Periodic Fluctuations of Flow and Porosity in Spouted Beds

The results of experimental investigations of bed flow hydrodynamics in spouted beds are compared with CFD simulations (Eulerian–Eulerian approach) for two different column geometries. The experimental results of bed porosity and fluctuation frequency of mass flow rate of grain in the fountain region are compared with the corresponding results of simulations. The simulation results confirmed the observations of Muir et al. (1990, Chem. Eng. Comm. 88: 153–171) and Yang and Keairns (1978, AlchE Symp. Ser. No. 176 74: 218) that fluctuations of bed flow in DTSB are caused by particle cluster formation in the loading region at the bottom of column. The solids cross into the jet and cover the column inlet and are carried upward periodically through a draft tube. Subsequent figures obtained from simulations, which show stages of particle cluster formation at the entrance of column, exactly match visual observations. The frequency of fluctuations of grain mass flow rate predicted in simulations (~5–6 Hz) is in the range of that experimentally determined. The fluctuating inflow of solids results in slug formation and explains the vertical variations of height and porosity of the fountain.     

Measurement of the Coefficient of Transverse Dispersion in Flow Through Packed Beds for a Wide Range of Values of the Schmidt Number

Experimental values of the coefficient of transverse dispersion (D _T) were measured with the system 2-naphthol/water, over a range of temperatures between 293K and 373K, which corresponds to a range of values of viscosity () between 2.83×10^–4 Ns/m² and 1.01×10^–3 Ns/m² and of molecular diffusion coefficient (D _m) between 1.03×10^–9 m²/s and 5.49×10^–9 m²/s. Since the density () of water is close to 10³ kg/m³, the corresponding variation of the Schmidt number (Sc=/D _m) was in the range 1000 – 50. More than 200 experimental values of the transverse dispersion coefficient were obtained using beds of silica sand with average particle sizes (d) of 0.297 and 0.496mm, operated over a range of interstitial liquid velocities (u) between 0.1mm/s and 14mm/s and this gave a variation of the Reynolds number (Re=du/) between 0.01 and 3.5.Plots of the dimensionless coefficient of transverse dispersion (D _T/D _m) vs. the Peclet number (Pe_m=ud/D _m) based on molecular diffusion bring into evidence the influence of Sc on transverse dispersion. As the temperature is increased, the value of Sc decreases and the values of D _T/D _m gradually approach the line corresponding to gas behaviour (i.e. Sc 1), which is known to be well approximated by the equation D _T/D _m=1/+ud/12D _m, where is the tortuosity with regard to diffusion.     

PRESSURE FLUCTUATIONS IN GAS-SOLIDS FLUIDIZED BEDS

Pressure fluctuation data measured in a series of fluidized beds with diameters of 0.05, 0.1, 0.29, 0.60 and 1.56 m showed that the maximum amplitude or standard deviation increased with increasing the superficial gas velocity and static bed height for relatively shallow beds and became insensitive to the increase in static bed height in relatively deep beds. The amplitude appeared to be less dependent on the measurement location in the dense bed. Predictions based on bubble passage, bubble eruption at the upper bed surface and bed oscillation all failed to explain all observed trends and underestimated the amplitude of pressure fluctuations, suggesting that the global pressure fluctuations in gas-solids bubbling fluidized beds are the superposition of local pressure variations, bed oscillations and pressure waves generated from the bubble formation in the distributor region, bubble coalescence during their rise and bubble eruption at the upper bed surface.     

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.     

