CFD simulation of jet behaviors in a binary gas-solid fluidized bed: comparisons with experiments

Based on the experimental observation of the fluidization characteristics of solid mixtures (resin and rapeseed) with different densities and sizes, the jet behaviours of the binary system are simulated in a two-dimensional jetting fluidized bed 0.30 m in width and 2.00 m in height. A simple mathematical model, by introducing two additional force terms in both gas and particle phase momentum equations of Gidaspow’s inviscid two-fluid model, is used to explore the effects of jet gas velocity and mixture combination on the jet penetration depth in the fluidized bed with a binary system. Experimental results show that there is a fluidization velocity interval (u_if-u_ff) for the resin-on-rapeseed (flotsam-on-jetsam) segregated bed. The simulated jet penetration depth increases with the increase of jet gas velocity and the volume fraction of the flotsam (resin), which is in fair agreement with experimental data. The above findings show that the hydrodynamic model of Brandani and Zhang (2006), by introducing the average physical properties from Goossens et al.(1971), can be used to predict the jet behaviors of a well-mixing binary system.     

气固流化床内射流穿透深度的CFD模拟及其实验验证

在经典的Gidaspow无黏性双流体模型中考虑离散颗粒对流体和固体动量守恒方程的影响后,建立了一个具有模拟大规模流化床内气固两相流体动力学特性潜在优势的简化数学模型。在CFX4.4商业化软件平台上通过增加用户自定义子程序考察了二维气固流化床(高2.00 m、宽0.30 m)内射流气速、喷嘴尺寸、环隙气速和静床高度对射流穿透深度的影响,并以树脂颗粒(粒径670 μm、密度1474 kg·m^-3)为研究对象在厚度为0.025 m的矩形床内进行了对比实验。结果表明,选取空隙率为0.8的等高线作为射流边界比较合适;射流穿透深度随射流气速或射流喷口尺寸的增加而增大;射流周围环隙气速由0变到最小流化速度时,射流穿透深度随环隙气速增加而增大,在最小流化速度时达到最大值,然后随环隙气速增加单调减小,当环隙气速大于2.5倍最小流化速度时,射流穿透深度减小程度变缓;在相同射流气速下射流穿透深度随着静床高度的增加而减小,静床高度对射流穿透深度的影响随着射流气速增加呈现扩大的趋势。     

Simulation and experimental studies on fluidization properties in a pressurized jetting fluidized bed

The influence of pressure on the bubble size and average bed voidage has been investigated experimentally and computationally in a circular three-dimensional cold-flow model of pressurized jetting fluidized bed of 0.2 m i.d. and 0.6 m in height with a central jet and a conical distributor, which roughly stands for the ash-agglomerating fluidized bed coal gasifier. The pressurized average bed voidage and bubble size in the jetting fluidized bed were investigated by using electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) technique. The time-averaged cross-sectional solids concentration distribution in the fluidized bed was recorded. The influence of pressure on the size of bubble and the average bed voidage in a pressurized fluidized bed was studied. Both experimental and theoretical results clearly indicate that there is, at the lower pressure, a small initial increase in bubble size decided by voidage and then a decrease with a further increase in pressure, which proves the conclusion of Cai et.al. [P. Cai, M. Schiavetti, G. De Michele, G.C. Grazzini, M. Miccio, Quantitative estimation of bubble size in PFBC, Powder Technology 80 (1994) 99-109]. At higher pressure, bubbles become smaller and smaller because of splitting. The average bed voidage increases gradually with the pressure at the same gas velocity. However, there is a disagreement between the experimental results and simulation results in the average bed voidage at the higher gas velocity, especially at the higher pressure. It suggests that the increase in density of gas with pressure may result in the drag increase and the drag model needs to be improved and revised at higher pressure.     

Axial voidage profile in a cold model circulating fluidized bed

The axial voidage profile was measured in a cold model circulating fluidized bed (0.38 m in diameter and 9.1 m in height) of sand particles as bed materials. Voidage in the riser column increases along the height above the distributor plate with increasing the gas velocity. However, it decreases with an increase in solid circulation rate in the bed. Model correlations to predict the solid circulation rale and the axial voidage profile in the bed are proposed.     

Computation of solid circulation rates in a fluidized bed from tracer particle concentration distributions

Experimentally measured profiles of tracer particle concentration inside a fluidized bed were employed to calculate rates of bed-solid circulation induced by the presence of a central jet and by slug motion. Lagrangian minimization and direct pattern search techniques were used to determine the solids transfer rates, which should minimize the error in the tracer particle mass balance while satisfying the bed solid mass balance. Time-average steady-state mixing of bed solids and upstream weighting of tracer concentrations were employed in the formulation of the minimization scheme. Quantitative information on solid circulation for three nominal jet velocities of 52, 37 and 25 m/s is provided. The computed solid circulation rates show that there is a region of high circulation around the jet and a region of lower circulation induced by the slug motion.     

