Numerical Simulation of the Hydrodynamics of Gas/Solid Two‐Phase Flow in a Circulating Fluidized Bed with Different Inlet Configurations

The gas/solid flow characteristics in a circulating fluidized bed with two different inlet configurations were investigated by numerical simulation based on an Eulerian approach. In order to describe the interaction between the gas phase and the solid phase and the influence of the solid phase on the gas turbulence, a source term formulation with a more reasonable physical meaning was introduced. The simulation results were validated by the experimental data; then, the model was employed to examine the effect of the inlet configuration on the gas and solid feeding. The simulation results showed that, using the side feeding system, the distributions of solid flow and concentration were highly variable both over the column cross‐section and along the column height. However, such variations can be improved by using the elbow inlet system where the gas and solid are fed from the bottom.     

移动床中固体颗粒"运动模型"的修正

实验研究了移动床内的固体颗粒流动状况,考查了流速、颗粒特性和流场的几何形状对移动床内固体流动特性的影响.发现颗粒的质量流速对移动床内颗粒流动区域的形状没有影响,在颗粒流动的死区内添加挡板也不改变颗粒流动区域的形状,而颗粒的休止角的大小对颗粒流动区域的形状影响较大.随着颗粒休止角度增大,流动区域变陡,死区变大.Nedderman提出的颗粒“运动模型”可以很好地模拟料仓中心卸料过程中固体颗粒的流动特性和预测料仓内颗粒的速度分布,但很难准确预测料仓偏心卸料时周边的速率分布,无法反映料仓壁面的影响.通过Lie变换群得到“运动模型”的解析解,发现x＝0时颗粒的垂直速度达到最大值,由此在确定颗粒最大速度分布线的基础上移动坐标使该线上x值均为0,对“运动模型”进行了修正,可以反映壁面对颗粒运动的影响,所得计算结果与实验测定吻合得很好.     

Investigation of Aggregation Kernel and Simulation of Cohesive Particle Flow

A modified model coupled with the population balance equation has been developed to simulate the aggregation process in fluidized beds. The population balance equation is solved as part of computational fluid dynamics simulation by the direct quadrature method of moments. In the simulation, the aggregation rate is controlled by the aggregation kernel which is usually obtained by theoretical derivation and is difficult to verify experimentally. The aggregation kernel is investigated by the discrete element method and the performance of the proposed model for simulating cohesive particle flow in fluidized beds is evaluated. Simulation results are compared to the experimental data and show good agreement. A comparison between different models is also carried out.     

Effect of Superimposed Pulsating Flow on Liquid‐Solid Mass Transfer in Fixed Beds

The liquid‐solid mass transfer behaviour of a fixed bed of cylinders has been studied using the dissolution of copper in acidified dichromate solution under pulsating flow conditions. The bed diameter was 100 mm. The depth of the working section was 95 mm and the length and diameter of the cylinders were 19.1 mm. Variables studied were steady flow superficial liquid velocity, and oscillation amplitude and frequency. Data have been correlated as the Sherwood number in terms of Schmidt number and the cylinder Reynolds numbers for steady and oscillatory flow. The form of the correlation permits comparison with literature data for the limiting cases where either of these Reynolds numbers is zero.     

油煤浆输送管道弯管部位流场的数值模拟与磨损预测

针对煤液化工业中油煤浆管道,利用fluent软件对7种不同管径,8种弯径比的弯管部位的流场进行了模拟计算,得到在湍流状态下管内速度场分布。通过二次开发将磨损模型嵌入到Fluent软件中,实现了对弯管部位的磨损预测。数值计算结果表明,弯径比不同,弯管的磨损区域与磨损量有较大差异;同一管径时,随着弯径比增大,最大磨损量减小。考虑到管路经济性,弯径比取4—6是比较适宜的。     

A 3D Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics Method with Reactive Flow Model for the Simulation of ANFO

ANFO (ammonium nitrate/fuel oil) is a widely used bulk industrial explosive mixture that is considered to be highly “non‐ideal” with long reaction zones, low detonation energies, and large failure diameters. Thus, its detonation poses great challenge for accurate numerical modeling. Herein, we present a numerical model to simulate ANFO based on improved smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method, which is a mesh‐free Lagrangian method performing well in simulating situations consist of moving interface and large deformation, as happened in high‐velocity impact and explosion. The improved three‐dimensional SPH method incorporated with JWL++ model is used to simulate the detonation of ANFO. Good agreement is observed between simulation and experiment, which indicates that the proposed method performs well in prediction of behavior of ANFO.     

