Experimental validation of the gas-solid flow in the CFB riser

In this paper, an experimental study is performed to investigate the flow structure in a circulating fluidized bed (CFB). The typical core-annulus structure and small amount of back-mixing of particles near the wall of the riser were observed. The axial solid concentration distributions contain a dilute region towards the up-middle zone and a dense region near the bottom and the top exit zones. Furthermore, the solid concentration decreases with the increase of the superficial gas velocity, and increases with the increment of the circulation rate at the same height position. The total pressure drop of the main bed represents a linear relationship with the solid flux rate. In the dense phase zone, the solid concentration increases linearly with the augmentation of the solid flux, however, the change of the solid concentration is slight, even unchangeable at the up zones. In addition, based on the Energy-Minimization Multi-Scale (EMMS) method, a revised drag force model is proposed, which is coupled in the Eulerian two-fluid model for simulating the flow structure in the riser. Numerical results are consistent with the experimental data, which indicate the revised drag force model is very successful in simulating flow structure of the dense gas-solid two-phase flow.     

Modeling of cluster structure-dependent drag with Eulerian approach for circulating fluidized beds

Flow behavior of gas and solids is simulated in combination the gas-solid two-fluid model with a cluster structure-dependent (CSD) drag coefficient model. The dispersed phase is modeled by a Eulerian approach based upon the kinetic theory of granular flow (KTGF) including models for describing the dispersed phase interactions with the continuous phase. The drag forces of gas-solid phases are predicted from the local structure parameters of the dense and dilute phases based on the minimization of the energy consumed by heterogeneous drag. The cluster structure-dependent (CSD) drag coefficients are incorporated into the two-fluid model to simulate flow behavior of gas and particles in a riser. Simulation results indicate that the dynamic formation and dissolution of clusters can be captured with the cluster structure-dependent drag coefficient model. Simulated solid velocity and concentration of particles profiles are in reasonable agreement with experimental results.     

Simulation of gas–solid flows in riser using energy minimization multiscale model: Effect of cluster diameter correlation

Reduced effective drag is observed in gas–solid riser flows due to formation of clusters. Thus cluster diameter correlation has direct impact on the calculated drag and the hydrodynamics predictions. However, its effect has not been studied. Therefore in this study, the effect of cluster diameter correlations on the drag coefficient and simulation predictions is evaluated. A structure-based drag is derived using the EMMS model, and is used to carry out computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations for low solid flux fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) risers. The results are compared with those using the Gidaspow drag model, as well as experimental data and previous simulation results. The time-averaged axial and radial profiles of voidages are compared with the experimental data. The comparison shows that only EMMS model is able to capture the axial heterogeneity with the dense bottom and dilute top sections. The radial profiles using both drag models shows only qualitative agreement with the experimental data. The results using the EMMS and Gidaspow drag model show a reasonable agreement near the wall and the centre, respectively. In order to improve the quality of the results obtained by the EMMS model, simulations are conducted using calculated drag coefficients from different cluster diameter correlations. The cluster diameter correlation proposed by Harris et al. (2002) gives reasonable qualitative and quantitative agreement with the experimental data for axial voidage profile, particularly in the dense bottom section; however, the quantitative disagreements in the radial profiles persists.     

双流体模型中曳力及恢复系数对气固流动的影响

应用双流体模型CFD模拟的方法,从恢复系数和曳力两方面,研究了气固密相流化床中颗粒之间和气固相之间的相互作用对床内非均匀流动结构形成与变化的影响.计算结果表明颗粒间非弹性碰撞和气固间曳力的增大均使气固两相流动的非均匀性增大.通过比较二者对非均匀流动结构的影响,发现气固间曳力是形成非均匀流动结构的决定因素.从碰撞耗散、颗粒动能和颗粒势能的角度分析了二者的作用机理,发现恢复系数和曳力对流动结构的作用主要区别在于对颗粒团聚和床层膨胀的影响程度不同.     

