THE ROLE OF GAS DISTRIBUTION IN FLUIDIZED BED CHEMICAL REACTOR DESIGN†

Abstract

The design of fluid bed gas distributors may have a marked influence on the performance of a fluid bed reactor. The primary physical reason for this influence is that the distributor design influences the hydrodynamics and thus the gas/solid contacting pattern in the fluidized bed.

In the paper presented here the influence of distributor design on mass transfer and chemical reaction has been investigated systematically in fluid bed reactors with diameters of 0.2 and 1.0 meter. Coefficients of mass transfer between the bubble phase and the suspension phase were determined from chemical conversion and tracer gas residence time distribution measurements. In the experimental program the height of the fluidized bed was varied between 0.3 m and 0.9 m with superficial gas velocities in the range of 0.06 m/s to 0.30 m/s.

The comparison of the experimental results with a suitably modified and extended two-phase model yields quantitative relationships which allow to account for the influence of the gas distributor in the design of fluid bed chemical reactors.     

Hydrodynamics and mass transfer in an upward venturi/bubble column combination

The hydrodynamics and mass transfer characteristics of a venturi/bubble column combination were studied at high liquid superficial velocities of up to 0.35 m/s. The gas hold-up was increased by 50% to 150% and the overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient was tripled when the venturi was used as “gas distributor” instead of a porous distributor. A correlation of the overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient (K_La) with the gas hold-up, valid for gas hold-ups as high as 0.3, was proposed for the cylindrical bubble column section. The energy consumption per mole of oxygen transferred was lower than with most distributors and the oxygen transfer rate per unit of reactor volume was higher than in a bubble column with a porous distributor. The venturi/bubble column combination is a compact and efficient system which does not have the operating problems of systems which require internals.     

THE ROLE OF GAS DISTRIBUTION IN FLUIDIZED BED CHEMICAL REACTOR DESIGN†

The design of fluid bed gas distributors may have a marked influence on the performance of a fluid bed reactor. The primary physical reason for this influence is that the distributor design influences the hydrodynamics and thus the gas/solid contacting pattern in the fluidized bed.

In the paper presented here the influence of distributor design on mass transfer and chemical reaction has been investigated systematically in fluid bed reactors with diameters of 0.2 and 1.0 meter. Coefficients of mass transfer between the bubble phase and the suspension phase were determined from chemical conversion and tracer gas residence time distribution measurements. In the experimental program the height of the fluidized bed was varied between 0.3 m and 0.9 m with superficial gas velocities in the range of 0.06 m/s to 0.30 m/s.

The comparison of the experimental results with a suitably modified and extended two-phase model yields quantitative relationships which allow to account for the influence of the gas distributor in the design of fluid bed chemical reactors.     

Flow distribution characteristics of a gas–liquid monolith reactor

Flow distribution characteristics in a 0.05 m diameter monolith reactor, operated co-current downward in the Taylor flow regime, was investigated and quantified using gamma ray computed tomography (CT). The results indicate that the flow distribution is a strong function of liquid distributor design, and gas and liquid superficial velocities. Additionally, within the range of gas and liquid superficial velocities investigated, a window of operating condition (gas and liquid velocities) was identified which resulted in a close to uniform phase distribution.     

Effect of gas distributor on hydrodynamics in shallow bubble column reactors

The effects of gas distributor on hydrodynamics in an air–water shallow bubble column reactor are investigated. Three types of distributors, namely, single nozzle, perforated plate and porous plate are being studied. The overall gas holdup, bubble size distributions and bubble rise velocity distributions are studied over a range of superficial gas velocities. The results show that single nozzle is not suitable for shallow bed operation. While perforated plate and porous plate distributors have comparable behaviour in the absence of solids, the addition of solids particles causes the two distributors to behaviour differently. The presence of solids promotes bubble coalescence for perforated plate distributor while the same inhibits bubble coalescence for porous plate distributor.     

