Local solid mixing in gas–solid fluidized beds

Diffusivity of the solid particles in a 152-mm ID gas–solid fluidized bed was determined at different regimes of fluidization. The gas was air at room temperature and atmospheric pressure and the solids were 385 μm sand or 70 μm FCC particles. The experiments were done at superficial gas velocities from 0.5 to 2.8 m/s for sand and 0.44 to 0.9 m/s for FCC (in both bubbling and turbulent regimes). Movement of a tracer was monitored by radioactive particle tracking (RPT) technique. Once the time-position data became available, local axial and radial diffusivity of solids were calculated from these data. Calculated diffusivities are in the range of 3.3×10⁻³ to 5.6×10⁻² m²/s for axial and 2.6×10⁻⁴ to 1.5×10⁻³ m²/s for radial direction. The results show that the diffusivities, both axial and radial, increase with superficial gas velocity and are linearly correlated to the axial solid velocity gradient. Solid diffusivity in a bed of FCC was found to be higher than that of a bed of sand at the same excess superficial gas velocity.     

流化床-提升管耦合反应器内固含率的轴向分布及流动发展

在耦合流化床反应器大型冷模实验装置上,考察了不同表观气速下FCC颗粒在耦合流化床内截面平均密度的轴向分布. 结果表明,反应器轴向固含率可分为底部流化床区域和上部提升管区域. 前者的密相区平均固含率随表观气速增大而减小;后者的平均固含率随表观气速Ug增大而增大,Ug<0.58 m/s时固含率分布均匀,Ug=0.70~1.04 m/s时提升管出口出现约束返混区(>8.62 m),Ug>1.16 m/s时提升管底部出现密度重整区(3.82~4.57 m)、加速平稳区(4.57~8.62 m)和出口返混区(>8.62 m). 确定了耦合反应器内提升管区域截面平均固含率的影响参数,并利用实验数据回归了平均固含率的轴向分布经验模型,计算值与实验值吻合较好.     

Axial gas dispersion in a fluidized bed of polyethylene particles

Gas mixing behavior was investigated in a residence time distribution experiment in a bubbling fluidized bed of 0.07 m ID and 0.80 m high. Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) particles having a mean diameter of 772 Μm and a particle size range of 200-1,500 Μm were employed as the bed material. The stimulus-response technique with CO₂ as a tracer gas was performed for the RTD study. The effects of gas velocity, aspect ratio (H₀/D) and scale-up on the axial gas dispersion were determined from the unsteady-state dispersion model, and the residence time distributions of gas in the fluidized bed were compared with the ideal reactors. It was found that axial dispersion depends on the gas velocity and aspect ratio of the bed. The dimensionless dispersion coefficient was correlated with Reynolds number and aspect ratio.     

大型快速流化床内颗粒浓度和速度分布的实验研究

采用压力巡检仪和光纤测量仪,对直径300 mm的快速流化床反应器内气固两相流动特性进行了研究,考察了操作条件对快速床轴、径向催化剂颗粒浓度、颗粒速度、筛分分布等的影响. 结果表明,当操作气速提高到2.0~2.6 m/s,相应的催化剂循环强度在60~160 kg/(m2×s),床层密度可保持在50~650 kg/m3;催化剂颗粒浓度在径向上呈中心低、边壁高的不均匀分布,轴向上各径向位置在颗粒加速区逐渐降低、在充分发展区趋于稳定、随表观气速增大或催化剂循环强度减小而减小,且径向均匀性变好,在r/R<0.7的中心区域趋于一致;颗粒速度在径向上呈中心高、边壁低的抛物线形分布,且随操作气速增大或催化剂循环强度增大而更加明显.     

Slug characteristics of polymer particles in a gas-solid fluidized bed

The slug characteristics (frequency, rising velocity and length) have been determined by analyzing pressure fluctuations in a fluidized bed (0.38 m-I.D.x4.4m-high) of linear-low-density-polyethylene (LLDPE) and polypropylene (PP) particles. The slug characteristics of LLDPE and PP particles have been determined as a function of gas velocity (0.6-1.2 m/s) and the axial height (0.65–1.15 m) from the distributor. The rising velocity and vertical length of slug increase with increasing superficial gas velocity and the axial height of the bed. The slug shape of LLDPE particles is found to be the square-nose whereas that of PP particles is the round-nose. The slug frequency and its length have been correlated in terms of the excess fluidizing velocity, column diameter and bed height based on the data from the present and previous studies.     

