Analysis of Regime Transitions and Flow Instabilities in Vertical Conveying of Coarse Particles Using Different Solids Feeding Systems

The transition between dense and dilute flow in vertical conveying of Geldart D particles were investigated for risers of different diameters using a spouted bed as a solid feeding system. The transition and choking velocities were identified by combining analyses of pressure gradient versus air velocity diagrams, pressure fluctuation signals and voidage values. Experimental data were used to evaluate the effect of particle and riser diameters on the pressure gradient, mean mixture voidage, the regime transition and choking velocities. The transition velocity from dilute to dense phase could be identified, as well as the onset of the choking condition, which appeared as the air velocity was further reduced. Data obtained in the same experimental apparatus facility using a screw conveyor and a gravitational system as solid feeding devices have been used as a reference to be compared to those obtained using the spouted bed feeder.     

EFFECTS OF PARTICLE CHARACTERISTICS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF A FAST FLUIDIZED BED REACTOR

A heterogeneous model for the fast fluidized bed reactor which carries out a gas-solid non catalytic reaction is presented. The hydrodynamics of the fast fluidized bed is characterized by the model of Kwauk et al. (1985) which assumes the existence of two phases; a dense phase and a dilute pneumatic transport phase. For a given solid flowrate, the length of the reactor occupied by each phase depends on gas velocity, particle diameter and density and average voidage within the reactor. The gas-solid reaction is assumed to follow the shrinking core model. The solids are assumed to be completely backmixed in the dense phase and move in plug How in the dilute pneumatic transport phase. The gas phase is assumed to be in plug flow in both phases

For given gas and solid flowrates, the transition from the dense phase flow to the fast fluidized bed (containing two regions) as functions of particle size and density is determined using the model of Kwauk et al. (1985). The numerical solution of the governing mass balance equations show that for given solid and gas flowrates, (and average voidage) the gas phase conversion shows an unusual behavior with respect to particle diameter and density. Such behavior is resulted from the effects of particle diameter and density on the reactor volume occupied by each phase and the effect of particle diameter on the apparent reaction rate. The numerical results show that a fast fluidized bed gives the best conversion at large particle density and for the particle diameter which results the fast fluidized bed to be operated near the pure dense phase flow.     

Mechanisms of choking and entrainment

The related phenomena of choking in pneumatic transport systems and of entrainment from fluid beds have been the subject of considerable empirical correlation and theoretical speculation. For dilute suspensions, such as occur in transport and entrainment, literature data indicate that slip velocity increases as voidage decreases. This paper demonstrates that such a slip—voidage relation leads to a limiting envelope of lines of constant voidage on coordinates of volumetric particle flux versus fluid velocity. The limiting envelope defines the boundary between dilute phase and dense phase flow and determines the solids flux—gas velocity—voidage relationships at choking or entrainment conditions.     

Voidage Profiles in a Slot‐Rectangular Spouted Bed

Local voidages were determined using optical fibre probes for 1.4 and 2.4 mm glass beads in slot‐rectangular spouted beds of width 150 mm. The effects of air inlet flow rate, slot width and bed thickness were investigated. Spout widths were determined from standard deviations of local voidage fluctuations. Both spout and annulus voidages increased with increasing air flow. Annulus voidages were usually higher than corresponding loose‐packed voidages and decreased with increasing height. Annulus and spout voidages were very sensitive to the air entry slot width and particle diameter. With increasing height, spouts became increasingly circular (three‐dimensional), despite the initial rectangular geometry.     

60米高循环流化床内物料浓度分布的冷态试验

利用电厂循环流化床锅炉现有的结构和设备, 搭建提升管高度60m、内径400mm的超高循环流化床冷态实验台, 重点研究了流化风速和颗粒密度对提升管内轴向和径向空隙率分布的影响。实验结果表明:空隙率分布形式与流化风速和物料密度密切相关, 对于一定的床料高度, 在底部密相区一直有床料堆积的情况下, 随着流化风速的增加, 提升管底部密相区空隙率增大, 上部稀相区的空隙率减小并且其在径向的分布变得更加不均匀;在一定的流化风速下, 密度较小的物料将更多的被带入上部稀相区, 上部稀相区的空隙率减小, 其在径向分布将变得更加不均匀。     

