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.     

Experimental investigation of the two-phase theory in a fluidized-bed combustor

Though the two-phase theory of fluidization is well-accepted, no direct experimental measurements of the different gas concentrations predicted to occur in bubble and particulate phases could be found in the literature. For the first time, theoretical predictions of these different gas concentrations have been validated experimentally, using a combined oxygen/bubble probe. Based on the two-phase theory, a mathematical model was developed for the combustion of a batch of char particles in a fluidized-bed combustor. The experimental oxygen concentration in the particulate phase as a function of time was well predicted by the model. Slight discrepancies for the bubble phase values were eliminated when low-oxygen-concentration bubbles were excluded from the data, attributed to some char combustion occurring in bubbles being contrary to the model assumption. The temperature difference between char and bed particles (ΔT) was the only adjustable parameter in the model. A value of 20°C fitted the burnoff times measured by visual observation of the top of the bed, for both 5 and 10 g char batch masses. Model predictions of the oxygen concentrations were not sensitive to ΔT during the first half of burnoff, when mass transfer controlled the combustion rate, so the mass transfer processes were predicted correctly by the model effectively with no adjustable parameter. The ΔT value of 20°C was significantly lower than experimental measurements of maximum burning char particle temperatures, reported to be 70°C for the small-diameter bed particles used in this work. The discrepancy was attributed to two factors: (i) the decrease in char particle temperature towards the end of the burnoff, when kinetics significantly affected the combustion rate; and (ii) a lower char particle temperature in the particulate phase than in the bubble phase, with experimental char particle temperature measurements biased towards the higher bubble phase values. It was inferred: (i) that the maximum values of ΔT measured experimentally are too high for calculation of the char particle combustion rate during the kinetic-controlled latter stage of burnoff and (ii) that reported values of the heat transfer coefficient from burning char particles to the particulate phase deduced from these particle temperature measurements may have been underestimated.     

气固流化床的离散颗粒运动-碰撞解耦模型与模拟

基于分子动力学和气固两相流体动力学，建立流化床稠密气-固两相离散颗粒运动-碰撞解耦模型，采用硬球模拟方法处理颗粒与颗粒之间的碰撞，及大涡模拟方法处理气相湍流流动．单颗粒运动满足牛顿第二定律，颗粒相和气相相间相互作用的双向耦合由牛顿第三定律确定，数值模拟二维鼓泡流化床内稠密气-固两相流动，得到了气泡的形成、发展及颗粒的流化过程，计算结果表明颗粒弹性恢复系数影响气-固两相流动特性。     

Combustion of isolated bubbles in an elevated-temperature fluidized bed

Combustion of isolated bubbles was investigated with a laboratory-scale fluidized-bed reactor. Two different combinations of oxygen and argon were employed as the fluidizing gas. Single bubbles of methane were injected into an incipiently fluidized bed maintained at elevated temperatures. Gas composition inside the bubbles was measured using a suction probe connected to an on-line mass spectrometer, and the temperature of the bubbles was monitored using a fast-response thermocouple. The effects of bed particle type, particle size, bubble size, bed temperature, and oxygen concentration in the emulsion phase were examined for bed temperatures between 923 and 1203 K. A theoretical model of homogeneous combustion within the bubble phase was developed for comparison to the experimental results. The model accounted for the heat and mass transfer between bubble and emulsion phases, but only considered combustion within the bubble. The results indicated that small bubble size and high oxygen concentrations in the emulsion phase enhanced bubble-phase combustion. The bed temperature also proved to be an important parameter, with higher temperatures promoting bubble combustion, but unlike some other investigations, no critical ignition temperatures were observed in either experiments or model results. The fluidized bed's particle size and particle composition influence the heat and mass-transfer coefficients, and therefore the bubble-phase combustion, but these have a smaller influence than bed temperature and bubble size. Model results for bubble-phase gas composition and temperature compared favorably with the experimental measurements.     