Using stereo XPTV to determine cylindrical particle distribution and velocity in a binary fluidized bed

Nonspherical particles are commonly found when processing biomass or municipal solid waste. In this study, cylindrical particles are used as generic nonspherical particles and are co-fluidized with small spherical particles. X-ray particle tracking velocimetry is used to track the three-dimensional particle position and velocity of a single tagged cylindrical particle over a long time period in the binary fluidized bed. The effects of superficial gas velocity (u _f), cylindrical particle mass fraction (α), particle sphericity (Φ), and bed material size on the cylindrical tracer particle location and velocity are investigated. Overall, the cylindrical particles are found in the near-wall region more often than in the bed center region. Increasing the superficial gas velocity u _f provide a slight improvement in the uniformity of the vertical and horizontal distributions. Increasing the cylindrical particle mass fraction α causes the bed mixing conditions to transition from complete mixing into partial mixing. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 65: 520–535, 2019     

小型气-液-固流化床液相的停留时间分布

采用脉冲示踪技术,研究了3 mm床径的小型气-液-固流化床内液相停留时间分布。以KCl为示踪剂,液相为去离子水,气相为空气,固相为平均粒径0.123~0.222 mm的玻璃微珠和氧化铝颗粒,测量流化床出口液相的电导率,得到其停留时间分布曲线。结果表明,增大表观液速和表观气速,分布曲线变窄,平均停留时间缩短,Peclet数增大;固相的存在使液相的平均停留时间增长。表观液速1.96~15.70 mm×s^-1,表观气速1.18~1.96 mm×s^-1的条件下,流动接近层流;平均停留时间的范围为（19.6±0.34）s~（48.0±0.92）s,建立的Pe经验关联式对实验结果有较好的预测,偏差在±25%以内。研究结果对于小型三相流化床的设计放大具有指导意义。     

Influence of high density particles in reduction of axial dispersion in liquid fluidized bed with residence time distribution curve studies

iquid phase RTD curves were investigated in classical fixed and fluidized bed regimes with high density particles. The effect of liquid velocity was studied on bed hydrodynamics. Using an impulse tracer injection technique in a column of 5 cm inner diameter and 1.2 m height, liquid RTD, mean residence time (MRT), axial dispersion coefficient (ADC) and vessel dispersion number (N _D ) were determined. ADC increases with liquid superficial velocity. It varied from 4.63 to 20.7 cm²/s for the particle Reynolds number of 43 to 279, respectively. The experimental results show that the hight density particles cause less ADC than the low density particles at an identical Reynolds number.     

流化床-提升管耦合反应器内沥青颗粒的流动特性

针对重油残渣(沥青颗粒)气化制氢工艺,在流化床-提升管耦合反应器大型冷模实验装置上,考察了不同操作条件下沥青颗粒体系在耦合反应器内截面平均密度的轴向分布. 结果表明,对单组分沥青颗粒体系,耦合反应器适宜的操作条件为：提升管表观气速ug,r=0.70~1.76 m/s;与A类颗粒相比,沥青颗粒在耦合反应器内的流动特性呈现不同的特点,整个反应器沿轴向可分为底部流化床密相区、提升管底部低密度区、提升管颗粒密度重整区、提升管加速区、充分发展区和出口约束区6个区域;反应器内截面平均密度随颗粒质量流率增大而增大,随表观气速增大而减小;确定了耦合反应器内提升管区域截面平均固含率的影响参数为ep', Fr及H/Dr,并利用实验数据回归了平均固含率的轴向分布经验模型,其计算值与实验值吻合较好.     

