Euler multiphase-CFD simulation on a bubble-driven gas–liquid–solid fluidized bed

An integrated flow model was developed to simulate the fluidization hydrodynamics in a new bubble-driven gas–liquid–solid fluidized bed using the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) method. The results showed that axial solids holdup is affected by grid size, bubble diameter, and the interphase drag models used in the simulation. Good agreements with experimental data could be obtained by adopting the following parameters: 5 mm grid, 1.2 mm bubble diameter, the Tomiyama gas–liquid model, the Schiller–Naumann liquid–solid model, and the Gidaspow gas–solid model. At full fluidization state, an internal circulation of particles flowing upward near the wall and downward in the centre is observed, which is in the opposite direction compared with the traditional core-annular flow structure in a gas–solid fluidized bed. The simulated results are very sensitive to bubble diameters. Using smaller bubble diameters would lead to excessive liquid bed expansions and more solid accumulated at the bottom due to a bigger gas–liquid drag force, while bigger bubble diameters would result in a higher solid bed height caused by a smaller gas–solid drag force. Considering the actual bubble distribution, population balance model (PBM) is employed to characterize the coalescence and break up of bubbles. The calculated bubble diameters grow up from 2–4 mm at the bottom to 5–10 mm at the upper section of the bed, which are comparable to those observed in experiments. The simulation results could provide valuable information for the design and optimization of this new type of fluidized system.     

Novel phenomenological discrete bubble model of freely bubbling dense gas–solid fluidized beds: Application to two‐dimensional beds

A phenomenological discrete bubble model has been developed for freely bubbling dense gas–solid fluidized beds and validated for a pseudo‐two‐dimensional fluidized bed. In this model, bubbles are treated as distinct elements and their trajectories are tracked by integrating Newton's equation of motion. The effect of bubble–bubble interactions was taken into account via a modification of the bubble velocity. The emulsion phase velocity was obtained as a superposition of the motion induced by individual bubbles, taking into account bubble–bubble interaction. This novel model predicts the bubble size evolution and the pattern of emulsion phase circulation satisfactorily. Moreover, the effects of the superficial gas velocity, bubble–bubble interactions, initial bubble diameter, and the bed aspect ratio have been carefully investigated. The simulation results indicate that bubble–bubble interactions have profound influence on both the bubble and emulsion phase characteristics. Furthermore, this novel model may become a valuable tool in the design and optimization of fluidized‐bed reactors. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012     

A novel technique for particle tracking in cold 2-dimensional fluidized beds—simulating fuel dispersion

This paper presents a novel technique for particle tracking in 2-dimensional fluidized beds operated under ambient conditions. The method is applied to study the mixing mechanisms of fuel particles in fluidized beds and is based on tracking a phosphorescent tracer particle by means of video recording with subsequent digital image analysis. From this, concentration, velocity and dispersion fields of the tracer particle can be obtained with high accuracy. Although the method is restricted to 2-dimensional, it can be applied under flow conditions qualitatively resembling a fluidized-bed combustor. Thus, the experiments cover ranges of bed heights, gas velocities and fuel-to-bed material density and size ratios typical for fluidized-bed combustors. Also, several fluidization regimes (bubbling, turbulent, circulating and pneumatic) are included in the runs.A pattern found in all runs is that the mixing pattern of the tracer (fuel) solids is structured in horizontally aligned vortexes induced by the bubble flow. The main bubble paths always give a low concentration of tracer solids and with the tracer moving upwards, while the downflow of tracer particles in the dense bottom bed is found to take place in zones with low bubble density and at the sidewalls. The amount of bed material (bed height) has a strong influence on the bottom bed dynamics (development and coalescence of bubbles) and, consequently, on the solids mixing process. Local dispersion coefficients reach maximum values around the locations of bubble eruptions, while, in the presence of a dense bottom bed, an increase in fluidization velocity or amount of bed material enhances dispersion. Dispersion is found to be larger in the vertical than in the horizontal direction, confirming the critical character of lateral fuel dispersion in fluidized-bed combustors of large cross section.     