A Model for Agglomeration in Bio-fuel Fired Fluidized Bed

A mathematical model has been developed to describe the agglomeration process in bio-fuel fired fluidized bed combustor. Based on the balance mechanism of the adhesive force caused by liquid bonding between two parti- cles and the breaking force induced by bubbles in the fiuidized bed, the model considers modified Urbain model and chemical equilibrium calculations using FactSage modeling. This model prediction accounts for the evolve- ment of the adhesive and breaking forces, and clearly demonstrates that the different composition of ash, the in- creasing liquid phase matter and the fiuidization velocity cause defluidization in fluidized bed. In this model, it is the first time to hypothesize that the bonding stress between two particles is proportional to mass fraction of liq- uid phase and inversely proportional to the diameter of particles and viscosity of liquid phase. The defluidization time calculated by this model shows good agreement with that from the experimental data.     

Mathematical modeling of a continuous fluidized bed dryer

In this work, a numerical simulation of a fluidized bed dryer based on the two-phase theory of fluidization has been proposed. Solid particles in the emulsion phase are considered lumped and in the bubble phase is assumed plug while in the emulsion phase is considered totally mixed. Moreover, the bubble size variations along the bed height are taken into consideration. Influence of the superficial gas velocity, input temperature of drying gas, particle size and mean residence time of solid particles on the drying process have been reported. The simulation results show an improvement to the prediction of other models that consider uniform size bubble and other simplification assumptions.     

Bubble induced heat transfer in gas fluidized beds

The influence of gas bubbles on heat transfer in gas fluidized beds has been investigated. A platinum wire has been used as a heat-transfer probe and the aggregative gas fluidized bed has been simplified by generating a single continuous stream of gas bubbles into an incipiently fluidized bed. It has been found that in the case of aggregative gas fluidized beds of small particles operating below the radiative temperature level, transient conduction into the emulsion phase is responsible for at least 90% of heat transfer and that the remainder is contributed by the superimposed gas convection. A theoretical model of the bubble induced heat transfer has been developed. Finally, experimental justification for the concept of the property boundary layer introduced in [2] is presented.     

倾斜布风板对流化床内颗粒流化特性影响的研究

应用FLUENT商业软件,采用Euler双流体模型对二维非稳态倾斜布风板流化床内颗粒流动进行模拟计算,得到不同时刻流化床内流化特性。对不同倾斜度的布风板床内气泡及颗粒的运动特性研究结果表明倾斜布风板可有效加强颗粒横向混合。倾斜角的大小对混合的强烈程度有影响。     

Melting behaviour of differently-sized micro-particles in a pipe flow under constant heat flux

The melting behaviour of differently-sized micro-particles in a pipe flow under constant heat flux is analysed by using a full two-phase micro/nanomelting model of a sphere. The size effect on the melting point depression of micro/nanoparticles is modelled at the liquid–solid interface of the melting model. The boundary conditions of a single particle are constructed based on the heat flux, flow rate and axial position of the particle in slurry. The melting time and temperature evolution of liquid–solid two phase within particles are presented. The results are seen to agree with the group melting behaviour of particles, as observed via the local bulk mean temperature of the slurry in the pipe. The results can be used for design and optimisation of a heat transfer channel while utilising the latent heat effect of phase change particles in the slurry.     

A simple model for explosive combustion of premixed natural gas with air in a bubbling fluidized bed of inert sand

