried out in a 12 MW_th CFB boiler operated at 850°C and also under ambient conditions (40°C). Two bubbling regimes were identified: a “single bubble regime” with large single bubbles present at low fluidization velocities, and, at high fluidization velocities, an “exploding bubble regime” with bubbles often stretching all the way from the air distributor to the surface of the bottom bed. The exploding bubble regime results in a high through-flow of gas, indirectly seen from the low average voidage of the bottom bed, which is similar to that of a stationary fluidized bed boiler, despite the higher gas velocities in the CFB boiler. Methods to determine the fluidization velocity at the transition from the single to the exploding bubble regime are proposed and discussed. The transition velocity increases with an increase in particle size and bed height.     

Hydrodynamic behavior of an internally circulating fluidized bed with tubular gas distributors

To better understand the hydrodynamic behavior of an internally circulating fluidized bed, solids holdup in the down-comer （Eso）, solids circulation rate （Gs） and gas bypassing fraction （from down-comer to riser y~R, and from riser to down-comer yRD） were experimentally studied. The effects of gas velocities in the riser and in the down-comer （UR and UD）, orifice diameter in the draft tube （dor）, and draft tube height （HR） were investigated. Experimental results showed that increase of gas velocities led to increase in Gs and yDR, and slight decrease in yeD. Larger orifice diameter on the draft tube led to higher 8sD, Gs and yDR, but had insignificant influence on YRD. with increasing draft tube height, both Gs and YDR first increased and then decreased, while yRD first decreased and then increased. Proposed correlations for predicting the hydrodynamic parameters agreed reasonably well with experimental values.     

CFD-simulation of a circulating fluidized bed riser

In the current work, a model of the fluid mechanics in the riser of a circulating fluidized bed （CFB） has been implemented using computational fluid dynamics （CFD）. The model developed shall be used in future as the basis of 3D-reactor model for the simulation of large scale CFB combustors. The two-fluid model （TFM） approach is used to represent the fluid mechanics involved in the flow. The computational implementation is accomplished by the commercial software FLUENT. Different closure formulations are tested on a simplified geometry. Two different turbulence formulations, namely the swirl modified RNG k-e model and the Realizable k-e model, are tested in combination with two different approaches to solid phase turbulence, namely the dispersion and per phase approach. One focus of the current work is put on the study of different drag correlations. Besides the drag correlations by Syamlal et al. [Syamlal, M., Rogers, W., ＆ O＇Brien, T. J. （1993）. MFIX documentation theory guide. Technical Report DOE/METC-9411004, U.S. Department of Energy （DOE）. Morgantown Energy Technology Center： Morgantown, WV] and Gidaspow [Gidaspow, D. （1994）. Multiphaseflow andfluidization. New York： Academic Press] the EMMS model has been used to determine the momentum exchange between the two phases. The resulting formulation is then used to simulate a 1-m × 0.3-m cold CFB setup and is validated by experimental results [Schlichtharle, P. （2000）. Fluid dynamics and mixing of solids and gas in the bottom zone of circulating fluidized beds. Unoublished doctoral dissertation, Technische Universitaet Hamburg-Harburg, Shaker Verlag： Aachen].     