Hydrodynamics and reactor performance evaluation of a high flux gas‐solids circulating fluidized bed downer: Experimental study

Reactor performance of a high flux circulating fluidized bed (CFB) downer is studied under superficial gas velocities of 3–7 m/s with solids circulation rate up to 300 kg/m²s using ozone decomposition reaction. Results show that the reactant conversion in the downer is closely related to the hydrodynamics, with solids holdup being the most influential parameter on ozone decomposition. High degree of conversion is achieved at the downer entrance region due to strong gas‐solids interaction as well as higher solids holdup and reactant concentration. Ozone conversion increases with the increase of solids circulation rate and/or the decrease of superficial gas velocity. Overall conversion in the CFB downer is less than but very close to that in an ideal plug flow reactor indicating a good reactor performance in the downer because of the nearly “ideal” hydrodynamics in downer reactors. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 3412–3423, 2014     

Gas holdup in a two-phase vertical tubular reactor at high pressure

Gas holdup in a tubular reactor was measured at pressures from 5 to 14 MPa at 300°C using a differential pressure cell. The effects on gas holdup of gas density, liquid superficial velocity and gas superficial velocity were studied using vacuum tower bottoms from a Venezuelan feedstock with 95.1 wt% +524°C material. Hydrogen was used at superficial gas velocities from 0.7 to 2.0 cm/s. The feed density at 15°C (0.1 MPa), 300°C (5.57 MPa) and 400°C (13.9 MPa) was measured and showed a linear decrease with temperature. Increased gas density at a constant temperature of 300°C increased the gas holdup at all superficial gas velocities. An increase in the liquid flow rate from about 0.04 to 0.1 cm/s did not affect the gas holdup.     

EFFECT OF PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION ON LOCAL VOIDAGE IN A BENCH-SCALE CONICAL FLUIDIZED BED DRYER

ABSTRACT

The effect of particle size distribution (PSD) on local voidage has been investigated in a conical fluidized bed containing dried placebo pharmaceutical granule. For each of the five PSDs examined, the static bed height was varied between 0.12 and 0.17 m and the superficial gas velocity was varied between 0.05 and 0.75 m/s. The local voidage was measured using a twin-plane electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) system. A wide PSD containing 12 wt% solids with a diameter of 2 mm or larger resulted in two different types of gas flow: an annular gas flow up to a gas velocity of 0.50 m/s and a centrally concentrated gas flow above 0.50 m/s. The mixtures containing less coarse material exhibited a centrally concentrated gas flow surrounded by a dense phase at the walls of the bed over the entire range of gas velocities and bed heights examined. Consideration of previous work by other researchers suggests that the behavior of the wide PSD mixture is due to segregation at the lower velocities. The local voidage was sensitive to small changes in static bed height. For the wide PSD mixture at a fixed gas velocity, the gas tended to spread more uniformly over the bed cross-section as static bed height increased. The opposite was true of the other mixtures, i.e., the gas flow became more centralized with increasing bed height.     

INFLUENCE OF THE DISTRIBUTOR PLATE AND OPERATING CONDITIONS ON THE FLUIDIZATION QUALITY OF A GAS FLUIDIZED BED

Experiments were carried out to examine the influence of both the type and the pressure drop of distributor plates on the fluidization quality of an atmospheric fluidized bed. Three different distributor types were used, perforated Perspex, metallic mesh, and porous ceramic, with pressure drops ranging from 0.05 to 350 kPa and superficial air velocities ranging from 0.1 to 2.3 m/s. Three sizes of silica Ballotini beads, 355–425, 600–710, and 850–1000 µm, were used as bed material. The static bed height was set to 300 mm and was divided into six horizontal 50 mm high slices. For each slice, pressure drop values were recorded for U₀/U_mf ratios from 20 to 1. In order to produce a reference for the pressure drop evolution, a modification of the two-phase theory was introduced, taking into consideration the increase in the average global porosity as well as the change in the ratio of flow through the bubbles versus the flow through the dense phase. This allowed assessment of the influence of the different operating conditions and setups on the quality of fluidization, Q?.     

Experimental investigation of gas-liquid distribution in monolith reactors

The present work investigates the influence of gas and liquid flow rates on inlet liquid distribution across monoliths operating in gas-liquid cocurrent downflow mode. Gas and liquid superficial velocities range from 0 to 68 and 1.4 to 8.5 cm/s, respectively. Gas-liquid distribution was studied using a packed bed liquid distributor and a pipe distributor for the aforementioned range of operating conditions. To determine the liquid distribution over the monolith, gravimetric, time-averaged liquid collection method was applied using a customized collector apparatus. Quantification of the distribution is reported using a suitably defined maldistribution factor. For each liquid velocity, gas velocities are varied and corresponding maldistribution factors are calculated. The results are reported in view of the varying operating conditions.     