Hydrodynamic characteristics of gas–solid fluidization at high temperature

Effect of temperature on the hydrodynamics of bubbling gas–solid fluidized beds was investigated in this work. Experiments were carried out at different temperatures ranged of 25–600°C and different superficial gas velocities in the range of 0.17–0.78 m/s with sand particles. The time‐position trajectory of particles was obtained by the radioactive particle tracking technique at elevated temperature. These data were used for determination of some hydrodynamic parameters (mean velocity of upward and downward‐moving particles, jump frequency, cycle frequency, and axial/radial diffusivities) which are representative to solids mixing through the bed. It was shown that solids mixing and diffusivity of particles increases by increasing temperature up to around 300°C. However, these parameters decrease by further increasing the temperature to higher than 300°C. This could be attributed to the properties of bubble and emulsion phases. Results of this study indicated that the bubbles grow up to a maximum diameter by increasing the temperature up to 300°C, after which the bubbles become smaller. The results showed that due to the wall effect, there is no significant change in the mean velocity of downward‐moving clusters. In order to explain these trends, surface tension of emulsion between the rising bubble and the emulsion phase was introduced and evaluated in the bubbling fluidized bed. The results showed that surface tension between bubble and emulsion is increased by increasing temperature up to 300°C, however, after that it acts in oppositely.     

Minimum fluidization velocity in gas‐liquid‐solid minifluidized beds

The initial fluidization characteristics of gas‐liquid‐solid minifluidized beds (MFBs) were experimentally investigated based on the analyses of bed pressure drop and visual observations. The results show that U_Lmf in 3–5 mm MFBs can not be determined due to the extensive pressure drop fluctuations resulting from complex bubble behavior. For 8–10 mm MFBs, U_Lmf can be confirmed from both datum analyses of pressure drop and Hurst exponent at low superficial gas velocity. But at high superficial gas velocity, U_Lmf was not obtained because the turning point at which the flow regime changes from the packed bed to the fluidized bed disappeared, and the bed was in a half fluidization state. Complex bubble growth behavior resulting from the effect of properties of gas‐liquid mixture and bed walls plays an important role in the fluidization of solid particles and leads to the reduction of U_Lmf. An empirical correlation was suggested to predict U_Lmf in MFBs. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 1940–1957, 2016     

Convective solids transport in large diameter gas fluidized beds

It is demonstrated that the convective solids transport occurring in large diameter gas fluidized beds can be predicted quantitatively on the basis of measured properties of the bubble phase. Based on the fundamental findings of Rowe and co-workers [5], who have shown the solids mixing in gas fluidized beds for particle diameters greater than 100 μm to be caused solely by the action of rising bubbles, an equation has been derive from extensive measurements of the bubble development in a 1 m diam. fluidized bed of quartz sand which relates the convective solids mass flow due to solids transport in the bubble wakes to easily determinable parameters. The predictions of this relationship are found to bein good agreement with direct measurements of the convective solids transport carried out by Schmalfeld [21] on a pilot scale in a semicylindrical bed of 0.8 m diam.     

Mixing of large particles in two-dimensional gas fluidized beds

The fluidization and solids mixing characteristics of very large particles were investigated in a two-dimensional gas fluidized bed. Bubble or slug induced drift and gross solids circulation appeared to be the predominant solids mixing mechanisms in this large particle bed. The contribution from wake mixing appeared to be negligible and radial mixing was more rapid than axial mixing. Apparently, segregation in the axial direction resulted from preferential transportation of the lighter particles upwards with rising bubbles and from interparticle competition to fill the voidage created by the rising bubbles. No appreciable segregation occurred in the radial direction. A nonstationary random walk model has been developed to characterize mixing and segregation of fluidized large particles.     

On the two-phase theory of fluidization

The distribution of gas flow between bubbles and the dense phase in a fludized bed is considered. By deriving general equations for gas and solids continuity in a freely-bubbling fluidized bed, the possible contributions to the invisible gas flow are formulated. It is shown that the gross assumptions inherent in “two-phase theories” of fluidization are not justified. Measurements of visible bubble flow and bubble volume fraction can give nothing more than estimates for the gas flow through the two phases.     

