Dynamics of gas-particle flow in circulating fluidized beds

The flow of gas—particle mixtures in a circulating fluidized bed has been studied, probing the flow behavior under both stable and unstable operating conditions. A novel feature of our work is the use of electrical capacitance tomography to image particle distribution over the cross-section at one elevation in the standpipe. In addition, we have also obtained data on pressure profile and aeration rate in the standpipe, particle circulation rate in the circulating fluidized bed and riser gas flow rate under various operating conditions. Here, we report experimental results obtained for two different particles, both belonging to Geldart type A. At low aeration rates, a stable dense phase flow is obtained in the standpipe. At high aeration rates, the flow became unstable, manifesting low frequency oscillations in the flow characteristics. Our results suggest that, under conditions explored in the present study, this instability originates in the standpipe and that any attempt to model it should consider the interaction between the various components of the circulating fluidized bed system.     

Flow of gas—solid mixtures in standpipes. A review

In this paper, the literature on standpipe flow is systematically reviewed. In particular, four possible flow regimes are defined, viz. dense phase fluidized solids flow (DENFLO), lean phase fluidized solids flow (LEANFLO), transition packed bed flow (TRANPACFLO) and packed bed flow (PACFLO). The possibilities of coexistence of more than one of these flow regimes and the prediction of these coexistences are discussed. Available equations pertaining to each flow regime and to flow of gas—solids mixture through a slide valve are summarized. The use of the equations for analysis of industrial standpipe operation is illustrated by means of two case studies. Finally, areas where further work would be fruitful are pinpointed. More experimental work is urged to verify the validity of some of the equations presented and to improve our understanding of the different types of flow instabilities in standpipe operation.     

负压差立管下料过程压力脉动的传递性实验与分析

在高13m大型循环流化床装置上,对φ150 mm×900 mm负压差立管内气固两相流的动态压力进行了轴向多点测量,并用标准偏差进行了分析,主要研究立管下料过程的动态传递特性.实验表明负压差立管内存在明显的压力脉动现象,这种压力脉动具有一定的传递性.颗粒质量流率比较小时是稀密两相共存流态,稀相区的压力脉动主要受进料流量振荡的影响,向下传递;密相区的压力脉动主要受立管的波动性排料影响,向上传递;随着颗粒质量流率的增加达到浓相输送流态时,上部是连续式浓相输送流态,下部是密相波浪式输送流态,立管的压力脉动主要受进口流量振荡和排料过程压缩气体作用,向下传递.对立管的压力脉动进行标准偏差分析表明脉动压力传递沿颗粒的流动方向上具有幅值增大特性.在立管内流态从稀密两相共存流态转变为浓相输送流态时,由于颗粒压缩气体分量最大,压力脉动幅值最大,减小或增加颗粒质量流率,压力脉动幅度均降低.     

气固循环流化床负压差下料立管的压力脉动特性

通过对气固循环流化床负压差下料立管的压力测量,分析了立管下料过程的压脉动特性。负压差下立管内的颗粒由立管上部的低压端流向下部的高压端的过程中,对所夹带的气体产生压缩导致了立管内气固两相流动的不稳定性,表现为立管压力的脉动以及颗粒下行速度的波动和密度分布的不均匀。压力脉动的幅度随负压差的增加而增大。     

负压差立管插板阀调节颗粒质量流率的实验分析

在大型循环流化床装置上,通过改变负压差立管上的插板阀的开度,测定不同颗粒质量流率条件下插板阀上下的流态和脉动压力,以此分析插板阀对下料过程颗粒质量流率的调控机制。实验结果表明,对于立管的下料过程插板阀的开度存在一个临界开度,将插板阀的开度范围划分为非可控制区和可控制区。当插板阀的开度大于临界开度时,处于非可控制区,不能进行颗粒质量流率的调节,此时插板阀上下的流态一致,脉动压力曲线相似;当插板阀的开度小于临界开度时,处于可控制区,可以进行颗粒质量流率的调节,此时插板阀上的流态是移动床,阀下的流态是雨状下落流,上下的脉动压力曲线不同。     