网格尺度、时间步长和颗粒堆积率对射流床CFD模拟的影响

采用欧拉-欧拉双流体模型,在CFX4.4软件上增加用户自定义子程序模拟了高2.0 m、宽0.3 m的二维射流床内空气和玻璃珠体系的流体动力学特性. 考察了网格尺度、最大颗粒堆积率和时间步长对射流的形成及发展过程、射流穿透深度及射流频率的影响,并与实验数据进行了对比. 结果表明,对于本研究的气固体系,当床层下部纵向网格数为100、时间步长0.0005 s时,不仅可以满足网格尺度和时间步长的无关性要求,而且模拟的射流穿透深度和射流频率与实验测量值的误差分别为5.7%和3.8%. 最大颗粒堆积率在本研究范围对模拟结果的影响可以忽略.     

Predicting axial pressure profile of a CFB

The numerical simulation of CFBs is an important tool in the prediction of its flow behavior. Predicting the axial pressure profile is one of the major difficulties in modeling a CFB. A model using a Particle Based Approach (PBA) is developed to accurately predict the axial pressure profile in CFBs. The simulation model accounts for the axial and radial distribution of voidage and velocity of the gas and solid phases, and for the solids volume fraction and particle size distribution of the solid phase. The model results are compared with and validated against atmospheric cold CFB experimental literature data. Ranges of experimental data used in comparisons are as follows: bed diameter from 0.05 to 0.305 m, bed height between 5 and 15.45 m, mean particle diameter from 76 to 812 μm, particle density from 189 to 2600 kg/m³, solid circulation fluxes from 10.03 to 489 kg/m² s and gas superficial velocities from 2.71 to 10.68 m/s. The computational results agreed reasonably well with the experimental data. Moreover, both experimental data and model predictions show that the pressure drop profile is affected by the solid circulation flux and superficial velocity values in the riser. The pressure drop increases along the acceleration region as solid circulation flux increases and superficial velocity decreases.     

Flow behaviors of a large spout-fluid bed at high pressure and temperature by 3D simulation with kinetic theory of granular flow

Flow behaviors of a large spout-fluid bed (I.D. 1.0 m) at high pressure and temperature were investigated by Eulerian simulation. The gas phase was modeled with k − ε turbulent model and the particle phase was modeled with kinetic theory of granular flow. The development of an internal jet, gas-solid flow patterns, particle concentrations, particle velocities and jet penetration depths at high pressure and temperature at different operating conditions were simulated. The results show that the bed operated at an initial bed height larger than the maximum spoutable bed height resembles the flow patterns of jetting fluidized beds. The radial profiles of particle velocities and concentrations at high temperature and pressure have the similar characteristic shapes to those at ambient pressure and temperature. The particle concentrations and velocities appear to depend on the bed heights when increasing pressure while keeping the gas velocities and temperature constant. The particle velocities in the lower region of the bed increase with increasing pressure, while they tend to decrease in the middle and upper regions of the bed. The particle concentrations have an opposite dependency with increasing pressure. They decrease in the lower region of the bed but increase in the middle and upper regions of the bed. Besides, the jet penetration depths are found to increase with increasing pressure.     

喷动流化床流动特性数值模拟

为了捕捉喷动流化床中微观层次上的颗粒运动信息,建立了基于CFD的二维非稳态喷动流化床欧拉-欧拉两相流模型。分析了不同流化气速对喷动流化床气固流动特性的影响,即不同工况下的炉内压力降、颗粒浓度、床内空隙率分布、气体速度分布和固体颗粒速度分布。数值模拟研究结果表明:随流化气速的增大,压降和炉内平均空隙率逐渐增大,密相床层高度逐渐增加,沿着轴向方向的气体流量增大,喷动气的射流深度逐渐增加,同时射流半径也逐渐增加。     

Numerical Simulation of a Spouted Bed Using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

In this article, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technology is used to model a spouted bed(SB). The multifluid Eulerian-Eulerian approach based on kinetic theory of granular flows and Gidaspow's drag model for the interaction between gas and particles are applied in the modeling. The effects of the SB properties—that is, cone angle, particle size, cylinder diameter, and static bed height of particles—on its dynamics performance are investigated. The simulated results—that is, flow pattern of particles, fountain height, voidage, and particle velocity of the spout zone—are presented. It is shown that periodic fluctuation of spouting appears in an SB with conical angle of 30° and inlet velocity at 16.6 m/s. When the SB cylinder diameter becomes 0.52 m, periodic fluctuation appears, too. The stable spouting of the SB with a 90° cone angle could be obtained at an inlet air velocity of 24.3 m/s. The fountain height of particles decreased with an increase in particle size and the static bed height of particles. It is kept at about 0.19 m when different SB cylinder diameters in the range of 0.36 to 0.48 m are used. In the spouting region, the voidage decreased with static particle height in bed, but the particle velocity increased. For a certain particle size, the voidage decreased with an increase in particle height, but the velocity of the particles increased. It was also found that the cylinder diameter did not affect the volume fraction of particles except for the cylinder diameter 0.52 m and the change in particle velocity was minimal in the spout zone. With the different static bed height of particles used, the voidage and particle velocity did not change much at the same level of spout zone.     

