Experimental study and simulation of vibrated fluidized bed drying

The paper addresses numerical simulation for the case of convective drying of seeds (fine-grained materials) in a vibrated fluidized bed, analyzing agreement between the numerical results and the results of corresponding experimental investigation. In the simulation model of unsteady simultaneous one-dimensional heat and mass transfer between gas phase and dried material during drying process it is assumed that the gas-solid interface is at thermodynamic equilibrium, while the drying rate (evaporated moisture flux) of the specific product is calculated by applying the concept of a “drying coefficient”. Mixing of the particles in the case of vibrated fluidized bed is taken into account by means of the diffusion term in the differential equations, using an effective particle diffusion coefficient. Model validation was done on the basis of the experimental data obtained with narrow fraction of poppy seeds characterized by mean equivalent particle diameter (d_S,d = 0.75 mm), re-wetted with required (calculated) amount of water up to the initial moisture content (X₀ = 0.54) for all experiments. Comparison of the drying kinetics, both experimental and numerical, has shown that higher gas (drying agent) temperatures, as well as velocities (flow-rates), induce faster drying. This effect is more pronounced for deeper beds, because of the larger amount of wet material to be dried using the same drying agent capacity. Bed temperature differences along the bed height, being significant inside the packed bed, are almost negligible in the vibrated fluidized bed, for the same drying conditions, due to mixing of particles. Residence time is shorter in the case of a vibrated fluidized bed drying compared to a packed bed drying.     

DEM simulation on particle mixing in dry and wet particles spouted bed

In this paper, the mixing characteristics of the dry and wet particles in a rectangular spouted bed are simulated using a three-dimensional discrete element method (DEM). In particular, the influence of turbulence and liquid bridge force is investigated using the standard k-ε two-equation model and the Mikami model. The Ashton mixing index is adopted to evaluate the dynamic mixing process of the particle system. The geometry of the simulated bed is the same as that of the experimental bed by Liu et al. [G. Q. Liu, S. Q. Li, X. L. Zhao, Q. Yao. Chem. Eng. Sci. 63 (2008) 1131-1141]. The effect of the spouting gas velocity on the mixing process is discussed for the mixing of dry particles (without the liquid bridge force), while the effect of the moisture content is discussed for the mixing of wet particles (with the liquid bridge force).     

Continuous on-line measurement of solid moisture content during fluidized bed drying using triboelectric probes

Wet granulation and drying of solids in fluidized beds are widely used in the pharmaceutical, food and fertilizers industries. Although the moisture content of fluidized solids is the key parameter for on-line process monitoring, reliable, accurate and economical moisture sensors are lacking. The aim of this work was, therefore, to develop a new technique using triboelectric probes for real-time measurement of moisture content in fluidized beds, and to validate its applicability to fluid bed drying of glass beads (Sauter-mean diameter of 171 μm) and silica sand particles (Sauter-mean diameter of 190 μm) wetted by water. Several triboelectric probes, installed at different locations throughout the bed, monitored the bed moisture content during both the liquid spraying and the following drying process. The measuring technique developed in this study makes use of inexpensive probes that do not require any maintenance. The triboelectric signals were continuously recorded by a data acquisition system and, at selected times, samples of bed solids were taken and analyzed for their moisture content using Karl Fischer titration. The triboelectric signals were correlated with the moisture contents determined by titration to calibrate the technique, which was found to be sensitive to moisture contents below 100 ppm. For most of the experiments the bed was operated in the bubbling regime with a superficial gas velocity of 0.4 m/s. The relationship between triboelectric signal and moisture content was unaffected by changes in the fluidization gas velocity of up to 25%, and could be easily automated for direct control of industrial granulation and drying processes.     

Modelling of batch fluidised bed drying of pharmaceutical granules

This paper presents a mathematical model based on a three-phase theory, which is used to describe the mass and heat transfer between the gas and solids phases in a batch fluidised bed dryer. In the model, it is assumed that the dilute phase (i.e., bubble) is plug flow while the interstitial gas and the solid particles are considered as being perfectly mixed. The thermal conductivity of wet particles is modelled using a serial and parallel circuit. The moisture diffusion in wet particles was simulated using a numerical finite volume method. Applying a simplified lumped model to a single solid particle, the heat and mass transfer between the interstitial gas and solid phase is taken into account during the whole drying process as three drying rate periods: warming-up, constant rate and falling-rate. The effects of the process parameters, such as particle size, gas velocity, inlet gas temperature and relative humidity, on the moisture content of solids in the bed have been studied by numerical computation using this model. The results are in good agreement with experimental data of heat and mass transfer in fluidised bed dryers. The model will be employed for online simulation of a fluidised bed dryer and for online control.     