CFD simulation of fluidized bed reactors for polyolefin production – A review

This literature survey focuses on the application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in various aspects of the fluidized bed reactor. Although fluidized bed reactors are used in various industrial applications, this first-of-its-kind review highlights the use of CFD on polyolefin production. It is shown that CFD has been utilized for the following mechanisms of polymerization: governing of bubble formation, electrostatic charge effect, gas–solid flow behavior, particle distribution, solid–gas circulation pattern, bed expansion consequence, mixing and segregation, agglomeration and shear forces. Heat and mass transfer in the reactor modeling using CFD principles has also been taken under consideration. A number of softwares are available to interpret the data of the CFD simulation but only few softwares possess the analytical capability to interpret the complex flow behavior of fluidization. In this review, the popular softwares with their framework and application have been discussed. The advantages and feasibility of applying CFD to olefin polymerization in fluidized beds were deliberated and the prospect of future CFD applications was also discussed.     

Demarcation of a new circulating turbulent fluidization regime

Transient flow behaviors in a novel circulating‐turbulent fluidized bed (C‐TFB) were investigated by a multifunctional optical fiber probe, that is capable of simultaneously measuring instantaneous local solids‐volume concentration, velocity and flux in gas‐solid two‐phase suspensions. Microflow behavior distinctions between the gas‐solid suspensions in a turbulent fluidized bed (TFB), conventional circulating fluidized bed (CFB), the bottom region of high‐density circulating fluidized bed (HDCFB), and the newly designed C‐TFB were also intensively studied. The experimental results show that particle‐particle interactions (collisions) dominate the motion of particles in the C‐TFB and TFB, totally different from the interaction mechanism between the gas and solid phases in the conventional CFB and the HDCFB, where the movements of particles are mainly controlled by the gas‐particle interactions (drag forces). In addition, turbulence intensity and frequency in the C‐TFB are significantly greater than those in the TFB at the same superficial gas velocity. As a result, the circulating‐turbulent fluidization is identified as a new flow regime, independent of turbulent fluidization, fast fluidization and dense suspension upflow. The gas‐solid flow in the C‐TFB has its inherent hydrodynamic characteristics, different from those in TFB, CFB and HDCFB reactors. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009     

THE EFFECTS OF DISTRIBUTOR DESIGN ON FLUIDIZED-BED HYDRODYNAMIC BEHAVIOR

should be addressed. The distributor was investigated for the purpose of design and scale up of large fluidized-bed combustors. Four orifice plates with different configurations were used to study the effect of distributor design on bubble formation and solid mixing. Experiments were carried out on a three-dimensional fluidized bed of 27.94 cm diameter and a two-dimensional bed with dimensions of 30.48cm ×1.27 cm. Motion pictures were used to study bubble formation and coalescence. Pressure profiles inside the three-dimensional bed were measured for several distributors to study bubble flow patterns, and tracer particles were used to study mixing patterns at various superficial velocities and particle sizes. The results show that the distributor plate with two-size orifices causes a non-uniform gas bubble flow inside the bed. This non-uniform gas bubble flow is associated with variations in local bed density and local voidage. Horizontal or radial solid circulation is also caused by this non-uniform gas bubble flow. The local bed density and voidage variations and the radial solid circulation cause the bubbles to move toward the area above the smaller orifices as the bubbles rise up and coalesce. This reduces the wall effect, and the bed is very uniformly fluidized when the two-size orifice plate with small holes in the center is employed.     

Bubble behavior in corrugated‐wall bubbling fluidized beds—Experiments and CFD simulations

A new concept to harness bubble dynamics in bubbling fluidization of Geldart D particles was proposed. Various geometrical declinations of a cold‐prototype corrugated‐wall bubbling fluidized bed were compared at different flow rates (U_g) to conventional flat‐wall fluidized bed using high‐speed digital image analysis. Hydrodynamic studies were carried out to appraise the effect of triangular‐shaped wall corrugation on incipient fluidization, bubble coalescence (size and frequency), bubble rise velocity, and pressure drop. Bubble size and rise velocity in corrugated‐wall beds were appreciably lower, at given U_g/U_mb, than in flat‐wall beds with equal flow cross‐sectional areas and initial bed heights. The decrease (increase) in size (frequency) of bubbles during their rise was sustained by their periodic breakups while protruding through the necks between corrugated plates. Euler‐Euler transient full three‐dimensional computational fluid dynamic simulations helped shape an understanding of the impact of corrugation geometry on lowering the minimum bubbling fluidization and improving gas distribution. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012     

Computer Simulation of the Performance of a Downer‐Regenerator CFB for the Partial Oxidation of n‐Butane to Maleic Anhydride