An analysis of moving-bed flow of solids down standpipes and side valves

A method of analysing solids downflow through standpipe and slide valve in the moving bed mode is presented. The method is based on combining Yoon and Kunii equations for moving-bed flow with a proposed modified orifice equation for gas—solid flow. The analysis correctly predicts the observed trend of the effects of gas injection into the standpipe. It also provides quantitative prediction of the conditions for transition from moving-bed flow to dense phase fluidized solids flow and to lean phase “streaming flow”. The latter flow pattern refers to solids streaming down a tube at high voidage typified by the discharge of solid down a tube with no constriction at the lower end of the tube. Further work is required to test the general applicability of the present analysis and to extend the analysis to yield a generalized quantitative flow regime diagram for downflow of solids in a pipe.     

Improvement of continuous solid circulation rate measurement in a cold flow circulating fluidized bed

A method is described to independently estimate the solids velocity and voidage in the moving bed portion of the NETL circulating fluidized bed (CFB). These quantities are used by a device that continuously measures the solids circulation rate. The device is based on the use of a rotating Spiral vane installed in the standpipe of a circulating fluid bed (CFB). Correlations were developed from transient experiments and steady state mass balance data to correct the solids velocity and solids fraction in the standpipe as a function of standpipe aeration rate. A set of statistically-designed experiments was used to establish the need for these corrections and to verify the accuracy of solid circulation rate measurements after correction. The differences between the original and corrected measurements were quantitatively compared.     

负压差立管气固流动的不稳定性实验分析

负压差立管内气固两相流具有流动的不稳定性,比较典型的是颗粒流量的不稳定性. 实验表明这种不稳定性主要有两种形式,一种是流量偏移,流量从一个值逐渐或突然转变为另一个值,这种现象一般发生在立管的入口或出口,是颗粒失流化架桥产生的;另一种是流量振荡,流量在一定的范围内发生波动变化,即低频脉动流动,这是颗粒逆压力梯度流动压缩气体造成的. 负压差立管气固流动的不稳定性对工艺过程的运行具有潜在的危害性.     

The characteristics of particle flow in the overflow and underflow standpipe of fluidized beds

Characteristics of particle flow in the standpipes of a 10 cm I.D.×120 cm high fluidized bed were investigated. The standpipes used in this experiment were vertical overflow and vertical underflow standpipes. Sand particles and polyethylene powders were employed as the bed materials. The effects of standpipe diameter, gas velocity and particle properties on the solid flow rate were determined. The experimental results showed that the flow behaviors of solids through the overflow and underflow standpipes are different with variations of operating conditions. For both standpipes, the mass flow rate of solids was strongly dependent on the standpipe diameter. For the overflow standpipe, the increase of gas velocity increased the solids flow rate. But for the underflow standpipe it decreased the solid flow rate. From the measured pressure drops, solid fractions in the standpipes were determined by the momentum balance. The obtained experimental data of solids mass flow rate were well correlated with the pertinent dimensionless groups for underflow as well as overflow standpipes.     

循环流化床下料管中气固流动的实验研究I—颗粒流动

在内径１１０ｍｍ的下料管循环流化床中，采用ＦＣＣ（流化床催化裂化催化剂）、硅胶球颗粒时，对下料管中颗粒局部速度、局部浓度的测量基础上，研究了床层截面平均颗粒浓度，截面平均颗粒速度的轴向和径向分布，并回归得到求取床层颗粒浓度的关联式，为气固下行反应器设计开发提供了理论依据。     

Catalytic Ozone Decomposition in a Gas‐Solids Circulating Fluidized‐Bed Riser

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of the catalytic ozone decomposition reaction in a circulating fluidized‐bed (CFB) riser, using iron‐impregnated fluid catalytic cracking particles as catalyst, is carried out. The catalytic reaction is defined as a one‐step reaction, and the reaction equation is modified by with respect to the particle surface area, A_p, and an empirical coefficient. The Eularian‐Eularian method with the kinetic theory of granular flow is used to solve the gas‐solids two‐phase flow in the CFB riser. The simulation results are compared with experimental data, and the reaction rate is modified by using an empirical coefficient, to provide better simulation results than the original reaction rate. Moreover, the particle size has great effects on the reaction rate. The generality of the CFD model is further validated under different operating conditions of the riser.     