The combustion of premixed natural gas and air has been studied in a bubbling fluidized bed of inert particles. The temperature of the solids was carefully monitored, using 8 thermocouples, immersed in the bed at different heights. The observed temperature profiles were used to find the height above the distributor at which most of the combustion occurred and on this basis a clear distinction could be made between combustion above the bed and inside the bed. The region where most of the heat of combustion is evolved depends on the average bed temperature. If this temperature is low, the gases burn above the bed or just under its upper surface, but at higher temperatures the process is located close to the distributor. Rapid fluctuations in the measured temperature and pressure indicate that the process inside the bed is not a steady one. The model developed here assumes that combustion takes place inside bubbles of premixed gases, as they move through the bed. A detailed chemical kinetic model was used to calculate the induction period for ignition. The model can predict the height above the distributor at which bubbles should ignite and explode. Comparison of the experimental results with the modeling calculations indicates that the course taken by the process depends on temperature. At the lowest temperatures, the gases burn above the bed. In the high temperature range, where the bubbles ignite is determined by the induction period. At intermediate temperatures the location of the reaction is determined by the depth of the bed and bubble size, with ignition spreading from above the bed to bubbles, which are about to leave, but are still in the bed. That bubbles explode at different heights up the bed is reflected in the acoustic signals registered above and below the bed. The associated changes in the composition of the flue gases are also very characteristic.     

A Numerical Investigation of Heat Transfer Mechanisms in Gas-Solid Fluidized Beds Using the Two-Fluid Granular Temperature Model

In this work, the two-fluid granular temperature model is used to investigate the heat exchanged between a heated wall and a gas-solid fluidized bed. Numerical simulations were performed in 2-D and 3-D fluidized beds using a solid phase effective thermal conductivity correlation based on the granular temperature. The heat exchange in the bubbles' wake is investigated by tracking the train of bubbles that rises along the heated wall. Large heat transfer coefficients were obtained in the rear wake region of bubbles due to relatively larger granular temperature there and intense particle circulation.     

流化床密相区流动特性的数值模拟

流化床内气固两相流动一直是实验研究和数值模拟的热点。基于Eulerian双流体模型,本文建立了流化床内的气固两相流动模型,采用FLUENT软件对流化床密相区两相流动特性、床内气泡的产生运动和爆裂等特性进行了数值模拟。模型中,将颗粒相看作是连续介质,建立与气相相同形式的数学模型;采用了离散介质动力理论,引入颗粒温度来描述固相粘性应力,并用气固曳力进行气固两相耦合。模拟得到了气泡产生、运动和爆裂的变化过程,与实验结果相一致。采用不同的曳力模型对流化床稠密两相流动进行了模拟,与Kuipers实验对比,结果表明采用Gidaspow曳力模型描述流化床稠密两相流动特性更准确。     

Improved utilization of desiccant material in packed bed dehumidifier using composite particles

Solid desiccant dehumidifiers are widely used in drying processes. In most of these dehumidifiers, the desiccant material is used as packed bed of granule or spherical particles. Investigations of intra-particle heat and mass transfer processes has shown that the entire portion of the particle is not participating effectively during adsorption as well as desorption processes [Pesaran AA, Mills F. Moisture transport in silica gel packed beds-I. Theoretical study. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 1987; 30: 1037–49]. This is because the diffusion rate is very small compared to that of convection. In the present work, a new desiccant composite particle, in which the unutilized portion of the spherical desiccant particle is replaced with an inert particle, is proposed. By replacing the conventional particles with composite particles for the same mass of desiccant material, the available area for heat and mass transfer increases and more amount of desiccant material is effectively utilized. Further, in order to ascertain the improvement in the performance of the desiccant bed using the composite particles, various factors like thermo-physical properties of the inert material, composite particle thickness ratio, bed configuration, bed volume, the pressure drop and the increase in total adsorbed or desorbed mass have to be considered. In view of this, a theoretical investigation of the operation of vertical solid desiccant packed bed dehumidifier, using both conventional silica gel particles as well as the new proposed composite silica gel particles has been reported. A modified solid side resistance (MSSR) model is developed for the prediction of intra-particle temperature and water content profiles. Results of the present theoretical models, when applied to packed bed of conventional silica gel particles, agree well with the experimental results from the literature for both desorption and adsorption processes. From the theoretical results, more utilization for the desiccant material is obtained when ordinary silica gel particles are replaced by composite silica gel particles. For the same amount of desiccant material and same mass flow rate of air, using particles of 0.2 thickness ratio the pressure drop decreases by about 60% for the case investigated. In addition, an increase of about 11.07% and 20.46% in total mass adsorbed and desorbed respectively are obtained. At the time when adsorption process ends, an increase of 15.5% in the bed effectiveness has been obtained. In addition, the expected improvement in total mass adsorbed and desorbed is observed to be dependent on the inert material thermo-physical properties for thickness ratio less than 0.5. An optimization technique relating the composite particle design, resulting savings in pressure drop and bed volume increase is proposed.     