CFD-simulation of a circulating fluidized bed riser

In the current work,a model of the fluid mechanics in the riser of a circulating fluidized bed(CFB)has been implemented using computational fluid dynamics(CFD).The model developed shall be used in future as the basis of 3D-reactor model for the simulation of large scale CFB combustors.The two-fluid model(TFM)approach is used to represent the fluid mechanics involved in the flow.The computational implementation is accomplished by the commercial software FLUENT.Different closure formulations are tested on a simplified geometry.Two different turbulence formulations,namely the swirl modified RNG k–εmodel and the Realizable k–εmodel,are tested in combination with two different approaches to solid phase turbulence,namely the dispersion and per phase approach.One focus of the current work is put on the study of different drag correlations.Besides the drag correlations by Syamlal et al.[Syamlal,M.,Rogers, W.,O’Brien,T.J.(1993).MFIX documentation theory guide.Technical Report DOE/METC-94/1004,U.S. Department of Energy(DOE).Morgantown Energy Technology Center:Morgantown,WV]and Gidaspow [Gidaspow,D.(1994).Multiphase flow and fluidization.New York:Academic Press]the EMMS model has been used to determine the momentum exchange between the two phases.The resulting formulation is then used to simulate a 1-m×0.3-m cold CFB setup and is validated by experimental results[Schlichthrle, P.(2000).Fluid dynamics and mixing of solids and gas in the bottom zone of circulating fluidized beds. Unpublished doctoral dissertation,Technische Universitaet Hamburg-Harburg,Shaker Verlag:Aachen].     

3D full-loop simulation and experimental verification of gas-solid flow hydrodynamics in a dense circulating fluidized bed

Because of their advantages of high efficiency and low cost, numerical research methods for large-scale circulating fluidized bed （CFB） apparatus are gaining ever more importance. This article presents a numer- ical study of gas-solid flow dynamics using the Eulerian granular multiphase model with a drag coefficient correction based on the energy-minimization multi-scale （EMMS） model. A three-dimensional, full-loop, time-dependent simulation of the hydrodynamics of a dense CFB apparatus is performed. The process parameters （e.g., operating and initial conditions） are provided in accordance with the real experiment to enhance the accuracy of the simulation. The axial profiles of the averaged solid volume fractions and the solids flux at the outlet of the cyclone are in reasonable agreement with experimental data, thereby verifying the applicability of the mathematical and physical models. As a result, the streamline in the riser and standpipe as well as the solids distribution contours at the cross sections is analyzed. Computational fluid dynamics （CFD） serves as a basis for CFB modeling to help resolve certain issues long in dispute but difficult to address experimentally. The results of this study provide the basis of a general approach to describing dynamic simulations of gas-solid flows.     

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.     

Effect of a pulsating flow on hydrodynamics and fluid catalytic cracking chemical reaction in a circulating fluidized bed riser

The three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (3D-CFD) of a pulsating flow applied to the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) reaction was investigated in the riser of a circulating fluidized bed reactor. The kinetic parameters of the FCC and coke burning reactions for predicting the reactant conversion and product yield percentages were applied. To increase the reactant conversion level and product yield, the effect of the pulsating flow operating parameters was considered using a 2^k statistical experimental design with four factors (amplitude, frequency, types of the waveform, and amplitude ratio). The 3D-CFD simulation was successfully validated from the experimental literature data. The frequency and type of the waveform were found to be the significant operating parameters. The expression of the fitted regression model and response surface contour were derived and revealed that the pulsating flow provides a higher reactant conversion level and product yield percentages compared to a non-pulsating or steady flow.     

Local solids flow structure in a countercurrent liquid-upward and solids-downward fluidized bed (CCLSFB) system

The local solids holdup and local particle velocity in a Countercurrent Liquid-upward and Solids-downward Fluidized Bed (CCLSFB) were investigated in details using optical fiber probes with two different models in a Plexiglas column of 1.5 m in height and 7.0 cm in inner diameter. A new flow regime map including fluidized bed, transition, and flooding regimes was established. The axial solids holdup distribution is almost uniform at low liquid velocity and/or solids flowrate and becomes less uniform with higher solids holdup at the top of the column after the operating liquid velocity is reaching the flooding velocity. The radial solids holdup profile is also nearly flat with a slightly lower solids holdup in the near-wall region at low liquid velocity and solids flowrate but becomes nonuniform as the operating liquid velocity approaches the flooding velocity. Two equations were also proposed to correlate radial local solids holdups. The descending particle velocity in CCLSFB increases with the decrease of the liquid velocity and the increase of the solids flowrate. A generally uniform particle velocity distribution was found in the axial direction, as well as in the radial direction except for a small decrease near the wall. These results on the local solids flow structure would provide basic information and theoretical supports for the design and industrial application of CCLSFB.     

