Numerical simulations of airflow and droplet transport in a wave-plate mist eliminator

In this paper, the droplet transport and deposition in the turbulent airflow inside a wave-plate mist eliminator was studied using an Eulerian–Lagrangian computational method. The Reynolds Stress Transport Model (RSTM) with standard wall functions and with enhanced wall treatment was used for simulating the airflow field. A computer code for solving the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations in conjunction with the RSTM on two-dimensional collocated unstructured meshes was developed. For droplet trajectory analysis, another computer code was developed that accounts for the drag and lift forces action on the droplets. The Eddy Interaction Model (EIM) was used to model the droplet dispersion in turbulent airflow. The gas flow code was validated by comparing the computational model results for a fully developed asymmetric channel turbulent flow with the experimental data. Then the airflow and droplet trajectory analysis were performed for a mist eliminator with smooth walls and the resultant removal efficiency curves were evaluated and compared with the available experimental data. The results showed that the enhanced wall treatment improved the predictions of the droplet removal efficiency especially for small droplets in which the removal efficiency was lower than 50%. On the other hand, the Reynolds Stress Transport Model (RSTM) with standard wall functions cannot predict the removal efficiency correctly, especially for low gas velocities.     

Optimal design of drainage channel geometry parameters in vane demister liquid–gas separators

Vane liquid–gas demisters are widely used as one of the most efficient separators. To achieve higher liquid disposal and to avoid flooding, vanes are enhanced with drainage channels. In this research, the effects of drainage channel geometry parameters on the droplet removal efficiency have been investigated applying CFD techniques. The observed parameters are channel angle, channel height and channel length. The gas phase flow field was determined by the Eulerian method and the droplet flow field and trajectories were computed applying the Lagrangian method. The turbulent dispersion of the droplets was modeled using the discrete random walk (DRW) approach. The CFD simulation results indicate that by applying DRW model, the droplet separation efficiency predictions for small droplets are closer to the corresponding experimental data. The CFD simulation results showed that in the vane, enhanced with drainage channels, fewer low velocity sectors were observed in the gas flow field due to more turbulence. Consequently, the droplets had a higher chance of hitting the vane walls leading to higher separation efficiency. On the other hand, the parameters affect the liquid droplet trajectory leading to the changes in separation efficiency and hydrodynamic characteristic of the vane. To attain the overall optimum geometry of the drainage channel, all three geometry parameters were simultaneously studied employing 27 CFD simulation cases. To interpolate the overall optimal geometry a surface methodology method was used to fit the achieved CFD simulation data and finally a polynomial equation was proposed.     

Numerical simulations of gas-liquid mass transfer in bubble columns with a CFD-PBM coupled model

Gas-liquid mass transfer in a bubble column in both the homogeneous and heterogeneous flow regimes was studied by numerical simulations with a CFD-PBM (computation fluid dynamics-population balance model) coupled model and a gas-liquid mass transfer model. In the CFD-PBM coupled model, the gas-liquid interfacial area a is calculated from the gas holdup and bubble size distribution. In this work, multiple mechanisms for bubble coalescence, including coalescence due to turbulent eddies, different bubble rise velocities and bubble wake entrainment, and for bubble breakup due to eddy collision and instability of large bubbles were considered. Previous studies show that these considerations are crucial for proper predictions of both the homogenous and the heterogeneous flow regimes. Many parameters may affect the mass transfer coefficient, including the bubble size distribution, bubble slip velocity, turbulent energy dissipation rate and bubble coalescence and breakup. These complex factors were quantitatively counted in the CFD-PBM coupled model. For the mass transfer coefficient k_l, two typical models were compared, namely the eddy cell model in which k_l depends on the turbulent energy dissipation rate, and the slip penetration model in which k_l depends on the bubble size and bubble slip velocity. Reasonable predictions of k_la were obtained with both models in a wide range of superficial gas velocity, with only a slight modification of the model constants. The simulation results show that CFD-PBM coupled model is an efficient method for predicting the hydrodynamics, bubble size distribution, interfacial area and gas-liquid mass transfer rate in a bubble column.     