An analysis of pressure drop fluctuation in a circulating fluidized bed

The characteristics of pressure drop fluctuation in a 5.0 cm I.D.×250cm high circulating fluidized bed with fine polymer particles of PE and PVC were investigated. The measurements of time series of the pressure drop were carried out along the three different axial locations. To determine the effects of coarse particles and relative humidity of air on the flow behavior of polymer powders-air suspension in the riser, we employed deterministic chaos analysis of the Hurst exponent, correlation dimension and phase space trajectories as well as classical methods such as standard deviation, probability density function of pressure drop fluctuation. From a statistical and chaos analysis of pressure fluctuations, the upper dilute region was found to be much more homogenous flow compared to that in the bottom dense region at the same operating conditions. It was also found that the addition of coarse particles and higher humidity of air reduced the pressure fluctuations, thus enhancing flow stability in the riser. The analysis of pressure fluctuations by statistical and chaos theory gave qualitative and the quantitative information of flow behavior in the circulating fluidized bed.     

STOCHASTIC BEHAVIOR OF FLUIDIZED PARTICLES IN A LIQUID-SOLID FLUIDIZED BED

In a liquid-solid fluidized bed, the apparently irregular or stochastic behavior of particles gives rise to various flow regimes depending on parameters such as the particle size, liquid flow rate, static bed height and axial position in the bed. It is highly plausible that this irregular behavior manifests itself as pressure fluctuations; thus, the effects of these parameters on the particle behavior or the particle flow regime were investigated through measurement and spectral analysis of the pressure fluctuations. The results indicate that the amplitude of pressure fluctuations exhibits a maximum and that the decay constant in the autocorrelation function attains its minimum at the intermediate liquid flow rate where the particle flow regime undergoes transition from the cluster circulation to the individual quasi random motion. The model composed of the periodic and stochastic components of pressure fluctuations, is in good accord with the experimental results in terms of both the autocorrelation and power spectral density functions.     

旋流筛板式气固挡板流化床内压力脉动特性

在表观气速Ug=0.04~1.14 m/s时,采用旋流筛板构型的挡板式内构件,通过对比分析旋流筛板式气固挡板流化床与自由床内流动现象、压差脉动标准偏差和压力脉动标准偏差等参数,确定了旋流筛板式气固挡板流化床能有效破碎气泡的流动与操作条件。结果表明,构件下方区域颗粒随表观气速增加而不断转移至构件上方床层,造成构件下方区域密相床层高度持续降低,该区域出现3种流动状态并直接决定构件是否能破碎气泡。当Ug<0.44 m/s时,构件下方区域密相床层料位较高,形成下部为密相床层、上部为密相与大气泡交替通过构件的鼓泡床,此时构件具有抑制气泡生长并破碎气泡的作用,全床压差脉动及压力脉动标准偏差低于相同条件下的自由床;当0.44≤Ug<0.66 m/s时,密相床层料位较低,形成下部为密相床层、上部为单一稀相的湍动床,此时构件不再直接抑制气泡生长或破碎气泡,但构件下方密相床层的存在能降低构件下方及构件上方一定高度内床层的压力脉动强度;当Ug≥0.66 m/s后,密相床层完全消失,形成气体为连续相的稀相流化状态,构件不能破碎气泡、降低床层压力和压差脉动强度。     

Behaviour of gas-fluidized beds of fine powders part I. Homogeneous expansion

The minimum bubbling velocity has been correlated from the results of experiments on 48 gas/solid systems and is a function of the density and viscosity of the fluidizing gas, the mean sieve size of the powder and the fraction of fines less than 45 μm. An improved equation is presented to predict U_mb/U_mf; this parameter also correlates well with the maximum non-bubbling bed expansion ratio H_mb/H_mf which is used to calculate the maximum dense phase voidage ?_mb. An equation based on the Carman-Kozeny theory can be used to predict bed voidages between incipient fluidization and bubbling. An accurate value of particle density is essential in these equations and a simple comparative method has been used to determine particle densities of fine porous powders.     

负压差立管下料过程压力脉动的传递性实验与分析

在高13m大型循环流化床装置上,对φ150 mm×900 mm负压差立管内气固两相流的动态压力进行了轴向多点测量,并用标准偏差进行了分析,主要研究立管下料过程的动态传递特性.实验表明负压差立管内存在明显的压力脉动现象,这种压力脉动具有一定的传递性.颗粒质量流率比较小时是稀密两相共存流态,稀相区的压力脉动主要受进料流量振荡的影响,向下传递;密相区的压力脉动主要受立管的波动性排料影响,向上传递;随着颗粒质量流率的增加达到浓相输送流态时,上部是连续式浓相输送流态,下部是密相波浪式输送流态,立管的压力脉动主要受进口流量振荡和排料过程压缩气体作用,向下传递.对立管的压力脉动进行标准偏差分析表明脉动压力传递沿颗粒的流动方向上具有幅值增大特性.在立管内流态从稀密两相共存流态转变为浓相输送流态时,由于颗粒压缩气体分量最大,压力脉动幅值最大,减小或增加颗粒质量流率,压力脉动幅度均降低.     