Emissions from sawdust in packed moving bed dryers and subsequent pellet production

This study quantifies emissions of hydrocarbon terpenes from the drying of sawdust in packed moving bed dryers, through the production chain to the finished pellets, and determines the parameters suitable for emission control. The terpene content in softwood sawdust and pellets was analyzed using gas chromatography. The distribution of VOC emissions over the bed was measured with a flame ionization detector. After drying, 30–40% of the initial terpenes remain in the wood, 20–30% remain after grinding, and 10–15% remain after pelleting. Dryer emissions correlate with residence time and final sawdust moisture content. Pellet press emissions correlate with pellet moisture content.     

Experimental investigation of nitrogen species release from different solid biomass fuels as a basis for release models

Experimental data on the release of NO_x precursors from solid biomass fuels during thermal conversion are necessary to study N release in general and to supply reliable data for the purpose of packed bed and gas phase conversion model development and validation. In this work the release of NO_x precursors was studied at a lab-scale pot furnace (batch reactor) by taking measurements during the conversion process of solid biomass in a packed bed. The investigations were carried out with relevant woody biomass fuels, which cover a broad range of fuel N contents: sawdust, bark, waste wood and MDF board. The most important NO_x precursor detected above the fuel bed under fuel rich conditions was NH₃, while HCN was almost insignificant with the exception of sawdust. NO was detected mainly under air rich conditions. Furthermore, the experimental data were utilised to derive release functions for the relevant NO_x precursors NO, NH₃ and HCN. The release functions were implemented in an in-house empirical packed bed combustion model, which serves as a basis for a subsequent CFD N species gas phase calculation.     

焦炉烟道废气-流化床式煤调湿技术的应用

利用焦炉烟道废气为热源及动力源,在流化床设备内对捣固焦炉配合煤进行预处理。生产应用表明,流化床煤调湿技术对配合煤调湿及分级作用明显,调湿后配煤水分降低2.2%,减少回炉煤气用量1474×104m3,CO2减排8750t,减少焦化废水处理量2万t,焦炉生产能力提高5%,排空废气粉尘含量〈50mg/m3。     

An approach to qualify the intensity of mixing on a forward acting grate

The objective of this study is to derive methods on a statistical basis to describe quantitatively the mixing process of a packed bed on a forward acting grate. The packed bed was represented by spherical particles, whereby a varying size accounts for the variety of particle geometries in a combustion chamber. In order to describe accurately the motion of a packed bed e.g. its particles, the discrete element method (DEM) was applied. Thus, detailed data on all the particle's paths and velocities are available. These data were used for the two proposed methods based on particles’ velocities and trajectories to assess mixing and segregation of a packed bed. Both methods describe the mixing process very satisfactorily, whereby the trajectory based method is more favourable to describe segregation.     

An initial study on feasible treatment of Serbian lignite through utilization of low-rank coal upgrading technologies

Despite benefiting from vast fuel reserves, combustion of low-rank coals is commonly characterized by low thermal efficiency and high pollutant emissions, partly due to high moisture content of the coals in question. Thus, removal of moisture from low-rank coals is deemed an important quality upgrading method. The paper provides an overview of the current status of low-rank coal upgrading technologies, particularly with respect to utilization of drying and dewatering procedures. In order to examine the influence of relevant parameters on the moisture removal process, a model of convective coal drying in a packed, as well as in a fluid bed combustion arrangement, is developed and presented. Product-specific data (intraparticle mass transfer, gas–solid moisture equilibrium) related to the coal variety addressed herein (lignite) are obtained through preliminary investigations. Effective thermal conductivity of the packed bed as defined by Zehner/Bauer/Schlünder is used to define heat transfer mechanisms occurring in the packed bed. Similar two-phase fluidization model has been validated for different types of biomaterials.     

Dielektrische Erwärmung von Zeolithen mittels Radiowellen – Selektivität,thermo‐chromatographischer Puls und Trocknen mit Wasser

Dielectric heating with radio‐frequency energy can be applied for a wide spectrum of dry or moist zeolites. It is possible to homogeneously heat packed beds in technical scale. The energy absorption strongly varies with the zeolite type enabling selective heating of layered arrangements containing different zeolites. The specific effect of water interacting with the structural cations allows establishing pronounced temperature gradients within a packed bed with varying water content. For distinct materials such as zeolite NaY, a coupled water‐temperature pulse moving through the packed bed can be established. Potential applications for such a so‐called thermo‐chromatographic pulse range from adsorptive catalytic off‐gas cleaning to thermal regeneration of zeolites in the context of gas drying.     