An energy-based model of gas-solid transport in a riser

A simple and reliable method to estimate the solid holdup distribution and solid residence time in a gas-solid riser flow is essential to the optimum design and efficient operations of riser reactors. The traditional approach of equating the local solid holdup to the pressure drop in a riser overlooks the effects of solid acceleration and energy dissipation in the acceleration and dense phase transport regions. The energy dissipation in these regions is mainly due to the interfacial friction between interstitial gas and suspended solids, inter-solid collisions, as well as solid-wall fraction. Most momentum-based models fail to account for the energy dissipation of inter-solid collisions, and the models using the simple granular kinetic theory fail to account for the energy dissipation in micro-sliding or rolling from off-center inter-solid collisions. This paper presents an energy-based mechanistic model to analyze the partitions of the axial gradient of pressure by solid acceleration, collision-induced energy dissipation and solid holdup in gas-solid riser flows. Based on this model, more reasonable estimation of axial distributions of solid holdup and resulted solid velocity can be obtained. Our analysis shows that the effect of solid acceleration on the pressure drop can be significant in a range of moderate solid holdup (typically from 3.5% to 12% by solid volume fraction) whereas the effect of energy dissipation becomes important in the dense phase transport region (typically when the solid volume fraction above 5%). The exemplified results indicate that the traditional approach of equating the local solid holdup to the pressure drop overestimates the solid holdup by an error up to 50% in the acceleration and dense phase transport regions in typical gas-solid riser flow applications.     

Computational fluid dynamics of a circulating fluidized bed under various fluidization conditions

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to simulate the hydrodynamics of gas-solid flow in a circulating fluidized bed (CFB) riser at various fluidization conditions using the Eulerian-Granular multiphase model. The model was evaluated comprehensively by comparing its predictions with experimental results reported for a CFB riser operating at various solid mass fluxes and superficial gas velocities. The model was capable of predicting the main features of the complex gas-solids flow, including the cluster formation of the solid phase along the walls, for different operating conditions. The model also predicted the coexistence of up-flow in the lower regions and downward flow in the upper regions at the wall of the riser for high gas velocity and solid mass flux, as reported in the literature. The predicted solid volume fraction and axial particle velocity were in good agreement with the experimental data within the high density fast fluidization regime. However, the model showed some discrepancy in predicting the gas-solid flow behavior in the riser operating in dense suspension up-flow and low density fast fluidization regimes.     

一个气固两相流动阻力的新模型

为了解决现有经验气固阻力模型的普适性问题,合理描述颗粒团聚现象对气固阻力的严重影响,从理论分析入手,将传统的CFD方法与系统能量分析方法相结合,建立了计及颗粒团聚效应的气固阻力分析模型.与现有模型相比,新模型不仅合理地描述了气固两相相互作用的物理过程,而且避免了以往采用经验系数所导致的误差和局限性.经循环流化床数值模拟的检验证明,新模型的计算结果与实验数据吻合,从而在稠密气固两相流动的数值模拟中具有相当的优越性.     

气-固环流反应器内瞬态流体力学特性的数值模拟

采用双流体模型和颗粒动力学理论,并考虑颗粒团聚现象对气固相间曳力的影响,对气-固环流反应器内的流体力学特性进行了数值模拟。模拟的时均固含率和颗粒速度与实验数据具有较好一致性,验证了模拟方法的可靠性。模拟结果表明：气-固环流反应器内瞬态固含率的分布具有典型聚式流态化的非均匀特征;压力脉动沿床层轴向的分布在一定程度上定性反映了气泡运动的信息;颗粒速度的时间序列和概率密度分布函数表明,床层各径向位置均存在颗粒的向上、向下运动,颗粒主体在床层内向上运动的同时还存在微观的内循环运动,模拟值为颗粒时均速度的径向非均一性宏观分布提供了合理的微观解释。     

垂直并流向上气固两相流中流动结构的分析及曳力系数的计算

This study investigates the heterogeneous structure and its influence on drag coefficient for concurrent up gas-solid flow.The energy-minimization multi-scale (EMMS) model is modified to simulate the variation of structure parameters with solids concentration,showing the tendency for particles to aggregated to form clusters and for fluid to pass around clusters.The global drag coefficient is resolved into that for the dense phase,for the dilutephase and for the so-called inter-phase,all of which can be obtained from their respective phase-specific structure parameters.The computational results show that the drag coefficients of the different phases are quite different,and the global drag coefficient calculated from the EMMS approach is much lower than that from the correlation of Wen and Yu.The simulation results demonstrate that the EMMS approach can well describe the heterogeneous flow structure,and is very promising for incorporation into the two-fluid model or the discrete particle model as the closure law for drag coefficient.     