Numerical modeling of gas-particle flow using a comprehensive kinetic theory with turbulence modulation

In most fluidized beds, both solids flux and gas phase Reynolds number are high and the flow are usually turbulent. It is therefore necessary to consider both the effects of particle-particle collisions and particle phase turbulence in any mathematical model for simulating gas-particle flows. A comprehensive model is developed in the present work in which a two-equation (k-?) turbulence model is used for calculating the gas phase. In addition, a transport equation of particle phase turbulent kinetic energy is proposed and used for modeling the particle phase turbulence (k_p model). Similar to that of the single gas phase, effective viscosity of the particle phase is the sum of the laminar viscosity caused by particle-particle collisions described by kinetic theory and the turbulent viscosity caused by collections of particles described by the k_p model. The proposed model is used to predict gas-particle flows in a vertical pipe. Results obtained using this model compare well with experimental data.     

A One-Dimensional Model for Particulate Deposition and Hydrocarbon Condensation in Exhaust Gas Recirculation Coolers

Cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is widely used in diesel engines to control engine out NO_x (oxides of nitrogen) emissions. A portion of the exhaust gases is recirculated into the intake manifold of the engine after cooling it through a heat exchanger. EGR cooler heat exchangers, however, tend to lose efficiency and have increased pressure drop as deposit forms on the heat exchanger surface. This adversely affects the combustion process, engine durability, and emissions. In this study, a 1-D model was developed to simulate soot deposition, soot removal, and condensation of several hydrocarbon (HC) species in a circular tube with turbulent gas flow at constant wall temperature. The circular tube, which makes up the computational domain in the model, represents a single channel from any EGR cooler geometry. The model takes into account soot particle deposition due to thermophoresis, diffusion, turbulent impaction, and gravitational drift. However, thermophoresis was found to be the most dominant deposition mechanism for boundary conditions at which EGR coolers typically operate. Soot removal was modeled by considering a force balance between the drag and van der Waals forces. A lognormal distribution of particles was assumed at the tube inlet. The evolution of the particle distribution in the bulk flow along the tube as well as the mass distribution in the deposit layer on the tube walls is predicted by the model. Condensation of six HC species between C₁₅-C₂₄ alkanes was also modeled. Predictions made by the model are in reasonably good agreement with experimental data obtained from a laboratory reactor under the same boundary conditions. There are several assumptions and simplifications built into the model, which can be refined further to improve it.

Copyright 2012 American Association for Aerosol Research     

The influence of an anisotropic Langevin dispersion model on the prediction of micro- and nanoparticle deposition in wall-bounded turbulent flows

This paper deals with the issues of stochastic dispersion models and associated best practice responses for the investigation of micro- and nanoparticle deposition in turbulent flows. For such applications, Reynolds averaged turbulence models are widely used in combination with particle Lagrangian tracking, due to their relative simplicity and computational efficiency. Such approaches imply to generate the instantaneous velocity of the fluid at particle location to reproduce the effect of turbulence on particle transport. The default dispersion model used in most CFD codes is an eddy lifetime model, which frequently overestimates the deposition rates. In this work, a simple method is proposed to implement a three-dimensional stochastic dispersion model based on the Langevin equation in the Fluent^® commercial code. Comparisons are provided between this model, complemented by the simulation of Brownian effects, and available numerical data obtained using either an eddy lifetime model or a simple Langevin model. Computations are carried out in horizontal and vertical channel flows and in circular pipe flows as well. The use of the proposed anisotropic Langevin model is shown to improve the accuracy of deposition prediction in the whole range of particle inertia.     

Gas−liquid multiphase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) of amine absorption column with structured-packing for CO2 capture

The gas−liquid multiphase Eulerian computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was used to investigate hydrodynamics and CO₂ removal efficiency of a pilot-scale amine absorber with structured-packing. The structured-packing was represented by a porous media zone having porous resistance, gas−liquid interfacial drag force, and liquid dispersion force. This study aimed to find a reasonable way to identify four modification factors of the Ergun coefficient that determine the hydrodynamic characteristics of structured-packing. The two modification factors (a and b) for porous resistance were mainly related to the liquid holdup (h_L) with respect to the liquid load. The other two factors (c and d) for gas−liquid interfacial drag force depended on the specific wet pressure drop (ΔP_wet/L) versus the gas load factor. The h_L and ΔP_wet/L increased in parallel with the increase of a and c, respectively, while the slopes of h_L and ΔP_wet/L increased with b and d, respectively.     