Discrete Bubble Model for Prediction of Bubble Behavior in 3D Fluidized Beds

A discrete bubble model has been developed taking into account multiple bubble‐bubble interactions and a delayed coalescence method. The obtained simulation results were compared with experimental data reported in literature. The simulation results predicted by the developed model indicate clearly that the multiple interactions of bubbles lead to more reasonable results than those predicted by a binary interaction model. In addition, two types of interaction models were applied and predicted results were compared. The frequency of gas bubbles passing through the bed cross section versus bed height follows the same trend as the experimental data.     

Modeling of Gas‐Particle Turbulent Flow in Spout‐Fluid Bed by Computational Fluid Dynamics with Discrete Element Method

Gas and solid turbulent flow in a cylindrical spout‐fluid bed with conical base were investigated by incorporating various gas‐particle interaction models for two‐way coupling simulation of discrete particle dynamics. The gas flow field was computed by a k‐ϵ two‐equation turbulent model, the motion of solid particles was modeled by the discrete element method. Drag force, contact force, Saffman lift force, Magnus lift force and gravitational force acting on individual particles were considered in the mathematical models. Calculations on the cylindrical spout‐fluid bed with an inside diameter of 152 mm, a height of 700 mm, a conical base of 60° and the ratio of void area of 3.2 % were carried out. Based on the simulation, the gas‐solid flow patterns at various spouting gas velocities are presented. Besides, the changes in particle velocity, particle concentration, collision energy, particle and gas turbulent intensities at different proportions of fluidizing gas to total gas flow are discussed.     

Analysis of Flow Patterns in High‐Gravity Equipment Using Gamma‐Ray Computed Tomography

The capacity of today's gas‐liquid contacting equipment such as tray or packed columns is limited by the gravitational‐driven liquid flow. Intensified equipment applying centrifugal force offers great potential for enhancing the mass transfer and for reducing equipment size. Yet, detailed knowledge about the liquid flow inside rotating packings is scarce due to limited accessibility with conventional measurement systems. In this study, a gamma‐ray computed tomography is employed to quantify the liquid hold‐up and its distribution in the moving packing.     

Liquid Flow Visualization in Packed‐Bed Multiphase Reactors: Wire‐Mesh Sensor Design and Data Analysis for Rotating Fixed Beds

Wire‐mesh sensors are increasingly used for flow imaging in packed beds. In this study, a capacitance wire‐mesh sensor is applied to measure the cross‐sectional liquid phase distribution in a rotating fixed‐bed reactor. The liquid filling level is derived as a crucial parameter defining the operational window of the reactor concept. Contrary to the standard sensor configuration, wireless data transfer and autonomous power supply is integrated. Furthermore, appropriate data processing is required to visualize the liquid flow of the three‐phase system (nitrogen, cumene and γ‐Al₂O₃ particles).     

A Novel Model for Predicting the Dense Phase Behavior of 3D Gas‐Solid Fluidized Beds

A novel phenomenological discrete bubble model was developed and tested for prediction of the hydrodynamic behavior of the dense phase of a 3D gas‐solid cylindrical fluidized bed. The mirror image technique was applied to take into account the effects of the bed wall. The simulation results were validated against experimental data reported in the literature that were obtained by positron emission particle tracking. The time‐averaged velocity profiles of particles predicted by the developed model were found to agree well with experimental data. The initial bubble diameter had no significant influence on the time‐averaged circulating pattern of solids in the bed. The model predictions clearly indicate that the developed model can fairly predict the hydrodynamic behavior of the dense phase of 3D gas‐solid cylindrical fluidized beds.     

Hydrodynamics and flow regimes in turbulent bed contactor with non‐Newtonian liquids

The flow regimes normally encountered in a turbulent bed contactor (TBC) are static, partially fluidised, completely fluidised and flooding regimes. Experiments were conducted in a TBC operating in Type I mode to identify the flow regimes with non‐Newtonian liquid. Flow regime transition velocities were obtained from the pressure drop and bed expansion measurements at various operating and geometric variables. The variables include apparent viscosity of the liquid, gas and liquid velocities, size and density of the particles, and static bed height. The effect of the above variables on delineation of flow regime transition was studied. Based on the experimental data, correlations were proposed for predicting the transition velocity from one regime to the other. The influence of the variables on regime transition velocities is more or less similar to that observed for Newtonian liquids. © 2011 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering     