DEM simulation of particle mixing in flat-bottom spout-fluid bed

The particle mixing mechanism affects the rate of the process and the achievable homogeneity. This paper presents a numerical study of the particle motion and mixing in flat-bottom spout-fluid bed. In the numerical model, the particle motion is modeled by discrete element method (DEM) and the gas motion is modeled by κ–? two-equation turbulent model. Validation with experiments is first carried out by comparing solid flow pattern and bed pressure drop at various gas velocities. Then, particle velocities, obtained from DEM simulations, are presented to reveal the mixing mechanisms. On the basic, the dependence of mixing index on the time and the effect of gas velocity on mixing and dead zone (stagnant solid) are discussed, respectively. The results indicate that the spouting gas is the driving force for the formation of particle circulation roll, resulting in the mixing. The convective mixing caused by the motion of circulation roll, shear mixing induced by the relative move of circulation rolls and diffusive mixing generated by random walk of particle among circulation rolls are three different mixing mechanisms in spout-fluid bed. The increase of spouting gas velocity promotes the convective and shear mixing. While increasing the fluidizing gas velocity improves significantly the convective mixing and but weakens the shear mixing. Both of them yield a reduction in the dead zone.     

The influence of bed moisture on fluidization characteristics of fine powders

The effect of bed moisture on fluidization characteristics of fine powders has been studied. Beds of glass microspheres and catalytic particles have been tested at variable water content and gas velocity up to the minimum for bubbling. Measurements include bed permeability, settled and fluidized bed voidages.Results indicate that the sensitivity to moisture drastically changes from porous to non-porous materials. There are also differences among porous materials with regard to the effect of water content on minimum velocity for fluidization and for bubbling, and on voidage—velocity relationship in the bubble-free range of fluidization.     

A method for estimating inter rivulet mixing

A method is presented for estimating inter rivulet mixing in liquid running in film flow down a packed bed. The method is based on comparing an experimentally measured tracer distribution with the theoretical distribution at several levels below the plane of tracer injection. The change in the number of traced rivulets is then estimated statistically. Experimental results for water running over Raschig rings show that inter rivulet mixing may be estimated from two experimentally determined parameters, a collision frequency factor and a mean size of rivulet.     

Experimental Investigation and Modeling of Plug-Flow Fluidized Bed Drying Under Steady-State Conditions

In this study, a model for a plug-flow fluidized bed dryer under steady-state conditions was presented. The model was based on differential equations; thus the bed of the dryer was divided horizontally and vertically into major and minor control volumes, respectively. Each control volume was composed of two thermodynamic systems: solid and gas. The mass and energy balances of the particles in the major control volume based on the axial dispersion were developed to derive the axial profiles of solid moisture content and temperature. To derive the variation of gas humidity and temperature along the bed height and hence the axial profiles of outlet gas humidity and temperature, the mass and energy balances in the gas over the minor control volume, considering the plug flow of gas through the bed, were developed. The model was validated by comparing the simulation results with the experimental data obtained by drying the long-grain rough rice under steady-state conditions in a laboratory-scale, plug-flow fluidized bed dryer. A very satisfactory agreement between the simulation and the experimental data of solid moisture content, solid temperature, and outlet gas humidity and temperature was achieved. Also, the effects of inlet gas temperature, weir height, and inlet dry solid mass flow rate on the simulated axial profiles of solid moisture content and temperature, humidity difference between inlet and outlet gas, and outlet gas temperature were investigated.     

Mixing and circulation in fluidized beds of flour

The mixing and bulk circulation characteristics of a fluidized bed of wheat flour having a relatively high aspect ratio were determined with a 6 in. diam. column fitted with a slowly revolving paddle just above the gas distributor. In this system the bulk of the solids moved down the column in stick-slip flow which was readily observed because of the appearance of relatively stable horizontal cracks in the bed. At lower gas velocities the behavior of the system was characterized by zone fluidization which led to erratic and unreproducible mixing performance. Operation at greater than twice the minimum fluidization velocity overcame this problem and provided consistent mixing. An increase in gas velocity increased the bulk circulation rate and reduced the batch mixing time.The solids next to the wall of the column seemed to move at the same rate as the core of the bed, at least at lower gas velocities. The downward velocity of these solids was directly proportional to gas velocity and to bed height and a complex function of flour moisture content. The velocity also depended on vertical position but not on the speed of the rotating paddle.Adding an anti-agglomerant promoted smooth fluidization and reduced the minimum fluidization velocity, and for the same relative gas velocity it increased the bulk circulation rate and reduced the batch mixing time.     