Flow of fluidized solids and bubbles in standpipes and risers

Equations are presented for the densities of fluidized solid-bubble mixtures in downward and upward vertical flow. Data from a large commercial standpipe are in close agreement with calculations. Flow instability is predicted when downward solid flow is sufficient to hold a gas bubble stationary in a standpipe. Commercial experience of such instability is presented indicating the existence of slugs in a 45-in.-diam. standpipe.     

新型催化裂解快速流化床内颗粒浓度分布实验研究

催化裂解反应器是石油深度加工的重要反应器,采用实验方法对新型快速床催化裂解反应器内气固两相流动特性进行了研究,测量了床层内颗粒浓度分布,考察了气体流量对床层轴向和径向上颗粒浓度分布的影响。实验结果表明,床层轴向上颗粒浓度呈现下部稠密上部稀疏的分布规律;当气体流量较低时轴向颗粒浓度呈S形分布,高气量下呈现指数函数形分布,即反应器上部区域的颗粒浓度分布影响较小;床层径向颗粒浓度分布呈现中心稀、边壁浓的特征,且增大空气流量,径向分布趋于均匀。在一定操作条件下,与传统提升管相比,新型快速床颗粒浓度显著提高。     

Fine particle effects in a fluidized-bed reactor

Recent experimental work has shown that when the concentration of fine particles (45 μm) in a fluidized bed is increased the gas flow pattern within the bed is altered, more gas being caused to flow through the emulsion phase and less through the bubble phase. In the case of a catalytic reaction system this effect should result in an increase in conversion for a given throughput of reactant and the work described here was carried out to test this hypothesis. Experimental results are presented for the catalytic oxidative dehydrogenation of butene-1 in fluidized beds of catalyst containing 0, 16 and 27% fines and it is shown that conversion does in fact increase with increasing fines content. The system can be modelled on the basis of emulsion-phase gas flows that are in excess of the minimum fluidization flow, agreement between model predictions and experimental results being quite satisfactory.     

Hydrodynamic characteristics of fine particles in the riser and standpipe of a circulating fluidized bed

The hydrodynamic properties in the riser and standpipe. and the cyclone efficiency have been determined in a circulating fluidized bed (CFB) unit consisting of a riser (0.05 m-IDX3.8 m high), a standpipe (0.068 m-IDX2.5 m high) as a primary cyclone/bubbling fluidized bed, and a secondary cyclone. Silica gel powder (mean diameter = 46 μm) was used as the bed material. The effects of gas velocity in the riser and initial solid loading on the solid circulation rate, and the solid holdups in the riser and standpipe have been determined. The effects of gas velocity in the standpipe on the efficiencies of primary and secondary cyclones have been also determined as functions of solid circulation rate and solid entrainment rate. The solid circulation rate increases with increases in the gas velocity in the riser and in the initial solid loading. The efficiencies of primary and secondary cyclones increase with an increase in the gas velocity in the riser. However, the efficiency of primary cyclone decreases and that of secondary cyclone increases slightly, with an increase in the gas velocity in the standpipe.     

CFD simulation of solids residence time distribution in a multi-compartment fluidized bed

The present work focuses on a numerical investigation of the solids residence time distribution(RTD)and the fluidized structure of a multi-compartment fluidized bed,in which the flow pattern is proved to be close to plug flow by using computational fluid dynamics(CFD)simulations.With the fluidizing gas velocity or the bed outlet height rising,the solids flow out of bed more quickly with a wider spread of residence time and a larger RTD variance(σ2).It is just the heterogeneous fluidized structure that being more prominent with the bed height increasing induces the widely non-uniform RTD.The division of the individual internal circulation into double ones improves the flow pattern to be close to plug flow.     