Forced convection heat transfer at the boundary layer of a packed bed

Numerical investigations of the nature of the fluid flow pattern and heat transfer at the boundary layer of a packed bed are reported. A volume averaged Navier-Stokes equation is used to predict the fluid flow and a volume averaged heat balance equation the heat transfer. A variable porosity in the packing is assumed in the region near the wall. Simulations are performed using a modified penalty Galerkin finite element method. The case of fully developed hydrodynamic flow and developing thermal flow is studied. The Nusselt number is found to depend on the Reynolds number, Graetz number and ratio of thermal conductivity of the solid and fluid phases. Comparison is made to some experimental literature values.Nomenclature A constant - [A] Navier-Stokes type matrix - B constant - [B] divergence matrix - C _p constant pressure heat capacity - d characteristic length - D _p particle diameter - D _t tube diameter - {F} solicitation vector - Gz Graetz number, z D _t ^–1 Pr _f Re _p - k permeability term - k _f Thermal conductivity of the fluid phase - k _s Thermal conductivity of the solid phase - [K] coefficient matrix for temperature equation - n normal vector - P pressure - Pr _f Prandtl number for the fluid _f C _p k _f ^-1 - r radial coordinate - R _t tube radius - R residual - R _m residual - Re _p Reynolds number for particle, - t tortuosity factor - T temperature - interstitial velocity - z axial coordinate - effective thermal conductivity - penalty parameter - boundary of solution domain - porosity - viscosity - density - test function - solution domain - test function     

Magneto-optical Faraday effects in dispersive properties for three-dimensional magnetized plasma photonic crystals

The dispersive properties of three-dimensional magnetized plasma photonic crystals composed of homogeneous magnetized plasma spheres immersed in isotropic dielectric host with face-centered-cubic lattices are theoretically studied based on plane wave expansion method, as the magneto-optical Faraday effects of magnetized plasma are considered. The equations for calculating the band structures are theoretically deduced. The photonic band gap and a flatbands region can be obtained. The influences of host dielectric constant, plasma collision frequency, filling factor, external magnetic field and plasma frequency on the dispersive properties are investigated in detail, respectively, and some corresponding physical explanations are also given. The numerical results show that the photonic band gap can be manipulated by the plasma frequency, filling factor, external magnetic field and host dielectric constant, respectively. However, the plasma collision frequency has no effects on photonic band gap. The location of flatbands region cannot be tuned by any parameters except for the plasma frequency and external magnetic field.     

Investigation of the properties of extraordinary mode in three-dimensional magnetized plasma photonic crystals with diamond lattices as Voigt effects are considered

In this paper, the properties of extraordinary mode for two types of three-dimensional magnetized plasma photonic crystals (3D MPPCs) composed of homogeneous dielectric and magnetized plasma with diamond lattices are theoretically investigated for electromagnetic (EM) wave based on a modified plane wave expansion (PWE) method, as Voigt effects are considered. As EM wave propagates in such 3D MPPCs, the EM wave can be divided in two modes due to the influence of Lorentz force. One is named extraordinary mode and another is ordinary mode. The equations for calculating the dispersive relationships for extraordinary mode as propagating through two types of structures (dielectric spheres immersed in magnetized plasma background or vice versa), are theoretically deduced. The influences of dielectric constant of dielectric, plasma collision frequency, filling factor, the external magnetic field and plasma frequency on the properties of extraordinary mode for both types of MPPCs are investigated in detail, respectively, and some corresponding physical explanations are also given. From the numerical results, it has been shown that not only the locations but also bandwidths and relative bandwidths of the photonic band gaps obtained by extraordinary mode for both types of 3D MPPCs can be manipulated by plasma frequency, filling factor, the external magnetic field and the relative dielectric constant of dielectric, respectively. However, the plasma collision frequency has no effect on the frequency ranges and relative bandwidths of PBGs for two types of 3D MPPCs. The locations of flatbands regions cannot be tuned by any parameters except for plasma frequency and the external magnetic field.     

Bifurcations and complex dynamics of an SIR model with the impact of the number of hospital beds

In this paper we establish an SIR model with a standard incidence rate and a nonlinear recovery rate, formulated to consider the impact of available resource of the public health system especially the number of hospital beds. For the three dimensional model with total population regulated by both demographics and diseases incidence, we prove that the model can undergo backward bifurcation, saddle-node bifurcation, Hopf bifurcation and cusp type of Bogdanov–Takens bifurcation of codimension 3. We present the bifurcation diagram near the cusp type of Bogdanov–Takens bifurcation point of codimension 3 and give epidemiological interpretation of the complex dynamical behaviors of endemic due to the variation of the number of hospital beds. This study suggests that maintaining enough number of hospital beds is crucial for the control of the infectious diseases.     

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.