MULTI-SCALE MASS TRANSFER MODEL FOR GAS-SOLID TWO-PHASE FLOW

This article is devoted to analyzing the mass transfer in heterogeneous gas-solid flow by means of structure and process decomposition. A multi-scale mass transfer model was developed on the basis of the hydrodynamics calculated from the so-called EMMS model. This resulted in the predictions of the steady-state two-dimensional concentration distributions of sublimated substance as well as total mass transfer coefficient for circular concurrent gas-solid contactors. The predictions were validated by experimentally measured (via an on-line HP GC-MS system) axial concentration distributions of sublimated naphthalene in air in a circulating fluidized bed riser 3.0 m in height and 72 mm in diameter. The experiment also obtained mass transfer coefficients comparable to theoretical predictions under conditions with various gas velocities, solid circulation rates, particle sizes, and active material fractions in the particles. Both the theoretical and experimental results demonstrated that the heterogeneous flow structure prevailing in the concurrent gas-solid flow greatly influenced the flow's mass transfer.     

MULTI-SCALE MASS TRANSFER MODEL FOR GAS-SOLID TWO-PHASE FLOW

This article is devoted to analyzing the mass transfer in heterogeneous gas-solid flow by means of structure and process decomposition. A multi-scale mass transfer model was developed on the basis of the hydrodynamics calculated from the so-called EMMS model. This resulted in the predictions of the steady-state two-dimensional concentration distributions of sublimated substance as well as total mass transfer coefficient for circular concurrent gas-solid contactors. The predictions were validated by experimentally measured (via an on-line HP GC-MS system) axial concentration distributions of sublimated naphthalene in air in a circulating fluidized bed riser 3.0 m in height and 72 mm in diameter. The experiment also obtained mass transfer coefficients comparable to theoretical predictions under conditions with various gas velocities, solid circulation rates, particle sizes, and active material fractions in the particles. Both the theoretical and experimental results demonstrated that the heterogeneous flow structure prevailing in the concurrent gas-solid flow greatly influenced the flow's mass transfer.     

提升管反应器介尺度结构影响规律的数值模拟研究

提升管反应器存在典型的颗粒聚团介尺度结构,其分布特性对气固流动、反应有重要影响,对介尺度结构影响规律进行分析有助于为反应器的设计与优化操作提供基础信息。采用基于能量最小多尺度（EMMS）方法的曳力模型建立了提升管气固两相流动模型,考虑了颗粒聚团对气固相间动量传递的影响。此外,进一步通过考虑颗粒聚团的存在以及颗粒聚团的非均匀性对化学反应的影响,提出了描述介尺度结构对反应速率影响的修正因子,与气固流动模型进行耦合,建立了基于介尺度结构的流动-反应综合数学模型,并进行了模型验证。进一步应用该模型,对工业催化裂化提升管反应器的流动-反应特性进行了模拟分析。结果表明,该模型可以合理描述提升管气固相互作用,能够预测出壁面附近存在较多介尺度结构的分布特性,由于聚团的存在使得重油组分难以与催化剂充分接触,生成汽柴油的反应速率较低,转化较慢,聚团的分布特性导致靠近边壁处的重油组分浓度较高,汽柴油组分浓度较低;汽柴油在聚团内部的流动阻力较大,在聚团内发生过量的二次反应生成较多焦炭,导致壁面处焦炭浓度较高。与传统基于平均化而未考虑聚团影响的模型相比,基于介尺度结构的模型所预测的汽油收率最佳值与工业实际相接近。因此,基于介尺度结构的流动-反应综合数学模型可以合理描述提升管内进行的流动-反应耦合特性,并能揭示介尺度结构对催化裂化反应过程的影响,有望为工业提升管装置反应终止剂技术的开发提供重要的基础信息。     

非均匀气固流态化系统中颗粒流体相间作用的计算

曳力系数是双流体模型模拟气固两相流动的关键参数.文献中应用的关联式都基于平均方法,不再适用于模拟快速流态化系统的非均匀流动结构.本文试图阐明非均匀结构对曳力系数的影响,应用改进的能量最小多尺度模型提出一种计算微元体曳力系数的新方法.计算结果表明应用该模型计算出的曳力系数远小于基于平均方法关联式的计算结果,符合实验得出的结论.     