Development of a residence time distribution method for proton exchange membrane fuel cell evaluation

New in situ and minimally invasive methods are needed to quantify the presence of liquid water and ice within operating proton exchange membrane fuel cells. A volume sensitive residence time distribution technique was developed based on CO₂ tracer and infrared detection. The method, components and operation are detailed (tracer injection and detection, data scaling, calibration, and pressure correction). The measurement system was characterized by an electronic signal processing response time of 43 ms, accuracy and repeatability better than 0.5-5% error in transit time measurement and sufficient sensitivity to detect less than 10% changes in flow field channel and gas diffusion electrode void volumes. Results obtained with a simplified model fuel cell (single flow field channel, absence and presence of a gas diffusion layer) revealed the presence of two time resolved mechanistic steps for negative tracer step cases (convective tracer removal from flow field channel, diffusive tracer removal from gas diffusion layer). A one-dimensional model was derived using convective diffusion in flow field channels and cross-flow tracer exchange proportional to the concentration difference between flow field channel and gas diffusion electrode. Numerical computations showed good agreement with the model fuel cell experimental results.     

Predicting precipitate particle breakage in a pipeline: Effect of agitation intensity during precipitate formation

This paper describes the breakage behaviour of whey protein aggregates formed under different agitation intensities when flowing turbulently through a pipe. The experimental results show that particles formed at lower agitation intensity remain larger along the pipeline even after long exposure time to turbulent conditions than those particles formed at higher agitation rates. This suggests that the agitation rate during the formative stages of precipitates has important effect on the size and perhaps on the structure of aggregates which in turn determine their flow behaviour under turbulent conditions. It is postulated that larger aggregate cores were formed at low agitation which were hardly broken during precipitate transportation.A predictive model that relates particle breakage with the local dissipation rate (ε_i) in the pipe, the maximum or threshold dissipation rate (ε_th) that a particle with a given size can withstand before any disruption occurs and the residence time of the particle in the pipeline (t) was used to model the break-up of the precipitates. The profile of the turbulent eddy dissipation rate (ε_i) along the experimental flow geometry was described using the results of CFD simulations which in turn were run using the standard κ-ε turbulent model. The breakage model was improved by introducing a new term which accounts for the restructuring process during the aggregate formation stage. The predicted results agree well with the experimental data allowing one to conclude that the particle size reduction was well coupled with the variation of ε along the turbulent flow path.     

Oxygen transfer in viscous non-Newtonian liquids having yield stress in bubble columns

The oxygen transfer and hydrodynamics in viscous media having a yield stress in bubble columns operated under the slug flow regime were investigated to design an optimum bubble column fermentor for culture media having a yield stress.The gas holdup of escapable bubbles was well estimated by the equation of Nicklin et al. (Trans. Inst. Chem. Eng. 40 (1962) 61), which was modified for the viscous liquid having a yield stress by Terasaka and Tsuge (Chem. Eng. Sci. 58 (2003) 513). The volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient k_La increased with increasing superficial gas velocity and decreasing column diameter under the present conditions. To predict k_La in the non-Newtonian liquids having a yield stress under the operation in slug flow regime, the proposed correlation equation estimated relatively well the experimental k_La.To increase oxygen transfer rate, two types of novel bubble columns were compared with the standard bubble column. The partitioned bubble column presented the better performance than those of the other ones.     

Experimental and computational fluid dynamic study of reacting gas jet in liquid: Flow pattern and heat transfer

The flow behavior of a jet reactor (consisting of a gaseous jet submerged in a molten-metal bath) is very complex. These are operated at high temperatures (1500–3000 K) and need to be contained within a heavy metal enclosure. The design of such reactors requires a prior knowledge of the jet dimensions, flow pattern and heat transfer characteristics. However, the fuel opaqueness and the high temperature of the jet create difficulties in observing the reaction mass visually and therefore the literature contains a very brief account of the experimental measurements of the flow pattern. Hence, a systematic study has been undertaken with a reaction pair (HCl gas jet submerged in aqueous NH₃), which has the potential for simulating the real systems. The present work is concerned with the CFD simulations by employing k–ε turbulence model and large eddy simulations (LES). The measurements and simulations have been carried out over a wide range of gas velocities (53–323 m/s) and these have been compared with the CFD simulations. A comprehensive comparison has also been made between the k–ε and the LES for the mean flow, temperature and the turbulent kinetic energy. An attempt has been made to understand the relative performance of these models. Further, complete energy balance has been established between the energy supply rate through the jet and the energy dissipation rate within the reactor. The plume characteristics obtained from CFD simulations have been compared qualitatively with the photographic images.     