Numerical simulation of hydrogen production by gasification of large biomass particles in high temperature fluidized bed reactor

Biomass as a renewable fuel compared to fossil fuels usually contains high moisture content and volatile release. Hydrogen production by large particle biomass gasification is a promising technology for utilizing high moisture content biomass particle in the high temperature fluidized bed reactor. In the present work, simulation of large particles biomass gasification investigated at high temperature by using the discrete phase model (DPM). Combustible gases with homogeneous gas phase reactions, drying process with a heterogeneous reaction, primary and secondary pyrolysis with independent parallel-reaction by using two-competing-rate model to control a high and low temperature were used. During the thermochemical process of biomass, gaseous products containing of H₂, H₂O, CH₄, CO and CO₂ was obtained. The effects of concentration, mole and mass fraction and hydrodynamics effects on gaseous production during gasification were studied. The results showed that hydrodynamic effect of hot bed is different from cold bed. Concentration and molar fraction of CO and H₂ production by continually and stably state and small amount of CO₂, H₂O, and CH₄ was obtained. The hydrodynamic of bed plays the significant role on the rate of gaseous products.     

流化床煤燃烧与气化过程中的辐射换热

流化床反应器中颗粒与颗粒之间的传热在一定程度上决定了化学反应的速率及反应的中间历程。本文通过对气固流化床乳化相中颗粒群结构的进一步认识，建立了颗粒间的辐射换热模型，比较了不同颗粒直径、不同床层温度水平及不同流化工况下颗粒间辐射换热与通过气膜导热份额的大小，并预测了流化床反应器中反应颗粒与惰性床料之间的温差，对于流化床反应器选择合理的运行工况和进行操作参数优化具有参考价值     

Consideration of heat transfer in pore network modelling of convective drying

The influence of heat transfer on the drying behaviour of capillary porous media saturated with water is studied. To overcome the limitations of continuum approaches, a pore network model based on statistical physics and invasion percolation is used. The presented non-isothermal model is the first of its kind to describe free evolution of temperatures in convective drying. Gas-side mass transfer is modelled by a discretised boundary layer. Model assumptions are purely conductive heat transfer in the network and negligible viscosity. Vapour condensation is partially modelled. Simulations are conducted on two-dimensional square lattice networks. Overall drying rates and corresponding evolution of phase distributions and temperature fields are presented for mono- and bi-modal pore structures. The influence of heat transfer on phase distributions and drying behaviour is discussed in comparison with isothermal simulations.     

Effect of swirling flow on fluidized bed drying of wheat grains

In this paper, batch drying of wheat grains in a fluidized bed dryer, which had a swirling flow field in its drying medium, was experimentally investigated. In the experiments, a laboratory scaled fluidized bed type dryer was used. The effects of the swirling flow field on the drying performance were investigated by using an axial guide vane type swirl generator. The effects of the mass flow rate and temperature of the air on the drying performance were also investigated. The goal of this work is to present the experimental results on the drying process of wheat and the effects of the swirling flow field on the drying performance.     

A model of through-air drying of tufted textile materials

A transient two-dimensional mathematical model is developed to simulate the through-air drying process for tufted textile materials. The heat and mass transfer in a cylindrical porous medium and the air flowing around it are analyzed separately. First, thermal and mass circuits are used to analyze the simultaneous heat and mass transfer within the porous medium. Then, the equations of the conservation of mass and energy are written for the drying medium. The resulting system of three non-linear differential equations is numerically solved by an implicit finite difference method. The numerical solutions are compared with experimental drying results obtained using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and a laboratory through-air dryer (LTAD).