A reactor model for a downer‐regenerator circulating fluidized‐bed (CFB) during the partial oxidation of n‐butane to maleic anhydride is presented. Upflow reactors (risers) suffer from severe solids back mixing and gas‐solids‐separation, in comparison down flow reactors exhibit a more uniform gas‐solids flow and reduced backmixing, resulting in narrower residence time distributions. Due to the sensitivity of the VPO catalyst to over‐reduction, downer reactors present an interesting alternative to riser reactors. The reactor models for the downer and the regenerator fluidized‐bed are coupled with reduction and oxidation kinetics for the catalyst, respectively. The influence of the solids residence time distributions for the combined system of both reactors on the oxidation state of the catalyst is explored by a novel newly developed oxygen loading distribution. Simulation results suggest the limited solids‐flux in downers restrict the maximum butane concentrations, while the scale‐up is predicted to be uncritical.     

Distribution of the gas flow in fluidized beds with a slugging behaviour

Capacitance probe measurements of the visible bubble flow rate have been made in a pressurized fluidized bed burning coal. The bed, of 0.3 × 0.3 m cross-section, was operated at pressures between 1.0 and 2.0 MPa and at temperatures between 750 and 900°C. The fluidizing velocity was 0.95 m/s and the mean particle diameter was 0.9 mm. Based on the experimental results, a model of the gas distribution between the bubble phase and the particulate phase in fluidized beds with a slugging behaviour was developed. The model accounts for the lack of bubble flow obtained if the two-phase theory is employed. In order to verify the model, simultaneous measurements of the visible bubble flow rate and of the gas flow rate through the bubbles were carried out in a bed of similar geometry but operating at ambient conditions. In this bed the fludizing velocity was varied between 1.6 and 2.7 m/s and the mean particle diameter was 1.0 mm. The through-flow of gas was measured with the aid of pressure probes. Evaluation of the experimental results using the model showed that this gas through-flow in the bubble phase subsequently increases the superficial gas velocity in the particulate phase between the vertically aligned bubbles (slugs), and that this gas velocity in excess of the incipient fluidization velocity is responsible for the large deviation from the two-phase theory. The associated increase of the particulate phase voidage was calculated via the Ergun equation.     

Tomographic imaging of a conical fluidized bed of dry pharmaceutical granule

Hydrodynamics in a conical fluidized bed were studied using electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) for a bimodal and mono-disperse particle size distribution (PSD) of dry pharmaceutical granule. The bimodal PSD exhibited a continuous distribution with modes at 168 and 1288 μm and contained approximately 46% Geldart A, 32% Geldart B and 22% Geldart D particles by mass. The mono-disperse PSD had a mean particle size of 237 μm and contained approximately 71% Geldart A, 27% Geldart B, and 2% Geldart C particles by mass. The granule particle density was 830 kg/m³. Experiments were conducted at a static bed height of 0.16 m for gas superficial velocities ranging from 0.25 to 2.50 m/s for the mono-disperse PSD, and from 0.50 to 3.00 m/s for the bimodal PSD. These gas velocities covered both the bubbling and turbulent fluidization regimes. An ‘M’-shaped time-averaged radial voidage profile appeared upon transition from bubbling to turbulent fluidization. The ‘M’-shaped voidage profile was characterized by a dense region near the wall of the fluidized bed with decreasing solids concentration towards the centre. An increased solids concentration was observed in the middle of the bed. Frame-by-frame analysis of the images showed two predominant bubble types: spherical bubbles with particle penetration in the nose which created a core of particles that extended into, but not through, the bubble; and spherical bubbles. Penetrated bubbles, responsible for the ‘M’ profile, were a precursor to bubble splitting; which became increasingly prevalent in the turbulent regime.     

Experimental study on the effects of gas permeation through flat membranes on the hydrodynamics in membrane-assisted fluidized beds

Recently, many novel reactor concepts based on membrane fluidized bed reactors have been proposed. In this work, the effects of gas permeation through flat membranes on the hydrodynamics in a pseudo-2D membrane-assisted gas–solid fluidized bed have been investigated experimentally. A combination of the non-invasive techniques (Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Digital Image Analysis (DIA)) was employed to simultaneously investigate solids phase and bubble phase properties in great detail. Counter-intuitively, addition of secondary gas via the membranes, that constituted the confining walls of a gas–solid suspension at conditions close to incipient fluidization, did not result in a larger, but in a smaller equivalent bubble diameter, while gas extraction on the other hand, resulted in a larger equivalent bubble diameter, although in this case the effect was less pronounced. This could be explained by changes in the larger scale particle circulation patterns due to gas extraction and addition via the membranes.     