Simultaneous removal of gaseous pollutants with a novel swirl wet scrubber

In recent years, researchers have put a considerable effort to decrease the emission of harmful gaseous pollutants to the atmosphere. Although conventional wet scrubbers are being widely used to remove harmful gases, they have low removal efficiencies. This study reports the effect of some operating conditions on simultaneous removal of NO, NO₂, SO₂, and CO₂, using a novel swirl wet scrubber system. The gaseous pollutants were absorbed into NaOH solution. As the absorbent media was circulated continuously for removal purpose, therefore the production of chemical wastes were minimized. The effect of absorbent concentration, gas flow rate, and liquid flow rate were investigated. The best efficiencies of NO, NO₂, SO₂, and CO₂ simultaneous removal were 77, 88, 100 and 80%, respectively, with 2%, w/v NaOH as the scrubber medium. A comparison between this study and literature data shows that the liquid-gas flow rate ratio (F_L/F_G) in the novel scrubber of this work is much smaller than other gaseous pollutant removal systems. Therefore higher removal efficiency is obtained based on the same liquid flow rates.     

Removal of H2S using a new Ce(IV) redox mediator by a mediated electrochemical oxidation process

BACKGROUND: Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) from industrial activities and anaerobic manure decomposition in commercial livestock animal operations is an offensive malodorous and toxic gas even in small concentrations, causing serious discomfort and health and social problems. The objective of this study was to employ for the first time a novel, attractive, low cost, environmentally benign mediated electrochemical oxidation (MEO) process with Ce(IV) as the redox catalyst for H₂S gas removal from an H₂S–air feed mixture. RESULTS: The influence of liquid flow rate (Q_L) from 2–4 L min^?1, gas flow rate (Q_G) from 30–70 L min^?1, H₂S concentration in the H₂S–air feed mixture from 5–15 ppm, and Ce(III) pre‐mediator concentration in the electrochemical cell from 0.1–1 mol L^?1 on H₂S removal efficiency were investigated. Both liquid and gas flow rates influenced the removal efficiencies, but in opposite directions. Nearly 98% H₂S removal was achieved when the concentration of Ce(IV) mediator ion in the flowing scrubbing liquid reached 0.08 mol L^?1. CONCLUSIONS: The new MEO method proved promising for H₂S removal, achieving high removal efficiency. Integration of the electrochemical cell with the scrubber set‐up ensured continuous regeneration of the mediator and its repeated reuse for H₂S removal, avoiding use of additional chemicals. Since the process works at room temperature and atmospheric pressure utilizing conventional transition metal oxide electrodes more commonly used in industrial applications, it is also safe and economical. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Evaluation of a rotating packed bed equipped with blade packings for methanol and 1-butanol removal

Absorption removal of methanol and 1-butanol from gaseous streams with water was investigated in the RPB equipped with blade packings. The removal efficiency (E) of methanol and 1-butanol was found to increase with the RPB speed and the liquid flow rate but decrease with the gas flow rate. Also, the overall volumetric gas-side mass transfer coefficient (K_Ga) for methanol and 1-butanol absorption was observed to increase with the RPB speed, the gas flow rate, and the liquid flow rate. According to the obtained dependence of K_Ga on the gas and liquid flow rates, the mass transfer in methanol and 1-butanol absorption was observed to be controlled primarily by the gas-side mass transfer. Furthermore, the height of a transfer unit (HTU) for methanol and 1-butanol absorption decreased with the RPB speed and the liquid flow rate but increased with the gas flow rate. The obtained results demonstrated that mass transfer efficiency of the RPB equipped with blade packing was comparable to that of a hollow fiber absorber. Consequently, the RPB equipped with blade packings has a great potential in the removal of alkanols from the exhausted gases.     

Dynamics and oxygen transfer of a novel vertical tubular biological reactor for wastewater treatment

Dynamics and oxygen transfer of a novel vertical tubular biological reactor (VTBR) for wastewater treatment were investigated in this paper. It was showed that the dissolved oxygen concentration (DO) in VTBR is higher than that in the conventional bubble column. When the ratio of gas and liquid flow rates was greater than 6.44, there were no phenomena of deficiency oxygen in all reactors. The volume oxygen transfer coefficient (k_La) was between 0.005 and 0.025 1/s. The multi-stage series CSTR and PFR model were developed to describe the dynamics of VTBR. It was revealed that the PFR model was proper to describe the dynamics of VTBR of which maximum error was only 25%. The industrial effluents from Dalian Bangchui Island Beer Company were utilized to verify the two models. It was suggested that when the ratio of gas–liquid was greater than 6.44, the removal efficiency of COD could be obtained more than 80%.     