Transition from turbulent to fast fluidization

Based on eight transition criteria, at least two types of transition velocities are identified for the demarcation of the transition from turbulent to fast fluidization. The "critical velocity," U se , corresponds to the significant entrainment of particles from the bed, beyond which a circulating fluidized bed operation becomes essential. The "transport velocity," U tr , defines the transition to fast fluidization based on the axial solids concentration profiles. Below this velocity, a distinct interface exists between a top dilute region and a bottom dense region. Above U tr , the variation of voidage with height becomes relatively smooth. U tr is found to be a function of measurement location and riser height, as well as gas and particle properties.     

TRANSITION FROM TURBULENT TO FAST FLUIDIZATION

Based on eight transition criteria, at least two types of transition velocities are identified for the demarcation of the transition from turbulent to fast fluidization. The "critical velocity," U se , corresponds to the significant entrainment of particles from the bed, beyond which a circulating fluidized bed operation becomes essential. The "transport velocity," U tr , defines the transition to fast fluidization based on the axial solids concentration profiles. Below this velocity, a distinct interface exists between a top dilute region and a bottom dense region. Above U tr , the variation of voidage with height becomes relatively smooth. U tr is found to be a function of measurement location and riser height, as well as gas and particle properties.     

Numerical and Experimental Study of Catalyst Loading and Body Effects on a Gas‐Liquid Trickle‐Flow Bed

The influence of tortuosity and fluid volume fractions on trickle‐flow bed performance was analyzed. Hydrodynamics of the gas‐liquid downward flow through trickle beds, filled with industrial trilobe catalysts, were investigated experimentally and numerically. The pressure drop and liquid holdup were measured at different gas and liquid velocities and in two different loading methods, namely, sock and dense catalyst loading. The effect of sharp corners on hydrodynamic parameters was considered in a bed with rectangular cross section. The reactor was simulated, considering a three‐phase model, appropriate porosity function, and interfacial forces based on the Eulerian‐Eulerian approach. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation results for pressure drop and liquid holdup agreed well with experimental data. Finally, the velocity distribution in two types of loading and the effect of bed geometry in CFD results demonstrated that pressure drop and liquid holdup were reduced compared to a cylindrical one due to high voidage at sharp corners.     

Effects of temperature on local two-phase flow structure in bubbling and turbulent fluidized beds of FCC particles

A novel high temperature optical fiber probe has been developed to study the effects of bed temperature on the local two-phase flow structure in a pilot scale fluidized bed of the FCC particles with bed temperatures ranging from 25°C to 420°C, covering both the bubbling and turbulent fluidization regimes. The results show that fluidization is enhanced and fluctuations of the local two-phase flow structure become more intense with increasing bed temperature. At constant superficial gas velocities, the averaged local particle concentration, the dense phase fraction and particle concentration in the dense phase decrease with increasing bed temperature, whereas both the frequency of the dilute/dense phase cycle and the ratio of the dilute phase duration to the dense phase duration increase. In addition, the effects of temperature on the dilute phase depend on superficial gas velocity. The conventional two-phase models fail to predict these changes of the local flow structure with temperature, which may be explained by the fact that the role of interparticle forces is neglected at different bed temperatures. Indeed, fluidization behaviors of the FCC particles tested increasingly shift from typical Geldart A towards B with increasing temperature due to a decrease of the interparticle attractive forces and a simultaneous increase of interparticle repulsive forces.     

湍动流化床过渡段固含率分布特征的实验及数值模拟

在湍动流化床中,过渡段对于包括甲醇制烯烃在内的气固催化快反应有着重要的作用。采用PV6D反射型光纤探针对内径95 mm的湍动流化床内过渡段的固含率分布和脉动参数进行了测量,分别考察了表观气速和静床高的影响,并采用修正的基于颗粒动力学的三段曳力双流体模型进行模拟。实验表明,湍动流化床过渡段中固含率的轴向分布呈现S型和指数型两种类型,固含率轴向与径向分布都在过渡段内出现最大梯度,表明过渡段中固体浓度分布比稀相段和密相段更不均匀。表观气速和静床高的变化将导致S型和指数型分布的相互转变,并且对过渡段底部与壁面附近的固体高浓度区影响最为显著。局部固含率脉动概率密度分布表明,在静床高较小时,随着气速的增大,床层下部气含率最大值位置将从中心区移动至环隙区,呈现气含率的双峰型分布。本文提出的修正三段曳力模型考虑了颗粒团聚的影响,对过渡段中分布板影响区之外的固含率分布均能较好地模拟。     