Virtual experimentation through 3D full-loop simulation of a circulating fluidized bed

Eulerian granular multiphase model with a drag coefficient correction based on the energy-minimization multi-male (EMMS) model was used to simulate a semi-industry scale circulating fiuidized bed (CFB).Three-dimensional(3D), time-dependent simulation of a full-loop CFB revealed that the axial profiles of cross-sectionally averaged solid volume fraction,and the radial profiles of solid axial velocity and solid volume fraction were in reasonable agreement with experimental data.Based on this agreement,database derived from experiments not yet accomplished was replenished with such simulations, and fluid regime diagrams and pressure balance around the CFB loop were derived accordingly. This work presents an integrated viewpoint on CFB and unfolds a fresh paradigm fur CFB modeling, which can be expected to help resolve certain issues long in dispute but hard for experiments.     

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.     

Virtual experimentation through 3D full-loop simulation of a circulating fluidized bed

Eulerian granular multiphase model with a drag coefficient correction based on the energy-minimization multi-scale （EMMS） model was used to simulate a semi-industry scale circulating fluidized bed （CFB）. Three-dimensional （3D）, time-dependent simulation of a full-loop CFB revealed that the axial profiles of cross-sectionally averaged solid volume fraction, and the radial profiles of solid axial velocity and solid volume fraction were in reasonable agreement with experimental data. Based on this agreement, database derived from experiments not yet accomplished was replenished with such simulations, and fluid regime diagrams and pressure balance around the CFB loop were derived accordingly. This work presents an integrated viewpoint on CFB and unfolds a fresh paradigm for CFB modeling, which can be expected to help resolve certain issues long in dispute but bard for experiments.     

A study on flow resistance in the entrance region of isosceles triangular ducts

In the present paper the variational solution of velocity profile for anincompressible laminar and fully developed flow in isosceles triangular ducts is derivedby applying the Kantovorich method.The theoretical and experimental results ofpressure loss are also given.The velocity distribution model,additional pressure losscoefficient and calculating method of inlet length in the entrance region of isoscelestriangular ducts are also derived,which are suitable for various kinds of vertex angles.The calculations and experiments are also performed for two models:the isoscelestriangular channels with vertex angles2α=45.1°and2α=60°.Comparisons aremade between the theoretical analysis in this paper and those of the other authors.Itcan be seen that the present analytical result is of high.accuracy and widepracticability,and agrees well with the authors’experiment.     

Reactive gas-solids flows in large volumes--3D modeling of industrial circulating fluidized bed combustors

A model is presented for the simulation of reactive gas-solids flows in large industrial reactors. Circulating fluidized bed （CFB） combustors with several thousands of cubic meters reaction volume are probably the largest reactors of this type. A semi-empirical modeling approach has been chosen to model the three-dimensional concentration distributions of gas and solids components and temperatures inside the combustion chamber of such boilers. Two industrial CFB boilers are investigated in detail： the 105 MWe Duisburg combustor in Germany and the 235 MWe Turow combustor in Poland. The semi-empirical model approach is described first. Then the model is used to show how the three-dimensional concentration and temperature fields are formed by the interaction of several local phenomena. Good agreement between simulation and measurements has been achieved.     

Simulation of mass balance behavior in a large-scale circulating fluidized bed reactor

We determine using a compound model the influence of the mass of granular matter on the behavior of a supercritical circulating fluidized bed (CFB) reactor. Population balance enables a stationary-regime modeling of the mass flow of granular matter inside a CFB unit in a large-scale. The simulation includes some important dynamic processes of gas-particle flows in fluidized bed such as attrition, fragmentation, elutriation, and fuel combustion. Numerical calculations with full boiler loading were performed of operational parameters such as furnace temperature, furnace pressure, feeding materials mass flows, and excess air ratio. Furthermore, three bed inventory masses were adopted as experimental variables in the simulation model of mass balance. This approach enables a sensitivity study of mass flows of granular matter inside a CFB facility. Some computational results from this population balance model obtained for a supercritical CFB reactor are presented that show consistency with the operational data for large-scale CFB units.     