气固流化床固体浓度分布的冷模研究

在内径0.284 m、高6.0 m的气固流化床冷模装置中进行了气固流化实验,采用PC6 D型颗粒浓度测试仪检测固体浓度. 分别采用枝条型(开孔率a=5‰和2.5‰)和环形(a=5‰)气体分布器,以直径154~180 mm、密度2550 kg/m3的砂子为颗粒,在静床高H0=0.6~1.5 m、表观气速u=0.3~0.6 m/s的情况下,考察了时均固体浓度1-e在空间的分布. 结果表明,增加u使密相区的1-e减小,分布器形状对1-e影响不大. 采用较低a的分布器时1-e的变化较大,且其值均较低. H0=0.6 m, 轴向位置H=0.4 m, u=0.3 m/s, 径向位置r=0~0.142 m时,1-e由0.410上升到0.494;H0=0.6 m, H=0.4~0.95 m, u=0.3 m/s, r=0时,1-e从0.410减小到0;H0=1.5 m, H=0.4~1.3 m, u=0.3 m/s, r=0时,1-e从0.397先下降到0.372,再上升到0.424,最后下降到0.328.     

喷管型气体分布器和颗粒物性对提升管内气固两相流动行为的联合影响

在两套均采用喷管型气体分布器的循环流化床实验装置上分别采用河沙和FCC颗粒系统测试了提升管内的轴向压力梯度分布和局部颗粒浓度,研究了气体分布器结构和颗粒直径及密度对上行气固两相流动行为的共同影响.结果表明,当表观气速小于8.0 m·s-1时,粗重的河沙颗粒在喷管型气体分布器效应逐渐消失的过程中会出现不同程度的减速,而细轻的FCC颗粒在本实验的测试范围内则不存在上述现象.当采用喷管型气体分布器时,粗重的河沙颗粒在加速过程中,不仅其颗粒浓度显著高于FCC,而且其沿径向分布的不均匀程度也明显大于FCC;但在充分发展段,河沙的颗粒浓度不仅比FCC低,而且在径向的分布也更为均匀.     

壁面润湿性对微通道内二氧化碳-水两相流流动及传质性能的影响

在1 mm×1 mm矩形截面下微通道内,以二氧化碳-水为工作流体,研究壁面润湿性和气液表观流速对气-液两相流型和气液传质的影响,并研究了气、液表观流速对弹状流流体力学性质的影响。在亲水微通道中观测到了泡状流、泡状-弹状流、弹状流;在疏水微通道中观测到了非对称弹状流、拉长的非对称弹状流、分层流。实验表明亲水微通道中弹状流区域下气泡长度大体上随气相表观流速的增大而增大,随液相表观流速的增大而减小;液弹长度大体上随气相表观流速的增大而减小,随液相表观流速的增大先增大后减小;液侧体积传质系数k_La均随气、液相表观流速的增大而增大,随通道壁面润湿性的增强而增大。     

Experimental investigation of gas‐liquid flow in monolith channels using monofiber optical probes

Two‐phase hydrodynamics has been experimentally investigated using optical fibre probes in individual channels of a laboratory scale monolith bed. Experimental investigations were carried out to validate the optical probe measurements in a single capillary. Optical probes were positioned at selected single channels of a monolith block, and the signals were processed to assess the local hydrodynamics under cocurrent gas‐liquid downflow configuration, using air and water as fluids. The investigations were performed for three different distributors, viz. single pipe, multipipe, and packed bed distributor configurations. The different distributor configurations were evaluated on the basis of void fraction and bubble frequency for a wide range of flow velocities. The specific novelty aspect of this study comes from the fact that we have undertaken channel scale investigations in monoliths under conditions where we have also reported the global gas‐liquid distribution. Thus, one can readily correlate the bed‐scale hydrodynamics with the local channel‐scale hydrodynamics. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 63: 327–336, 2017     

Segregation by size difference in a conical fluidized bed of pharmaceutical granulate

Axial and radial segregation studies of a dry placebo pharmaceutical granulate exhibiting a continuous, bimodal particle size distribution have been carried out in a bench-scale conical fluidized bed. Experiments were conducted at superficial gas velocities of 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 m/s based on the cone inlet diameter and static bed heights of 0.12 and 0.17 m above the distributor. Axial profiles of the mixing index show that granule greater than 800 μm segregate to the bottom of the bed. Radial segregation data shows that the large granule tends to accumulate at the centre bottom and becomes better mixed as the gas velocity is increased. Static bed height showed no influence on radial or axial segregation in this study. It is theorized that observed segregation patterns are because the local velocities in the dilute central core region of the conical bed are less than the terminal velocities of the largest particles in the particle size distribution.     

