Two phase biomass air-steam gasification model for fluidized bed reactors: Part I—model development

A two-phase model capable of predicting the performance of fluidized bed biomass air-steam gasification reactor during dynamic and steady state operations was developed based on the two phase theory of fluidization. Material and energy balances were taken into consideration and the minimization of free energy technique was used to calculate the gas mole fractions. The fluidized bed was divided into three zones (jetting, bubbling and slugging) and the mass and heat transfer coefficients were calculated for each zone in both bubble and emulsion phases. The model includes the hydrodynamics, transport and thermodynamic properties of fluidized bed. The finite element method was used to solve the partial differential equations. The input variables of the computer program included fluidization velocity, steam flow rate and biomass to steam ratio. The model is capable of predicting the bed temperature, gas mole fractions, higher heating value and production rate.     

基于小波变换的鼓泡流化床压力波动信号的分析

运用小波变换对鼓泡流化床内压力信号进行多尺度分解 ,并计算各尺度高频信号的功率谱积分 ,由此来对鼓泡床压力波动信号所含的丰富信息进行分析 ,这种分析方法充分体现了小波分析的优越性。通过对GeldartD类床料的实验、研究得出分解时选用的最佳小波基随流化速度变化的规律 ;尺度 6及尺度 5对应的高频信号分别可以表征气泡在床表面的破裂及在布风板附近的形成 ,尺度 4的高频信号是由气泡沿床层上升而引起的 ,这在以往使用傅立叶变换或只用功率谱分析是无法得出的。结果表明 ,小波变化结合功率谱分析是一种分析鼓泡流化床内压力脉动信号的有效方法     

基于非接触式静电传感阵列的二维流化床气泡参数测量

实现流化床内气泡参数实时在线测量与表征,对深入了解流化床内气固流动特性以及反应过程调控具有重要意义。本文提出一种非接触静电传感阵列的气泡参数测量方法,通过静电传感器结合互相关法测量气泡上升速度,进一步利用气泡流经传感器的时间差,可获得气泡直径。开发了非接触式多路检测系统,并在二维流化床上开展了气泡特性实验研究。结果表明：静电传感器阵列结合互相关技术可实现在流化床内气泡上升速度、直径的同时测量;不同工况下,二维流化床中气泡的流动特性基本满足Davidson半经验公式,气泡的上升速度与流化风速及气泡直径的平方根成线性关系。非接触静电传感阵列对气泡流动不产生干扰,在表征流化床内部气泡流动特性具有重要的工程应用价值。     

Measurement of mass transfer between the bubble and dense phases in a fluidized bed combustor

An experimental study is described on mass transfer between the bubble and dense phases in a fluidized bed, used as a coke combustor. The experimental technique allowed quantification of the mass transfer rate during bubble formation and during a bubble’s rise through the bed. The combustion experiments were performed at 1 atm and 1223 K, in a fluidized bed (i.d. 120 mm) of sand (average diam. 325 μm) with static heights of 0.10–0.21 m. The bubbling flow rate ranged from 2.5 to 5.0 times that at incipient fluidization. The coke particles were 3.0 or 3.5 mm in diameter. Results indicate that the equivalent bed height, L_eq (the height a bubble must rise to transfer to the dense phase the same quantity of oxygen as during its formation) is independent of the bubbling air flow rate. The mean value L_eq = 50 mm suggests that for shallow beds the mass transferred during bubble formation is a significant part of the total mass transferred. The measured mass transfer factor between phases during a bubble’s rise (x′ = X/L_mf) is independent of the bubbling air flow rate and substantially lower than the theoretical predictions of Kunii and Levenspiel [1]. This disagreement is explained by the fact that the theoretical model is for an isolated bubble and does not account for the strong interaction between consecutive bubbles; this increases a bubble’s velocity and induces their coalescence, leading to a decrease in mass transferred between phases.     

Numerical study of different gas–solid flow regimes effects on hydrodynamics and heat transfer performance of a fluidized bed reactor

In this study, a two‐?uid Eulerian–Eulerian model has been carried out applying the kinetic theory of granular flow (KTGF) to study the hydrodynamics and heat transfer behavior of a fluidized bed reactor simultaneously. The effects of different gas–solid flow regimes on the operating conditions and heat transfer rate between the hot air and two types of low and high‐density inert particles are investigated in a fluidized bed dryer. Different gas–solid flow regimes for wood and glass particles of groups A, B, and D of Geldart's classification are simulated to introduce the most optimal flow regime in terms of heat transfer rate and operating costs. The compromise between the heating rate, the height required for the reactor, and the ratio of the final mass to the initial mass of solid particles, which specifies the need for a cyclone separator showed that the bubbling regime of Geldart B powder for low‐density particles and the turbulent regime of Geldart D powder or bubbling regime of Geldart B powder for high‐density particles are the optimal operating conditions and flow regimes. Furthermore, it was concluded that the convective heat transfer is the dominant mechanism, which increases with increasing the air velocity and decreasing the particle diameter in each group.     