Lateral mixing in trickle bed reactors

Knowledge of lateral mixing is essential to understand heat and momentum transfer parameters in both single-phase liquid and two-phase gas-liquid co-current down flow through packed bed columns. The reactors through which gas and liquid concurrently flow downwards through a bed of catalytic packing are called trickle bed reactors. Experimental data on lateral mixing coefficients from both the heat transfer and radial liquid distribution studies are obtained over a wide range of flow rates of gas and liquid using glass spheres (4.05 and 6.75 mm), ceramic spheres (2.59 mm), and ceramic raschig rings (4 and 6.75 mm) as packing materials covering trickle flow, pulse flow, and dispersed bubble flow regimes. In the present work, an expression for estimation of lateral mixing coefficient (αβ)_L is derived using the data on radial liquid distribution studies. The agreement between the values of (αβ)_L obtained from heat transfer studies and from radial liquid distribution studies using the experimental data shows that there exists an analogy between the heat transfer and radial liquid distribution in packed beds. Since (αβ)_L is an important variable for estimation of various heat and mass transfer parameters, a correlation for (αβ)_L based on present heat transfer study is proposed. The agreement between the (αβ)_L values estimated from the proposed correlation and experimental values is satisfactory with a standard deviation (s.d.) of 0.119.     

Fluidization of moist sawdust in binary particle systems in a gas–solid fluidized bed

The fluidized behavior of binary mixtures of moist sawdust and glass spheres has been investigated. The sawdust alone was observed to fluidize poorly, with extensive channelling occurring. The addition of 0.322 and 0.516 mm glass spheres to the fluidized bed of sawdust improved the fluidization characteristics. The mixtures of sawdust and 0.322 mm spheres were completely mixed when fluidized. Mixtures of sawdust and 0.516 mm spheres were either partially or completely mixed, depending upon gas velocity in the fluidized bed. As the moisture content of the sawdust was increased, the minimum fluidization velocity of the binary mixture also increased. There was an upper limit to the moisture content of the sawdust at which fluidization could be achieved. When the moisture content of the sawdust exceeded 33 and 54 wt% on a dry basis, agglomeration and channelling occurred in the mixtures of sawdust and glass spheres, with sizes 0.322 and 0.516 mm, respectively. The moisture likely contributes to interparticle liquid bridging forces. Binary mixtures of larger 0.777 and 1.042 mm glass spheres and up to 82% moisture sawdust did not readily agglomerate, but the two components completely segregated during fluidization.     

Efficient <Emphasis Type="Italic">in situ</Emphasis> drying of low rank coal in a pressurized down-flow flash dryer

Flash drying of low rank coal with synthesis gas was addressed by using a pressurized down-flow dryer. The proposed method is a potential approach to secure gaseous water that is required in coal processing by utilizing moisture in the low rank coal. The drying process was promoted by increasing the initial temperature of the synthesis gas as a drying medium and decreasing the particle size of the coal. The moisture removal rate of the coal using synthesis gas at 9 bars and 500 °C reached up to 97% within ten seconds. Although it is a higher temperature than that of fixed bed or moving bed dryer, outlet moisture laden synthesis gas had the low level of tar enough to be a feedstock of downstream catalytic process due to the short residence time in the dryer. The chemical composition changes of the coal during the drying resulted in reducing oxygen content to the atomic ratio of oxygen to carbon as 0.1 and enhancing its calorific value. Disappearance of hydroxyl functional group from the surface and physical reduction of the surface area of the coal decreased the moisture re-adsorption capacity, which could prevent the spontaneous combustion of the low rank coal.     

A discrete model for non-wetting liquid flow from a point source in a packed bed under the influence of gas flow

A study of non-wetting flow in a packed bed under the influence of gas flow has been carried out. Departing from the usual continuum models, a discrete and deterministic model for liquid flow has been presented to model the liquid flow from single and multiple point sources. Liquid flow is modelled based on force balance approach considering gas drag, bed resistance and gravity forces. Gas flow is modelled using k-ε model for turbulent flow. An X-ray flow visualization technique, developed by our group, is used to study the liquid flow paths in the packed bed. Liquid flow path and velocity has been obtained for various liquid and gas flow rate. Flow paths obtained from the simulation results are in good agreement to those obtained from flow visualization procedure under various conditions. Also, liquid distribution at the bed bottom is reported and compared with the experimental results.