Full‐Loop Simulation of Gas‐Solids Flow in a Pilot‐Scale Circulating Fluidized Bed

In order to study the system hydrodynamics in a circulating fluidized bed (CFB), a 3D full‐loop simulation was conducted for a pilot‐scale CFB. The Eulerian‐Eulerian two‐fluid model with the kinetic theory of granular theory helped to simulate the gas‐solids flow in the CFB. The system hydrodynamics including pressure balance, vectors of gas and solids, distribution of solids holdup, and instantaneous circulating rates were obtained to get a comprehensive understanding of the system. It was predicted that the main driving force was the pressure drop of the storage tank. The storage height and valve opening were critical operating factors to control the riser operation. The effects of operating conditions including solids circulating rates and superficial gas velocity on the hydrodynamics were investigated to provide guidance for the stable operation of the CFB system.     

闪蒸干燥器气相流场的模拟研究

针对目前旋流闪蒸干燥器的气相流场存在的一些问题,应用FLUENT6．0软件进行模拟,对平底、带叶片的旋流闪蒸干燥器的气相流场分布进行数值模拟和实验研究。并用实验数据对模拟结果进行了验证,取得了很好的一致性。同时,针对带气体分布器的闪蒸干燥器进行了模拟研究,分别对圆管形、圆锥形、方管形分布器进行模拟分析。结果表明,方管形干燥器能够使切向速度分布更加均匀,从而提高干燥能力。     

Numerical Simulation of Particle Segregation in Bubbling Gas‐Fluidized Beds

A multi‐fluid Eulerian model incorporating the kinetic theory of granular flow is used for the simulation of bubbling fluidized beds containing a binary mixture of Geldart B particles at low gas velocities. The cases of density, size and combined density/size segregation are investigated using computational fluid dynamic simulations. Various expressions for the drag force are evaluated for predicting different segregations. The simulation results show that summation of the particle‐particle drag force, i.e., the “hindrance effect” term, and the Stokes drag of particles, which is modified based on the Wen‐Yu drag model can be used for accurate simulation of a binary mixture of particles differing in size, density, or both. Bed expansion and dimensionless axial segregation profiles of CFD results are compared with the experimental data and good agreement is found.     

Flow Field Simulation and Measurement in Packed Beds Based on 4D-X-Ray Computed Tomography

X-ray computed tomography (XCT) combined with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations have proved to be a powerful and versatile tool to describe fluids flow through packed bed systems. In this contribution, two examples of the application of XCT experiments to track the fluid flow and fluid penetration in packed bed systems are shown. The first one shows how geometrical information extracted from XCT measurements can be coupled to CFD simulations to assess fluid flows reliably. Here the example of a packed bed of three-dimensional (3D) printed cylindrical-shaped particles is considered. Finally, a short case study on the monitoring of the progress of the water penetration front in a packed bed composed of glass spheres using four-dimensional (4D) XCT imaging data is presented.     

Flow regimes and gas holdup in paper pulp-water-gas three-phase slurry flow

Hydrodynamic flow characteristics of solid-liquid-gas slurry made by intimately mixing fibrous paper pulp with water and air were investigated in a short, vertical circular column. The pulp consistency (weight fraction of pulp in the pulp-water mixture) was varied in the low consistency range of 0.0-1.5%. The test section was long, with inner diameter. Mixing of the slurry prior to entering the test section was done using a patented mixer with controlled cavitation that generated finely dispersed micro-bubbles.Flow structures, gas holdup, and the geometric and population characteristics of gas bubbles in the gas-pulp-liquid three-phase flow were experimentally investigated, using visual observation, Gamma-ray densitometry, and flash X-ray photography. Superficial velocities of the gas and liquid/pulp mixture covered the ranges 0- and 21-, respectively.Five distinct flow regimes could be visually identified. These included dispersed bubbly, characterized by isolated micro-bubbles entrapped in fiber networks; layered bubbly, characterized by bubbles rising in a low consistency annular zone near the channel wall; plug; churn-turbulent; and slug. The dispersed and layered bubbly regimes could be maintained only at very low gas superficial velocities or gas holdups. Flow regime maps were constructed using phasic superficial velocities as coordinates, and the regime transition lines were found to be sensitive to consistency.The cross section-average gas holdup data showed that both the dispersed and the layered bubbly regimes could best be represented by the homogeneous mixture model. The drift flux model could best be applied to the reminder of the data when the plug and churn-turbulent flow regimes were treated together, and the slug flow was treated separately. The drift flux parameters depended on the pulp consistency.