Investigations of pressure fluctuation history records of gas–solid fluidized beds

A transducer pressure probe is devised to measure the pressure‐history curves up to a maximum frequency of 200 Hz. It is installed on the wall of a 153 mm² fluidized bed and is employed to establish the solids mixing and movement pattern of an air fluidized bed comprising of glass beads of 2093 μm average diameter. The pressure variations recorded with a speed of about 11 Hz for a period of 92 s are employed to compute several statistical functions and analysed to infer the quality of fluidization. For the range of fluidization number 1.05–1.48, it is inferred that in this bubbling regime, the solids near the bed wall region descend down while the air bubbles drift to the central region and rise up in the fluidized bed. This bulk macroscopic hydrodynamic picture of solids movement is in conformity with the conclusions of other co‐workers. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A two phase model of high temperature steam-only gasification of biomass char in bubbling fluidized bed reactors using nuclear heat

A two phase biomass char steam gasification kinetic model is developed in a bubbling fluidized bed with nuclear heat as source of energy. The model is capable of predicting the temperature and concentration profiles of gases in the bubble, emulsion gas and solid phases. The robust model calculates the dynamic and steady state profiles, as well as the complex parameters of fluidized bed. Three pilot scale gasifiers were simulated in order to see the effect of the H/D ratio and the bed heating dynamics in the gasification kinetics, these parameters are found to be really important in order to enhance the water-gas shift reaction, and consequently, the hydrogen production. For the system modeled, hydrogen is the principal product of the steam-only gasification, as reported in the literature data. The carbon dioxide yield seems to be smaller than the ones in other works, but these differences are due principally to the energy source (no combustion is conducted) and that char (no oxygen in the solids) was used as the carbon source.     

鼓泡流化床内颗粒分离行为模拟研究

颗粒-颗粒相间曳力是影响鼓泡流化床流体动力行为的重要因素之一。本文基于欧拉-欧拉双流体气固两相流模型,采用考虑了颗粒分离斜度系数的颗粒-颗粒相间曳力模型,对床内具有两种不同颗粒尺寸、底部均匀布风的鼓泡流化床进行了数值模拟研究,并将模拟结果与Owoyemi等的实验及数值模拟结果进行了比较。研究结果表明考虑颗粒分离斜度系数的颗粒-颗粒相间曳力模型合理地预测和分析了床内颗粒分离等特性。     

Heat transfer characteristics in a pulsating fluidized bed in relation to bubble characteristics

A pulsating fluidized bed is operated with two sequential durations designated as an on‐period with injecting fluidization gas and an off‐period without it. The heat transfer coefficient between a vertically immersed heater and bed in a pulsating fluidized bed is measured under various pulse cycles and fluidized particles. The obtained results are compared with those in a normal fluidized bed with continuous fluidization air injection. The relationship between heat transfer coefficients and bubble characteristics, evaluated using a digital video camera, has also been investigated. For certain fluidized particles and operating pulse cycles, the fluidization of particles and the increment of heat transfer coefficients can be obtained under a mean air velocity based on a pulse cycle duration smaller than the minimum fluidization air velocity in a normal fluidized bed. Under the pulse cycles where a static bed through the whole bed is formed in the off‐period duration, the improved heat transfer rate over that in a normal fluidized bed can be measured. This may be attributed to large bubble formation. As heat transfer in the pulsating fluidized bed is obstructed with increasing time to keep a static bed due to the excessive off‐period duration, it is indicated that there is an optimum off‐period duration based on the heat transfer rate. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res, 31(4): 307–319, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/htj.10038     

Does co burn in a fluidized bed?—a detailed chemical kinetic modeling study

One important issue in fluidized bed combustion is the effect of the fluidized particles on the homogeneous oxidation of both the volatiles and CO from char combustion. These surfaces are thought to quench the radicals and thus lower the rate of combustion significantly. In this work the quenching of the radicals is introduced in a detailed chemical kinetic mechanism to model the effect of the solids on the oxidation of CO in the particulate and bubble phases. In this way the effect of particle concentration, particle diameter, temperature, air-to-fuel ratio, and water concentration has been studied. The results do confirm that oxidation rates are significantly reduced in the particulate phase, although no complete suppression was found. In the bubble phase the effect of heterogeneous radical quenching following mass transfer into the particulate phase and also quenching on the solids at a bubble’s surface is small. No critical (minimum) bubble diameter for the ignition of CO in the bubble phase was found under the investigated conditions. A comparison with the literature on the oxidation of CH₄ in an incipiently fluidized bed confirms the predictions for the oxidation of CO.     