同心圈式超重力旋转床液泛模型

同心圈式超重力旋转床是一种新型超重力旋转床。液泛是超重力旋转床流体力学的重要特征。同心圈式超重力旋转床液体分布器和转子内缘之间的环形空间内的液滴被气体夹带,液滴受到离心力和气体曳力的作用,通过建立微分方程可获得液滴径向速度为零时的液滴运动径向距离。当该径向距离小于环形空间的径向距离,此时产生雾沫夹带液泛。由此建立同心圈式超重力旋转床雾沫夹带液泛模型。实验以空气和水为物系,测定了转子直径为1000 mm、高度为100 mm的同心圈式超重力旋转床在不同转速和表观液速下气体进口和出口之间的气相压降随表观气速的变化。气相压降随表观气速的增大先缓慢增大后快速增大。用表观气速对气相压降求导和目测旋转床中心气体出口处出现大量液体被气体夹带来确定液泛点气速。通过液泛点气速求得雾沫夹带液泛模型的系数k,并对该系数k进行关联。该雾沫夹带液泛模型的计算值和实验值吻合很好,平均偏差为3.1%。该模型优于Sherwood液泛模型,对同心圈式超重力旋转床的工业应用提供了必要的设计依据。     

Gas holdup above the bed surface and grid gas jet hydrodynamics for three phase fluidized beds

A three dimensional column was used to study the hydrodynamics of a three phase system: air, water and 3 mm glass beads. Various effects of the grid jets on bed hydrodynamics were investigated for both increasing and decreasing liquid superficial velocities. Three regimes were observed: spouted bed, spouted fluidized bed and three phase fluidized bed. The hydrodynamics of the two phase region above the bed was also studied. The gas holdup increased when the gas superficial velocity was increased but decreased when the liquid superficial velocity was increased. A correlation for the estimation of the gas holdup as a function of gas and liquid superficial velocities was established.     

Solids flow mapping in a high pressure slurry bubble column

Successful design and scale-up of Slurry Bubble Column Reactors (SBCRs) require proper understanding of how operating conditions affect their flow behavior. Presently, there is little information on the flow dynamics of solids (e.g., distribution of velocities and turbulent parameters) in slurry systems that are operated at industrially relevant conditions of high pressure, high superficial gas velocities, and high solids loading.Computer Automated Radio Particle Tracking (CARPT) is widely recognized as one of a few techniques that can be reliably used even in highly turbulent and opaque slurry flows. This work utilizes an improved CARPT technique to investigate the effect of reactor pressure (0.1-1 MPa) and superficial gas velocity (0.08-0.45 m/s) on solids phase velocity and shear stress in a pilot scale 0.16 m diameter stainless steel column using an air-water-glass beads () system. The solids axial velocity and shear stress were found to increase noticeably with pressure and superficial gas velocity in the churn turbulent flow regime.     

Local gas–liquid slip velocity distribution in bubble columns and its relationship with heat transfer

The knowledge of the local gas–liquid slip velocity distribution can offer a better understanding for the complex transport phenomena in bubble columns. In this work, CFD–PBM simulations are carried out to investigate the effect of superficial gas velocities, axial positions, and scale of bubble columns on the time-averaged radial profiles of gas–liquid slip velocities. Furthermore, the relationship between local slip velocities and local heat transfer coefficients in pilot-scale bubble columns at superficial gas velocities of 0.05 m/s, 0.20 m/s, and 0.35 m/s is studied. The results indicate that the slip velocities decrease with the increase of r/R (r-radial position, R-column radius), while increase with increasing superficial gas velocities in general. In the fully developed region, the axial positions have small impact on the local slip velocities. A strong linear relation between heat transfer coefficients and slip velocities in the fully flow developed region is observed.     

Comparative Study of Flow Structure in Circulating Fluidized Bed Risers with FCC and Sand Particles

The combined influences of particle properties and nozzle gas distributor design on the axial and radial flow structure in two 100 mm i.d., 15.1 m and 10.5 m long risers with FCC and sand particles were investigated by measuring the axial pressure gradient profiles, and the axial and radial profiles of solids concentration. The results show that the nozzle gas distributor design has significant effects on the axial and radial flow structure for the FCC and sand particles. At lower superficial gas velocity of less than 8.0 m/s, the upward gas‐solid flow of the sand particles decelerates in various degrees with the disappearing of the nozzle gas distributor effect. The upward gas‐solid flow of the FCC particles, however, occurs without noticeable deceleration within the range of this study. In the acceleration section, the radial distributions of the local solids concentration of the FCC particles are more uniform than those of sand particles under the same operating conditions; while in the fully developed zone, the sand particles have a more uniform radial distribution than the FCC particles. The gas‐solid flow is first developed in the center region, and then extends towards the wall. The overall flow development in the riser mainly depends on the local gas‐solid flow in the wall region.