生物质快速热解流化床反应器气力进料特性

为探究不同工况下热解流化床反应器的气力进料特性,设计并搭建了流化床反应器气力进料冷态试验装置。生物质原料和床料分别采用落叶松颗粒和石英砂颗粒,通过试验测得了本装置的最小流化速度,研究了流化气速、喷动气速、流量比、初始静床高、石英砂粒径、落叶松粒径对流化床反应器气力进料特性的影响。试验结果表明：流化气速和喷动气速的增加均会提高进料率;流化气使床料流化并为落叶松颗粒提供进料空间,喷动气为落叶松颗粒提供动能,并平衡一部分床层压力;落叶松与石英砂粒径的增加对进料效果不利;流量比在1.9~2.7范围内进料率高且稳定性好。本文构建了生物质、床料与气体的三相流物理及数学模型,开展试验对模型进行验证,结果表明其预测误差为±13%。     

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.     

Effect of louver baffles on hydrodynamics and gas mixing in a fluidized bed of FCC particles

The effect of louver baffles on the particle concentration profiles, pressure fluctuations, bed expansion, and gas mixing of a fluidized bed was investigated in a transparent 2-D column of cross-section 500×30 mm and height 6 m over a broad range of operating conditions covering both the bubbling and turbulent flow regimes. Visual observations, pressure fluctuations and steady gas tracer experiments showed that louver baffles can break bubbles, as indicted by the lower amplitudes and higher mean frequencies of differential pressure fluctuations, but they were only effective for superficial gas velocities <∼0.7 m/s for the FCC particles considered in this study. The ability of louver baffles to break bubbles reached a maximum near the onset of the turbulent flow regime. A gas cushion of low particle concentration appeared below the louver baffle, and its height increased with increasing superficial gas velocity, indicating increasing suppression of solids backmixing. Internal emulsion circulation was promoted above the louver baffle, causing an uneven distribution of gas flow. The addition of louver baffles reduced the upstream tracer gas concentrations by 80-90%, indicating a significant decrease in the backmixing fluxes of both gas and solids across the baffle layer. The tracer gas concentrations above the louver baffles increased resulting from the promoted emulsion circulation by louver baffles.     

Radial Gas Mixing in a Fluidized Bed with a Multi‐Horizontal Nozzle Distributor using Response Surface Methodology

The gas mixing in the radial direction within a fluidized bed equipped with a multi‐horizontal nozzle distributor was studied using response surface methodology (RSM), which enables the examination of parameters with a moderate number of experiments. All experiments were carried out in a circular fluidized bed of 0.29 m I.D. cold model fluidized bed. The distributor is placed beside twenty‐two horizontal nozzles that are arranged in three concentric circles with all existing discharge directed clockwise. The tracer gas (CO₂) was discharged into the bed as a tracer gas and the analysis was performed with a gas chromatograph. In order to compare the different internal circulations, the tracer gas was discharged in the center area or annular area of the bed. In RSM, the static bed height, superficial velocity and the open area ratio of the distributor are chosen as the research variables, and the standard deviation of the time averaged radial tracer concentration is used as the objection function. A mathematical model for the gas mixing as a function of the operating parameters was empirically proposed. The results show that the standard deviation of time averaged radial tracer concentration is well correlated with the operating and geometry parameters, (U – U_mf)/U_mf, H_s/D and ψ_d, and that the tracer gas injected to the center position has a better dispersion than when injected to the annular position. This model can be used for optimizing the design of fluidized bed reactors at a required performance level.     

摇摆流化床的气固流动特性

采用二维床及D类玻璃珠颗粒,在表观气速U_g=0.267~0.978 m/s、摇摆幅值Θ=5°~15°、摇摆周期T=8~20 s的实验条件下,对摇摆流化床内气固流动过程及气体通过流化床的时均总压降进行了研究,并通过与常规直立床和倾斜床进行对比,分析了床体摇摆对气固流动的影响。结果表明,在平均角速度ω_ave>2(°)/s的条件下,当初始装料量和表观气速相同时,气体通过摇摆流化床的时均总压降低于直立床,高于相同最大倾角时的倾斜床;惯性力所产生的压降在0.15 kPa以下,其对床层压降的影响较小,床体倾斜导致气体向边壁区域聚集是影响摇摆流化床内气固流动特性的主要因素,由此导致床内存在固定床和下行移动床状态的非流化区域,使得处于流化区域的颗粒量减少,同时还降低了流化床层在竖直方向的静压。非流化区域的存在还会造成流化区域的气速高于直立床表观气速,两者表观气速之比为1.04~1.49。     