Estimating radial voidage profiles for all fluidization regimes in circulating fluidized bed risers

In terms of variation characteristics of radial voidage profiles, we had identified that all fluidization regimes from minimum fluidization to pneumatic transport prevailing in circulating fluidized bed (CFB) risers can be grossly divided into two distinctive variational regions, the dense phase continuous bubbling flow region and the dilute phase continuous clustering flow region, at a cross-sectionally averaged voidage of 0.75 [Powder Technol. 101 (1999) 91]. Succeeding that work, this article is devoted to further estimating the radial voidage profiles in two such distinctive variational regions by concerning the case of circular circulating fluidized bed risers. A new correlation was proposed for the dense phase continuous bubbling flow region, while the equation of Zhang et al. [Chem. Eng. Sci. 46 (1991) 3045] was considered applicable to the dilute phase continuous clustering flow region. Further improving the equation of Zhang et al. according to the result obtained in our last report ensured the continuity between the two correlations. In addition, the article also highlighted the formation mechanics of the two distinctive variational regions for radial voidage profiles in terms of the different gas/particle hydrodynamic behaviors in bubbling and clustering flows.     

循环流化床稀相流动局部空隙率的测量

本文采用激光相让多普勒颗粒分析仪（PDPA）测量流化床气固两相流局部瞬时流动结构．通过测量瞬时颗粒直径、速度及颗粒通过测量体的渡越时间，分析导出了一种计算局部瞬时空隙率的方法实验证明即使在很稀的稀相流动中仍存在着不均匀的流动结构．在同一流动条件下，还用光纤探针测量了瞬时空隙率．结果表明PDPA测量方法能够测量出光纤探针无法测量到的稀相流动中微观瞬时流动结构的变化．     

Two-phase theory and fine powders

The validity of the assumptions built into the two-phase theory has been re-examined for a range of fine powders. These long-standing but often criticised assumptions are that, in the dense phase of a bubbling fluidised bed, the voidage and velocity correspond to those at incipient fluidisation.Eleven different powders were used, and average particle size varied from 12 to 67 μm. Particle density ranged between 1300 and 5200 kg/m³. Dense phase velocity and voidage were measured by the bed collapse technique, and the systematic deviations from the above assumptions demonstrated.It has been shown that the minimum fluidisation point loses meaning at high fines levels; a transitional class on the Geldart [6] powder classification diagram, termed class AC, is postulated. This class is characterised by the absence of a meaningful incipient fluidisation point, and the absence of a contraction of the bed when bubbles first begin to pass through. The dense phase voidage has been found to increase more strongly than expected, and correlates strongly with fines level. Particle density has been found to have an insignificant effect on dense phase voidage in the range covered, and the gas velocity in the dense phase has also been found to increase and correlate strongly with increasing fines level. Correlations are presented for dense phase voidage and velocity.     

Flow patterns in high-velocity fluidized beds and pneumatic conveying

Four flow patterns are identified for gas-solids vertical upward flows. Homogeneous dilute phase flow is characterized by the absence of both radial and axial solids segregation. Heterogeneous dilute phase flow (also called core-annulus flow) is characterized by the absence of axial solids segregation, with solids carried upward in the core and travelling downward near the outer wall due to the formation of particle streamers. Collapsed flow with a lower dense region and an upper dilute region is also referred to as the fast fluidization regime. In this case, the flow structure in the upper dilute region is similar to that in heterogeneous dilute phase flow, while the lower dense region resembles that in a turbulent fluidized bed. Dense phase flow can be reached when the riser is completely occupied by a relatively dense suspension with little axial density variation and no net solids downflow near the riser wall. The transition from fast fluidization to dense phase flow is still not clearly defined.     

快速流态化的流动

在外径100mm,高8m的有机玻璃的装置上,对FCC催化剂、三氧化二铝粉料、铁精矿和细粒黄铁矿烧渣进行了快速流态化的流动实验。基于分布在稀薄连续相中颗粒密集体的不断形成和解体的现象,提出了快速流态化的分相流动的物理模型,并用一个一阶微分方程加以描述。其解为 In((ε-ε_a)/(ε-ε))=-(z-z_i)/Z_o 四个模型参数,即ε_a、ε、Z_o、和z_i由实验确定。