Modular Simulation of Fluidized Bed Reactors

Simulation of chemical processes involving nonideal reactors is essential for process design, optimization, control and scale‐up. Various industrial process simulation programs are available for chemical process simulation. Most of these programs are being developed based on the sequential modular approach. They contain only standard ideal reactors but provide no module for nonideal reactors, e.g., fluidized bed reactors. In this study, a new model is developed for the simulation of fluidized bed reactors by sequential modular approach. In the proposed model the bed is divided into several serial sections and the flow of the gas is considered as plug flow through the bubbles and perfectly mixed through the emulsion phase. In order to simulate the performance of these reactors, the hydrodynamic and reaction submodels should be integrated together in the medium and facilities provided by industrial simulators to obtain a simulation model. The performance of the proposed simulation model is tested against the experimental data reported in the literature for various gas‐solid systems and a wide range of superficial gas velocities. It is shown that this model provides acceptable results in predicting the performance of the fluidized bed reactors. The results of this study can easily be used by industrial simulators to enhance their abilities to simulate the fluidized bed reactor properly.     

BUBBLE DYNAMICS AND ELUTRIATION STUDIES IN GAS-FLUID1ZED BEDS

In order to adequately interpret the heat and mass transfer data taken in a gas-fluidized bed, it is essential to know the bubble dynamics and solids movement in the bed, and solids elutriation from the bed. To generate information on these aspects, an experimental facility has been designed, fabricated and successfully tested. This consists of a two-dimensional fluidized bed with its gas supply and cleanup system. The bubble dynamics and solids projection from the bed are recorded by a high-speed movie camera. The films are analyzed on a photo-optical data analyser and digitizer provided with an electronic graphics calculator connected to tape printer and a Teletype terminal interfaced with a computer. The analysis of recorded bed dynamics suggests that for large particles the bubbles grow to be non-spherical and these rise almost above the bed surface before bursting when the wake remains intact while the solids bulge at the bubble nose ruptures to release the bubble gas. It is concluded unambiguously that the solids projected in the freeboard originate from the bubble bulge, and not from the bubble wake as commonly believed. A series of experiments is proposed which will facilitate the development of a general quantitative theory for solids elutriation from industrial fluidized beds.

In addition, a fairly complete review of the work done on bubble dynamics, solids movement in the bed, and solids projection from the bed surface in two- and three-dimensional fluidized beds is presented. Thus, on the whole the present work reviews the state-of-the-art of these three different fluid-bed aspects, and reports new data.     

BUBBLE DYNAMICS AND ELUTRIATION STUDIES IN GAS-FLUID1ZED BEDS

In order to adequately interpret the heat and mass transfer data taken in a gas-fluidized bed, it is essential to know the bubble dynamics and solids movement in the bed, and solids elutriation from the bed. To generate information on these aspects, an experimental facility has been designed, fabricated and successfully tested. This consists of a two-dimensional fluidized bed with its gas supply and cleanup system. The bubble dynamics and solids projection from the bed are recorded by a high-speed movie camera. The films are analyzed on a photo-optical data analyser and digitizer provided with an electronic graphics calculator connected to tape printer and a Teletype terminal interfaced with a computer. The analysis of recorded bed dynamics suggests that for large particles the bubbles grow to be non-spherical and these rise almost above the bed surface before bursting when the wake remains intact while the solids bulge at the bubble nose ruptures to release the bubble gas. It is concluded unambiguously that the solids projected in the freeboard originate from the bubble bulge, and not from the bubble wake as commonly believed. A series of experiments is proposed which will facilitate the development of a general quantitative theory for solids elutriation from industrial fluidized beds.

In addition, a fairly complete review of the work done on bubble dynamics, solids movement in the bed, and solids projection from the bed surface in two- and three-dimensional fluidized beds is presented. Thus, on the whole the present work reviews the state-of-the-art of these three different fluid-bed aspects, and reports new data.