Investigation of the bubble behaviour at the free surface of a large three-dimensional gas fluidized bed

Gas fluidization is generally associated with the formation of bubbles that critically influence the performance of fluidized bed processes (FBPs). Therefore, in the design, simulation and operation of FBPs, it is very essential to know the behaviour of the bubbles at the free surface. The size and growth of bubbles play an important role for determining properties such as bed expansion, solids entraiment, in-bed heat transfer and solid mixing. This paper presents a study on the behaviour of bubbles at the free surface of a large three dimensional gas-fluidized bed with square section of 61×61 cm². Measurements were carried out to determine the effects of bed height and excess air velocity on the bubble eruption diameter, frequency and bubble fraction. All experiments were performed at freely bubbling mode and the flow characteristics of bubbles were recorded by a video camera. Bed materials used were 593 μm raw perlite and 1233 μm sand falling within the categories of Geldarts Groups B and D, respectively. The fixed bed height ranged from about 8–18 cm for raw perlite and 9–26 cm for sand. The excess air velocity was varied between 0·5 and 1·75 cm s⁻¹ for raw perlite and 13 and 25 cm s⁻¹ for sand. Equations related to the bubble count, frequency, flow area shape factor and through-flow coefficient were given using a modified form of two-phase theory of fluidisation. Observations were made to validate the two-phase theory for two different particles. The flow area shape factor was in the range of 0·47–0·81 for raw perlite and 0·20 to 0·57 for sand, with mean values of 0·6 and 0·4, respectively. The through-flow coefficient was found to be between −0·68 and 2·82 for raw perlite and between 3·27 to 15·87 for sand, and was larger than predicted values of classical bubble models. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A cold model experimental study on the flow characteristics of bed material in a fluidized bed bottom ash cooler in a CFB boiler

IntroductionA fluidized bed bottom ash cooler is often used totreat high temperature bottom ash to reclaim heat andfine particles from the ash, and to have the ash easilytransported. Among the large CFB boilers in operation inthe world, there are many ash coolers that often workabnormally['-','].There are six fluidized bed bottom ash coolers in theimported 410im CFB boiler that was built and operatedin Gaoba power plant, Sichuan province, China in 1996N].High temperature slag-bond and jam …     

Application of a detailed mathematical model to the gasifier unit of the dual fluidized bed gasification plant

A one-dimensional steady state model for biomass-steam gasification has been developed. The reactor is a bubbling fluidized bed. With respect to hydrodynamics the model distinguishes two zones namely: dense zone and freeboard zone. The gasification process is modelled in three steps: drying, devolatilization and gasification of biomass char. The model assumes that solids are well mixed while the gases are in plug flow regime. Mass and energy balance is solved globally across the entire gasifier. The gas composition and temperatures predicted by the model for wood chips as fuel agree well with values measured at an 8 MW (fuel power) commercial plant.     

Thermal analysis of a fluidized bed drying process for crops. Part I: Mathematical modeling

Development of a comprehensive mathematical model to simulate the simultaneous heat and mass transfer processes in a bubbling fluidized bed is described. Although the model is applicable to a wide range of particles, wheat is chosen as an example. In the development of the model, the commonly used two‐phase theory is not used because of its insensitivity to the particle group used in the bed. Instead, a new hydrodynamic model is developed for each specific particle group. The behaviour of bubbles in a bed of group D particles (wheat) is modelled with the consideration that they grow in size as they rise in the bed, but are of the same size at any height in the bed. The voidage of bubbles, particles and interstitial gas is modelled separately. A newly developed expression to determine the minimum fluidization velocity of wet particles is used. The model considers the presence of different phases inside the bed, and their physical variation along the bed. The interstitial gas phase, the bubble phase, and the solid phase are modelled separately. The drying mechanism for the solid phase is considered in two stages: the falling rate, and the constant rate, with appropriate temperature and moisture diffusion coefficients and wall effects. The simultaneous heat and mass transfer processes during the drying process including the internal and external effects are modelled for each phase. A set of coupled nonlinear partial differential equations is employed to accurately model the drying process without using any adjustable parameters. A numerical code is developed to solve the governing partial differential equations using a control volume‐based discretization approach. Piecewise profiles expressing the variation of dependent variables between the grid points are used to evaluate the required integrals. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comminution of carbons in fluidized bed combustion

The study surveys fifteen years of research on carbon comminution in bubbling fluidized bed combustors. It is carried out on the premise that comminution can be seen as the result of at least four phenomena occurring in series-parallel with each other and with combustion, namely: the primary fragmentation of coals or other carbonaceous materials, the secondary fragmentation, the fragmentation by uniform percolation and the attrition of chars, cokes and graphite. In combination with combustion, these phenomena control size reduction of feed carbon particles into fines of elutriable size and, as a consequence, combustion efficiency and particulate emissions.