Modeling the hydrodynamics in a coupled high-density downer-to-riser reactor

A coupled high-density downer-to-riser (DtoR) reactor is proposed for the controlled reaction pathway in the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process with the desired products distribution, e.g., clean gasoline with less olefin content. Hydrodynamics in such a reactor coupling system is studied using a compressive model that considers the pressure balances around all the sub-units in the prototype. The continuity closure condition is used to determine the material balance of the solid particles flowing in the circulating fluidized bed system. The model predictions have good agreement with the experimental data in rather wide operating conditions, e.g., when the solids circulation rate goes to more than 400 kg/m² s. The effects of the solids inventory, the superficial gas velocity, the particle diameter and density, the inside diameter of risers, and the fractional opening of the control valve for the solids flow on the operation of the DtoR system, are investigated and discussed in detail. It is demonstrated that the model offers appropriate guidance for the design and the operation of the coupled circulating fluidized bed system.     

Solid concentration and velocity distributions in an annulus turbulent fluidized bed

Solid concentration and particle velocity distributions in the transition section of a?200 mm turbulent fluidized bed (TFB) and a?200 mm annulus turbulent fluidized bed (A-TFB) with a?50 mm central standpipe were mea-sured using a PV6D optical probe. It is concluded that in turbulent regime, the axial distribution of solid concen-tration in A-TFB was similar to that in TFB, but the former had a shorter transition section. The axial solid concentration distribution, probability density, and power spectral distributions revealed that the standpipe hin-dered the turbulence of gas–solid two-phase flow at a low superficial gas velocity. Consequently, the bottom flow of A-TFB approached the bubbling fluidization pattern. By contrast, the standpipe facilitated the turbulence at a high superficial gas velocity, thus making the bottom flow of A-TFB approach the fast fluidization pattern. Both the particle velocity and solid concentration distribution presented a unimodal distribution in A-TFB and TFB. However, the standpipe at a high gas velocity and in the transition or dilute phase section significantly affected the radial distribution of flow parameters, presenting a bimodal distribution with particle concentration higher near the internal and external wal s and in downward flow. Conversely, particle concentration in the middle an-nulus area was lower, and particles flowed upward. This result indicated that the standpipe destroyed the core-annular structure of TFB in the transition and dilute phase sections at a high gas velocity and also improved the particle distribution of TFB. In conclusion, the standpipe improved the fluidization quality and flow homogeneity at high gas velocity and in the transition or dilute phase section, but caused opposite phenomena at low gas ve-locity and in the dense-phase section.     

气固流化床内费托铁基催化剂的流化特性

为研究费托(Fischer?Tropsch, FT)催化剂在气固流化床内的流动过程,分析了催化剂的主要物性参数,在不同直径流化床内测量了各表观气速下FT催化剂的流动特性,并与广泛应用的流化催化裂化(Fluid Catalytic Cracking, FCC)催化剂的流态化行为进行了对比。结果表明,同为A类颗粒,相较于FCC催化剂,由于FT催化剂的休止角较小(约为FCC催化剂的75%),其临界流化速度较小、床层膨胀高度和气节高度较小;两种催化剂在流化床内流化过程基本相似,随表观气速增大依次出现膨胀、鼓泡、湍动等流型,但各流型转变时的临界速度差异较大。催化剂物性参数对流化特性影响较大,FT催化剂在各阶段流化过程均相对稳定,有利于催化剂在流化床内均匀分布,其气固接触效果优于FCC催化剂;不同催化剂床层高径比下气节高度变化的转折点与流型存在对应关系,可将气节高度随表观气速的变化关系作为判断湍动流化区内流型临界速度的依据。     

The control of bed height and solids circulation rate in the standpipe of a cold flow circulating fluidized bed

Circulating fluidized beds (CFBs) are used widely in the chemical industry. Knowing or estimating the bed height in the standpipe and the solids circulation rate are essential for effective control of the system. This paper incorporates a 2-region model to calculate the bed height in the standpipe with a Kalman filter algorithm to estimate the solids circulation rate (SCR). Simulations of both the standpipe bed height and SCR were compared with experimental data and shown to give good agreement.

In addition, a neural network method was applied to model the entire cold flow CFB system and measured data sets were used to train the neurons of the network. Finally, a linear controller was applied to control both the bed height and solids circulation rate to desired set points. Simulations were performed for both positive and negative step inputs for both variables and satisfactory control was demonstrated using this controller in combination with the neutral network and Kalman estimator.