Identification of flow regimes and determination of the boundaries for magnetized fluidized bed with Geldart-B particles

The magnetized fluidized bed (MFB) with Geldart-B particles exhibits many distinct flow regimes depending on the magnetic field intensity (H) and gas velocity (U_g). The identification of these regimes was reviewed for the MFB with magnetizable particles and that with binary admixture of magnetizable and nonmagnetizable particles. Meanwhile, methods for determining the boundaries between two adjacent flow regimes were clarified. The MFB state was found to depend not only on H and U_g but also on their application sequence (i.e., operation mode) within certain operating zones. The dependence feature arose from that the MFB therein could have different equilibrium states for the same combination of H and U_g. Furthermore, such a polymorphic characteristic of the MFB was revealed to result from the internal friction among the particles that were in unfluidized/packed state. Many of the MFB states were demonstrated to be in metastable equilibrium. Nevertheless, they differed significantly from the metastates well-known in the discipline of physical chemistry, such as supercooling and superheated. In fact, they belonged to the amorphous/glass state. This review will deepen our hydrodynamic understanding of the MFB and further promote its commercial application in the chemical and biochemical industries.     

Reactive gas-solids flows in large volumes—3D modeling of industrial circulating fluidized bed combustors

A model is presented for the simulation of reactive gas-solids flows in large industrial reactors. Circulating fluidized bed (CFB) combustors with several thousands of cubic meters reaction volume are probably the largest reactors of this type. A semi-empirical modeling approach has been chosen to model the three-dimensional concentration distributions of gas and solids components and temperatures inside the combustion chamber of such boilers. Two industrial CFB boilers are investigated in detail: the 105 M...     

Application of CFD-DEM to the study of solid exchange in a dual-leg fluidized bed

The CFD-DEM model was developed to simulate solid exchange behavior between two half beds in a bench-scale two-dimensional dual-leg fluidized bed （DL-FB）. Power spectrum density （PSD） analysis was applied to obtain the dominant frequency （F） of the simulated differential particle number （APLR） between the two half beds. Effects of fluidization velocity （u） and bed material inventory （H） on the solid exchange behavior were studied using the CFD-DEM model. Not only snapshots of the simulated particle flow patterns using the OpenGL code but also the dominant frequency of APLR was similar to the experimental results. The simulation results show that higher fluidization velocity assists the exchange of more particles between the two half beds, but the dispersion of clusters on the bed surface into single particles decreases the cluster exchange frequency. A greater bed material inventory results in more intense cluster exchange. The cluster exchange frequency decreases with an increase of the bed material inventory.     

Hydrodynamic characteristics of a rectangular gas-driven inverse liquid-solid fluidized bed

The hydrodynamic characteristics of a rectangular gas-driven inverse liquid-solid fluidized bed (GDFB) using particles of different diameters and densities were investigated in detail. Rising gas bubbles cause a liquid upflow in the riser portion, enabling a liquid downflow that causes an inverse fluidization in the downer portion. Four flow regimes (fixed bed regime, initial fluidization regime, complete fluidization regime, and circulating fluidization regime) and three transition gas velocities (initial fluidization gas velocity, minimum fluidization gas velocity, and circulating fluidization gas velocity) were identified via visual observation and by monitoring the variations in the pressure drop. The axial local bed voidage (ε) of the downer first decreases and then increases with the increase of the gas velocity. Both the liquid circulation velocity and the average particle velocity inside the downer increase with the increase of the gas velocity in the riser, but decrease with the particle loading. An empirical formula was proposed to successfully predict the Richardson-Zaki index “n”, and the predicted ε obtained from this formula has a ±5% relative error when compared with the experimental ε.