Information on fragmentation and attrition behaviour is conveniently obtained by means of laboratory and pre-pilot scale combustors when carbon is charged batchwise to the bed. Some of the literature data separately reported in the paper for each of the four phenomena taken into consideration can be used, as they are, or after appropriate modification, in the design of larger units. To this end, submodels directed to extrapolate comminution data beyond the ranges of experimental conditions in which they have been determined are thoroughly examined.

The paper also discusses how comminution parameters are embodied into the equation model of bubbling fluidized bed combustors. The starting point is the carbon particle population balance. Depending on whether secondary fragmentation is or is not relevant, the population balance is expressed by means of an integro-differential or an ordinary differential equation. Reference is also made to a simplified model which contains essential comminution effects and adequately describes the performance of combustors charged with coals of different rank.     

Energy analysis in fluidized‐bed drying of large wet particles

Energy analysis of a fluidized‐bed drying system is undertaken to optimize the fluidized‐bed drying conditions for large wet particles (Group D) using energy models. Three critical factors; the inlet air temperature, the fluidization velocity, and the initial moisture contents of the material (e.g., wheat) are studied to determine their effects on the overall energy efficiency to optimize the fluidized bed drying process. In order to verify the model, different experimental data sets for wheat material taken from the literature are used. The results show that the energy efficiencies of the fluidized‐bed dryer decrease with increasing drying time and become the lowest at the end of the drying process. It is observed that the inlet air temperature has an important effect on energy efficiency for the material where the diffusion coefficient depends on both the temperature and the moisture content of the particle. Furthermore, the energy efficiencies showed higher values for particles with high initial moisture content while the effect of gas velocity varied depending on the material properties. A good agreement is achieved between the model predictions and the available experimental results. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

流化床扬析速率常数的三相传质模型

本文基于上气泡集合理论建立的流化床三相传质模型,模拟细粉在流化床中的浓度分布,并以此对流化床设计,运行中的重要参数－细粉扬析速率常数Ｋ进行了计算与讨论,计算值与试验结果有良好的一致性。     

Fundamental design of a continuous biomass gasification process using a supercritical water fluidized bed

A novel biomass gasification (first stage of hydrogen production from biomass) process using a supercritical water fluidized bed was proposed and the fundamental design of the process was conducted. The flow rate was determined by evaluating the minimum fluidization velocity and terminal velocity of alumina particles enabling fluidization with the thermodynamic properties of supercritical water. Three cases were examined: a bubbling fluidized bed in which water was used mainly as the fluidized medium and biomass were added for gasification, a bubbling fluidized bed fluidized by biomass slurry feed alone, and a fast fluidized bed fluidized by biomass slurry feed alone. According to calculations of the residence time and thermal efficiency assuming heat recovery with a heat exchanger efficiency of 0.75, the bubbling fluidized bed fluidized by biomass slurry alone was appropriate for continuous biomass gasification using a fluidized bed.     

Bubble behavior in vertical tube banks installed in a fluidized bed

Fluidized bed combustion is one of the advantageous technologies for coal and/or incineration firing especially with respect to the environmental protection of emissions, such as NO_x/SO_x. Bed material movement in such a fluidized bed has a prime importance in the heat transfer process. Thus, quantitative measurement of the bed material movement and the void fraction are indispensable for better understanding of the fluidized bed. In this investigation, neutron radiography is applied to visualize the bed material movement in a simulated fluidized bed heat exchanger installed with vertical tubes. Bubble behavior and void fraction profile are obtained by the image processing technique. Bubble movement is highly restrained by these vertical tubes, so that the bubbles rise up along the tube. The bubble diameter is well correlated by the modified Mori and Wen's correlation taking into account the pitch of the tube arrangement. The bubble rise velocity and void fraction are well correlated by applying the drift‐flux model. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res, 32(8): 727–739, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/htj.10127     

Flame flashes when bubbles explode during the combustion of gaseous mixtures in a bubbling fluidized bed

The combustion of fuel-lean mixtures of methane + air in a strongly bubbling fluidized bed of quartz sand has been studied in the laboratory. Video color images of the burning bed, at 25 frames/s, were examined and used to obtain images in three color bands, red, green, and blue. A mathematical procedure was then employed to analyze the color images further, to discriminate between continuous radiation from the hot sand and discrete emission, mostly in the blue wavelength region, from bubbles exploding inside the bubbling bed or at its surface. The results obtained show that transient flames occur in the bubbles, confirming that the combustion process in fluidized bed is basically similar to that in flames, with the involvement of free radical species.