大型双射流流化床的流体动力学特性

在Ф0 .5m× 8m大型双射流流化床中 ,通过摄像、放像逐帧分析法和sthVCD软件分析录像转换的VCD ,得到了不同管间距下双射流典型的运动图像 .同时研究了两射流独立存在区、过渡区和射流合并区 3种流型的相互转变 ,得出了流型转变的关系式 .不同射流管间距下相同射流气速的射流深度相比 ,管间距减小则射流深度减小 ;在较小的管间距和相对高的射流气速下 ,两射流在射流深度之内始终合并 ,表现为射流合并高度 .得出了射流深度、射流合并高度的定量关系式 .分数维关联维数表明大型双射流流化床是一个确定性混沌系统 ,考查了管间距、静床高度对关联维数的影响     

Particle velocity and solids circulation rate in a jet-spouted bed

Radial distribution of particle velocities, solids circulation rate and radial variation in bed voidage in a jet-spouted bed were investigated in a 0.2 m diameter conical-cylindrical column. The upward particle velocity is strongly dependent on gas velocity and its radial profile is the Gaussian. The solids circulation rates are of the same order of magnitude as those in a conventional spouted bed and are proportional to the gas velocity. Estimation of the variation in bed voidage in the radial direction revealed that the annulus voidage of about 0.90 was greater than the spout voidage of around 0.70. This tendency is contrary to that in a conventional spouted bed.     

CFD simulation of flow pattern and jet penetration depth in gas-fluidized beds with single and double jets

A simple two-fluid model is validated by comparing single-jet fluidization experiments and numerical predictions. Subsequently, flow pattern and jet penetration depth are explored numerically in the bed with double jets under equal and unequal gas velocities. Glass balltoni with a density of 2550 kg/m³ and a diameter of 275 μm is employed as solid phase. The model used in this study considers the effect of the dispersed solid phase on both gas and particle momentum equations of the inviscid model A (Gidaspow, 1994). Numerical simulations are carried out in the platform of CFX 4.4, a commercial CFD code, together with user-defined FORTRAN subroutines. Both jet penetration depth and jet frequency predicted are in good quantitative agreement with measurements in an incipiently fluidized bed with a single jet. By combining solid volume fraction distribution and particle-phase velocity vector profile, three flow patterns (isolated, merged and transitional jets) are identified in the gas-fluidized bed with double jets, which depend more on the nozzle distance than the jet gas velocity. For the equal jet gas velocity, the jet penetration depth decreases with increasing nozzle distance in the merged-jet and transitional-jet regions, then reaches a minimum value in the transitional-jet region, and finally keeps steady in the isolated-jet region. For the unequal jet gas velocity, the merged jet penetration depth increases with increase in the velocity of one jet as the other jet gas velocity is fixed, whilst the jet penetration depths change a little in the transitional-jet region and remain a constant in the isolated-jet region.     

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.     

大型射流流化床的流型转变与射流深度

在高 8m、直径 0 .5m的大型射流流化床中 ,通过摄像分析法 ,研究了射流、喷流两种流型的转变 .结果表明在低静床高、大射流气速下易出现喷流 ;喷流出现时 ,功率谱主频射流气速曲线上出现一转折点 .转折点射流气速与摄像法得出的流型转变射流气速相同 .提出了射流、喷流流型转变关系式 .同时发现射流深度随射流气速变大而增大 ,结合二维射流床射流深度的研究结果 ,得出了射流深度的预测式     

Statistical study of the grid zone behavior in a shallow gas—solid fluidized bed using a mini-capacitance probe

The behavior of the grid zone in a shallow-air-sand fluidized bed was studied by means of a mini-capacitance probe coupled with the on-line correlation technique. Experiments were carried out in a bed with a diameter of 203 mm. The bed had a height of 50 mm and was operated at different air flow rates. A perforated “plexiglas” plate with a hole diameter of 1.59 mm and a thickness of 9.53 mm was used as the distributor. The technique has been found to be effective in determining locally or microscopically the jet penetration depth and the dead zone height. The phenomenon of jetting in a shallow gas—solid fluidized bed is described semi-quantitatively.     