Searching for a mesh-independent sub-grid model for CFD simulation of gas-solid riser flows

This work aims to examine the effects of grid size in applying the two-fluid model (TFM), and thereby attempts to search for a mesh-independent sub-grid model for simulating gas-solid riser flows. To this end, we performed a series of TFM simulations over a periodic domain with various grid resolutions and drag closures. Of these drag models, EMMS/matrix model in its simplified version was chosen to be the focus of discussion. It was found that TFM simulation with a homogeneous drag model reaches its numerically asymptotic solution when the grid scale is as small as 10 times the particle diameter, but it still fails to capture the characteristic S-shaped axial voidage profile and highly over-predicts the solids flux. By comparison, EMMS/matrix model seems to reach a mesh-independent solution of the effect of sub-grid structures on the drag force, and predict successfully the axial voidage profile and the solids flux with even coarse grid. Therefore, the fine-grid TFM simulation is inadequate for gas-solid riser flows. We need sub-grid modeling of the heterogeneous structure.     

气固顺逆重力场流态化特征分析

气固并行顺重力场与逆重力场流动形成了迥然不同的流态化机制 :下行床中 ,局部颗粒的聚集会使局部颗粒及气体速度增大 ,而局部气体速度的增大又会破坏颗粒的聚集 ;提升管中因气固逆重力场流动 ,颗粒的聚集会使局部气体及颗粒速度降低 ,而这种降低又会加重颗粒的聚集。与提升管相比 ,下行床具有气固速度和颗粒含率径向分布均匀和气固停留时间短以及返混小等特点 ,其流型更接近平推流     

Modeling of drag with the Eulerian approach and EMMS theory for heterogeneous dense gas-solid two-phase flow

Combined with the Eulerian approach, energy minimization multi-scale (EMMS) theory was used to develop a new theoretical model for the drag between the gas and solid phases in dense fluidized systems. The energy minimization was used in the solution procedure as an additional stability condition to close the conservation equations. The model was derived without introducing any empirical factors, so it can be used for more flow conditions in circulating fluidized beds (CFBs) than empirical models, especially for heterogeneous gas-solid two-phase flows that include cluster formation. Non-uniform particle distribution in computational cells, which is usually not described by the differential equations, is also considered in the new drag model. Both the drag values given by the model and simulation results for real systems agree well with experimental data. The results show that the model reasonably describes the interactions between the gas and particle phases in dense flows.     

16m高气固提升管中的压力梯度与流动行为研究

在较宽操作条件范围对16m高提升管中气－固两相流（空气－FCC颗粒）的压力梯度进行了实验测试,进一步揭示了快速流态化和密相气力输送这两种流动形态的动力学特征及其与操作参数的关系。结果表明,在表观气速增大的过程中气固提升管中的轴向压力梯度并非总是不断趋于均匀分布;提升管高度对快速流态化到密相气力输送状态的过渡有重要影响,对于给定的表观气速,提升管高度增加将使过渡点所应的颗粒循环量和床层颗粒浓度都减小。本实验条件下所有过滤点对应的床层颗粒浓度较为一致,平均为0．0104,并由此得到过渡点操作参数Ug与Gs的关联式。本文研究表明,在以往工作基础上进一步研究提升管高度对流动行为的影响极有必要。     

快速流化床一维轴向稳态流动模型

本文对稳态操作的快速流化床气固两相流动进行了分析,表明颗粒在床内的加速运动对床层各项参数有显著影响。考虑了颗粒加速作用以及由于颗粒聚集使气固两相相互作用力减小的事实后,可采用一维轴向稳态流动模型获得截面平均颗粒速度、空隙率以及曳力系数等参数及其轴向分布规律。模型预测与实验直接测定结果吻合很好。