CFD simulations of bubble column reactors: 1D, 2D and 3D approach

CFD simulations have been carried out for the predictions of flow pattern in bubble column reactors using 1D, 2D and 3D k-ε models. An attempt has been made to develop a complete correspondence between the operation of a real column and the simulation. Attention has been focused on the cylindrical bubble columns because of their widespread applications in the industry. All the models showed good agreement with the experimental data for axial liquid velocity and the fractional gas hold-up profiles. However, as regards to eddy diffusivity, only the 3D model predictions agree closely with the experimental data.The CFD model has been extended for the estimation of an axial dispersion coefficient (D_L) using 1D, 2D and 3D models. Excellent agreement was found only between the experimental values and the 3D predictions. The 1D and 2D simulations, however, yielded D_L values, which were lower by 25-50%. For this, a mechanistic explanation has been provided.     

Pilot plant study of post-combustion carbon dioxide capture by reactive absorption: Methodology, comparison of different structured packings, and comprehensive results for monoethanolamine

Post-combustion carbon capture (PCC) from fossil fuel power plants by reactive absorption can substantially contribute to reduce emissions of the greenhouse gas CO₂. To test new solvents for this purpose small pilot plants are used. The present paper describes results of comprehensive studies of the standard PCC solvent MEA (0.3 g/g monoethanolamine in water) in a pilot plant in which the closed cycle of absorption/desorption process is continuously operated (column diameters: 0.125 m, absorber/desorber packing height: 4.25/2.55 m, packing type: Sulzer BX 500, flue gas flow: 30-110 kg/h, CO₂ partial pressure: 35-135 mbar). The data establish a base line for comparisons with new solvents tested in the pilot plant and can be used for a validation of models of the PCC process with MEA. The ratio of the solvent to the flue gas mass flow is systematically varied at constant CO₂ removal rate, and CO₂ partial pressure in the flue gas. Optimal operating points are determined. In the present study the structured packing Sulzer BX 500 is used. The experiments with the removal rate variation are carried out so that the results can directly be compared to those from a previous study in the same plant that was carried out using Sulzer Mellapak 250.Y. A strategy for identifying the influence of absorption kinetics on the results is proposed, which is based on a variation of the gas load at a constant L/G ratio and provides valuable insight on the transferability of pilot plant results.     

Numerical simulation of mass transport in a filter press type electrochemical reactor FM01-LC: Comparison of predicted and experimental mass transfer coefficient

This paper studies flow characteristics and their effect on local mass transfer rate to a flat plate electrode in a FM01-LC electrochemical reactor. 3D reactor simulations under limiting current and turbulent flow conditions were performed using potassium ferro-ferricyanide electrochemical system with sodium sulfate as supporting electrolyte. The model consists of mass-transport equations coupled to hydrodynamic solution obtained from Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations using standard k–? turbulence model, where the average velocity field, the turbulence level given by the eddy kinetic energy and the turbulent viscosity of the hydrodynamic calculation were used to evaluate the convection, turbulent diffusion and the concentration wall function. The turbulent mass diffusivity was evaluated by Kays–Crawford equation using heat and mass transfer analogies, while wall functions, for mass transport, were adapted from Launder–Spalding equations. Simulation results describe main flow properties, concentration profiles throughout the entire volume of the reactor and local diffusion flux over the electrode. Overall mass transfer coefficients estimated by simulation, without fitting parameters, agree closely with experimental coefficients determined from limiting current measurements (1.85% average error) for Re between 187 and 1407.     

CFD simulation of flow pattern and plume dimensions in submerged condensation and reactive gas jets into a liquid bath

Submerged gas jets into a liquid bath are widely used in metal processing and thermal processes. These systems are classified as (a) condensation jet and (b) reaction jet systems. This paper presents the CFD simulation of both the types of jets. The CFD model considers phase change, gas-liquid and gas-gas reactions and the accompanied rates of mass transfer. Mass transfer coefficient was estimated using small eddy model where the value of mass transfer coefficient is calculated based on the local values of turbulent kinetic energy (k) and the dissipation rate (ε). A good agreement with the available experimental data of plume length validates the CFD model. The CFD simulations have also been compared with the available experimental data on velocity and temperature profiles which shows excellent agreement. A comparison between the condensation and the reaction jets has been presented in terms of plume dimensions, flow and temperature patterns. The relative predictions of the present model and the rational correlations have been presented for the estimation of plume length for both the types of jet systems.