内循环微型流化床流动特性

针对开发适用于化学气相沉积反应动力学研究的微型流化床反应分析仪的应用需求,研究了外径为30 mm的内循环微型流化床中气固流动特性,具体考察了中心射流管伸入高度、内导流管直径和颗粒装载量对实现固体物料内循环的最小操作气速和导流管与环隙区间窜气的影响。结果表明,随着射流管伸入高度的增大,实现颗粒内循环流动的最小操作气速变大;存在最优的导流管直径（20 mm）,使得实现颗粒环流的最小操作气速较小;增大颗粒装载量有利于降低颗粒内循环的最小操作气速。通过检测示踪气体在环隙区内的质谱信号,发现在所考察的参数范围内,反应器底部不存在导流管区向环隙区的窜气;在反应器上部,由于颗粒对气体的夹带,环隙区上部总能检测到示踪气体,且窜气特性随操作气速的增大而增强。研究结果可为设计适用于化学气相沉积反应的内循环微型流化床反应器提供参考。     

Fate of solids fed pneumatically through a jet into a fluidized bed

Solid tracer particles were fed pneumatically through a jet into a fluidized bed to simulate the feeding of solids via a pneumatic transport line into a fluidized-bed reactor operating in the slugging-bed mode. The fluidized bed was defluidized instantaneously at different times after the initiation of the tracer particle injection. The bed was then sampled layer by layer to provide the radial and axial concentration profiles of the tracer. Regular and high-speed movies (1,000 frames per second) were taken to study the operation of the fluidized bed and the phenomena of the gas-solid two-phase jet. Experimental results on solid mixing, jet constriction and slugging frequencies, slugging bed height, slug length, jet penetration, and jet half-angle at three nominal jet velocities of 52, 37, and 25 m/s and corresponding solids loadings are presented. Additional experimental results on jet constriction and slugging frequencies, and slug volume (axial slug size) obtained for a wider range of jet velocities confirm the hydrodynamic trends observed during the tracer particle injection experiments. The results indicate that solids mixing increases, and well-mixed conditions are reached earlier, with an increase in jet injection velocity. The obtained mixing times were correlated successfully in terms of the excess gas velocity. The experimental data on jet penetration and slug motion were satisfactorily correlated by modified versions of existing theoretical relations. The modifications included the effect of the injected solids on jet penetration and jet half-angle and also the effect of our semicircular column geometry and single wall-slug configuration on the observed slug motion.     

Horizontal gas and gas/solid jet penetration in a gas–solid fluidized bed

In this paper, the real time, dynamic phenomena of the three-dimensional horizontal gas and gas/solid mixture jetting in a 0.3 m (12 in) bubbling gas–solid fluidized bed are reported. The instantaneous properties of the shape of the jets and volumetric solids holdup are qualified and quantified using the three-dimensional electrical capacitance volume tomography (ECVT) recently developed in the authors’ group. It is found that the horizontal gas jet is almost symmetric along the horizontal axis during its penetration. As the jet width expands, the total volume of the gas jet increases. A mechanistic model is also developed to account for the experimental results obtained in this study. Comparison of jet penetration length and width between the model prediction and ECVT experiment shows that both the maximum penetration length and the maximum width of the horizontal gas jet increase with the superficial gas velocity. When the horizontal gas jet coalesces with a bubble rising from the bottom distributor, it loses its symmetric shape and can easily penetrate into the bed. For the horizontal gas/solid mixture jet penetration in the bed, the tail of the jet at the nozzle shrinks and the jet loses its jet shape immediately when the jet reaches its maximum penetration length, which are different from the characteristics exhibited by the gas jet. The solids holdup in the core region of the gas/solid mixture jet is higher than that in the gas jet. The penetration length of the horizontal gas/solid mixture jet is also larger than that of the gas jet.     

Flow in the annulus of a bed of fine particles spouted with water

The flow in the annulus of a water spouted bed of glass particles (275 to 774 μm) was studied experimentally in a cylindrical half-column 50.8 mm in diameter. An axisymmetric model, which assumes Darcy flow in the annulus and uses the experimental spout pressure distribution, predicts the flow and pressure fields in the annulus. The substantial differences between this flowfield and that for coarse particle beds that are observed are caused by differences in the normalized interfacial pressure profile. The model predicts that both the fluid velocity and the normalized fluid velocity at the top of the annulus decrease as the particle size and bed height are reduced. Particles are observed to enter the spout primarily near the spout inlet in agreement with predictions of the axial spout voidage distribution. The residence time distribution of the fluid in the annulus is relatively broad and the measured residence times are about 25% higher than those calculated.