Influence of ring-type internals on axial pressure distribution in circulating fluidized bed

In order to improve non-uniform radial and axial flow structure of a circulating fluidized bed, the influence of ring-type internals on the axial pressure distribution and gas—solids flow structure in a riser of 7.6 cm in diameter and 3 m in height was investigated experimentally. Four different opening areas, 70%, 80%, 90% and 95%, were used and the superficial gas velocity and solids circulation rate were in the ranges of 5 to 10 m/s and 20 to 233 kg/m²·s, respectively. With the presence of internals, the axial pressure gradient distribution shows the formation of a zigzag type profile instead of the regular exponential or S-shape profile and the bottom acceleration region is shortened. The opening ratio of the rings plays an important role in affecting the flow structure. The optimal opening ratio is tightly related to the operating conditions. In the circulation fluidized bed used in this study, 90% open area was found to be most suitable for obtaining a more uniform gas—solids flow structure.     

Bed-to-wall heat transfer characteristics in a circulating fluidized bed

The bed-to-wall heat transfer coefficients were measured in a circulating fluidized bed of FCC particles (d_p = 65 μm). The effects of gas velocity (1.0–4.0 m/s), solid circulation rate (10–50 kg/m²s) and particle suspension density (15–100 kg/m³) on the bed-to-wall heat transfer coefficient have been determined in a circulating fluidized bed (0.1 m-ID x 5.3 rn-high). The heat transfer coefficient strongly depends on particle suspension density, solid circulation rate, and gas velocity. The axial variation of heat transfer coefficients is a strong function of the axial solid holdup profile in the riser. The obtained heat transfer coefficient in terms of Nusselt number has been correlated with the pertinent dimensionless groups     

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.     

床形结构对气固流化床流化质量和气体返混特性的影响

用实验方法比较了一个二维床和一个大型三维床内FCC颗粒流化床在鼓泡域和湍动域内的流化质量和气体返混特性。实验结果表明,床形对A类颗粒气固流化床具有非常大的影响。二维床和三维床的流动和气固混合行为既具有相似性,如床膨胀随气速的变化趋势;也具有很大的差异性,既包括三维床流化质量差、轴向气体扩散系数大等量上的不同,又包括压力脉动、轴向气体扩散系数的变化趋势以及湾流模式等质上的不同。总之,在本研究中,二维床体现的是一种具有强烈壁效应的小型流化床的特征,而三维床则体现的是静床高度具有很大影响的大型流化床的特征。     

连续进出料鼓泡流化床颗粒停留时间分布

针对双流化床气化或双床热解气化工艺中鼓泡床反应器的设计,采用脉冲法研究了Geldart B类固体颗粒在连续颗粒进料和出料的矩形流化床内的停留时间分布(RTD),考察了气速、床料高度、粒径、物料流率等操作参数对RTD的影响. 结果表明,物料流率、床料高度、粒径是影响颗粒RTD的主要因素,而气速则是次要因素. 随物料流率和粒径增加,鼓泡床内颗粒流动向平推流靠近;随床料高度增加,物料在床内的混合更加充分,颗粒流动向全混流靠近. 根据实验结果,推荐采用比理想平推流时间低9%~18%计算平均颗粒停留时间.     

Axial pressure profile in circulating fluidized beds

Design and operation of a circulating fluidized bed requires the knowledge of fluid mechanics. According to heat and mass transfer as well as chemical reactions, the effect of the set superficial gas velocity on the axial pressure profile is of particular interest. The axial pressure profile was measured for a variety of solids, as a function of the superficial gas velocity, in a cylindrical circulating fluidized bed with an inner diameter of 0.19 m and an overall height of 11.5 m. Depending on the solids content and superficial gas velocity, two or one sections can be observed in the plant where the pressure gradient is constant. A pressure profile with one pressure gradient exists only at high gas velocities, so long as the acceleration pressure drop immediately above the gas distributor is negligible. Comparison of measured pressure drops in circulating fluidized beds with those measured in vertical pneumatic conveying led to a state diagram for vertical gas-solid flows. The operation behaviour of different types of circulating fluidized bed plants can be explained with the aid of this diagram.