Particle residence time distributions in circulating fluidised beds

This paper gives experimental measurements of the particle residence time distribution (RTD) made in the riser of a square cross section, cold model, circulating fluidised bed, using the fast response particle RTD technique developed by Harris et al. (Chem. Eng. J. 89 (2002a) 127). This technique depends upon all particles having phosphorescent properties. A small proportion of the particles become tracers when activated by a flash of light at the riser entry; the concentration of these phosphorescent particles can subsequently be detected by a photomultiplier. The influence of the solids circulation rate and superficial gas velocity on the RTD were investigated. The results presented are novel because (i) the experiments were performed in a system with closed boundaries and hence give the true residence time distribution in the riser and (ii) the measurement of the tracer concentration is exceedingly fast. The majority of previous studies have measured the RTD in risers with open boundaries, giving an erroneous measure of the RTD.Analysis of the results suggests that using pressure measurements in a riser to infer the solids inventory leads to erroneous estimates of the mean residence time. In particular, the results cast doubt on the assumption that friction and acceleration effects can be neglected when inferring the axial solids concentration profile from riser pressure measurements.An assessment of particle RTD models is also given. A stochastic particle RTD model was coupled to a riser hydrodynamic model incorporating the four main hydrodynamic regions observed in a fast-fluidised bed riser namely (i) the entrance region, (ii) a transition region, (iii) a core-annulus region and (iv) an exit region. This model successfully predicts the experimental residence time distributions.     

Exit effect on hydrodynamics of the internal circulating fluidized bed riser

This is the first time an extensive investigation has been carried out regarding the effects of riser exit geometry on pressure drop and solid behaviour inside the Internal Circulating Fluidized Bed (ICFB) riser, using different riser exit geometries at several operating conditions.The Radioactive Particle-Tracking (RPT) technique was used for solid concentration measurements and solid residence time distribution at the exit zone. Experiments were conducted using Geldart B particles, in the gas superficial velocity range of 4 to 10 m/s. Axial solid hold-up, solid residence time distribution in the exit zone, and the reflux ratio factor k_m, (defined earlier by [E.H. Van der Meer, R.B. Thorpe, J.F. Davidson, Flow patterns in the square cross-section riser of a circulating fluidized bed and the effect of riser exit design, Chem. Eng. Sc. 55 (19) (2000) 4079-4099]), were the main criteria used to investigate the impact of gas-solid separator devices implemented at the ICFB riser exit.Solid residence time distribution results and axial solid hold-up profiles provided clear evidence that the separator device at the riser exit strongly influences the hydrodynamic structure of the ICFB riser. The V-shaped riser exit geometry was found to be the optimum of all the configurations studied.     

Particle velocities and their residence time distribution in the riser of a CFB

The riser of a Circulating Fluidised Bed (CFB) is the key-component where gas-solid or gas-catalytic reactions occur. Both types of reactions require different conditions of operating velocities (U), solids circulation fluxes (G), overall hydrodynamics and residence times of solids and gas. The solids hydrodynamics and their residence time distribution in the riser are the focal points of this paper. The riser of a CFB can operate in different hydrodynamic regimes, each with a pronounced impact on the solids motion. These regimes are firstly reviewed to define their distinct characteristics as a function of the combined parameters, U and G.Experiments were carried out, using Positron Emission Particle Tracking of single radio-actively labelled tracer particles. Results on the particle velocity are assessed for operation in the different regimes. Design equations are proposed.The particle velocities and overall solids mixing are closely linked. The solid mixing has been previously studied by mostly tracer response techniques, and different approaches have been proposed. None of the previous approaches unambiguously fits the mixing patterns throughout the different operating regimes of the riser. The measured average particle velocity and the velocity distribution offer an alternative approach to determine the solids residence time distribution (RTD) for a given riser geometry. Findings are transformed into design equations.The overall approach is finally illustrated for a riser of known geometry and operating within the different hydrodynamic regimes.     

磷光颗粒示踪技术在循环流态化中的应用

<正> 1 引言 固体颗粒的停留时间分布(Residence Time Distribution简称RTD)在循环流态化研究中十分重要,它对于了解其两相流动特性、反应器的模拟计算和工程设计是必不可少的,对于流态化干燥过程及传热行为的研究也很重要。流化床中RTD的研究已有大量文献报道,发展了诸如染色颗粒、盐颗粒、磁性颗粒、放射性颗粒及热(冷)颗粒等众多的示踪方法,但是由于固体颗粒示踪本身存在着示踪剂的注入、在线检测、残留及示踪颗粒与床体物料一致性、示踪过程对床内流场的干扰等一系列技术上的困难,不但使实验操作繁琐,而且实验结果的可靠性、重复性均不理想,特别是在颗粒运动速度较快的循环流化床中,其颗粒示踪的难度更大。为了解决上述难题,本文参考了Jin Yong等和Yu Zhiqing及M.Kwauk在常规流化床中曾采用的磷光示踪方法,在循环流化床条件下进行了新的探索。     

Axial and lateral dispersion of fine particles in a binary-solid riser

Axial and lateral mixing of fine particles in a binary-solid riser have been investigated using a phosphor tracer method. The measured bimodal residence time distribution (RTD) demonstrated two types of axial dispersions of the fines: the dispersion of discrete particles and that of clusters. A proposed one-dimensional, bimodal dispersion model describes the bimodal RTDs very well. The axial Peclet number of the fines is not sensitive to the fraction of coarse particles, gas velocity and solids circulation rate. Lateral solids dispersion was determined by measuring the solids RTD at different radii using a point source tracer injection. A two-dimensional dispersion model describes the measured RTDs satisfactorily. Lateral solids mixing decreased as coarse particles were added into the riser. Correlations of the axial and lateral Peclet numbers obtained fit the experimental data well.     

Solids mixing in a fluidized bed riser

The solids mixing in a riser with a height of 10 m and 0.186 m inner diameter was investigated by using pneumatic phosphor tracer technique. Considering the shielding effect of the bed material on the light emitted from the phosphor tracer particle, a modified method for the phosphor tracer measurement is proposed. And then the curves of particle residence time distribution were obtained. The experimental results show that the particle diffusion mechanism can be explained by the dispersions of dispersed particles and particle clusters in the axial direction, and as well the core-annulus nonuniform distribution of the solids fraction in the radial direction of the riser. Moreover, based on the experimental results, a two-dimensional dispersion model was established to predict the solids axial and radial diffusion. Furthermore, the effects of superficial gas velocity and solids circulating flux on the axial and radial Peclet number of the particles were discussed; two empirical correlation formulas about the axial and the radial Peclet numbers were given; the calculated values agree well with the experimental results.     

Fluidization behavior in a circulating slugging fluidized bed reactor. Part I: Residence time and residence time distribution of polyethylene solids

Square nosed slugging fluidization behavior in a circulating fluidized bed riser using a polyethylene powder with a very wide particle size distribution was studied. In square nosed slugging fluidization the extent of mixing of particles of different size depends on the riser diameter, gas velocity, hold up and solids flux in the riser. Depending on the operating conditions the particle residence time distribution of a riser in the slugging fluidization regime can vary from that of a plug flow reactor to that of a well-mixed system.Higher gas velocities cause shorter particle residence times because of a significant decrease in the hold-up of particles in the riser at higher gas velocities. A higher solids flux also shortens the average residence time. Both influences have been quantified for a given polyethylene-air system.Residence time and residence time distribution were determined for different particle size and the influence of gas velocity, solids flux, hold up and riser diameter was studied. When comparing data from segregation and residence time experiments it is clear that segregation data can predict the spread in residence time as a function of overall residence time, particle size and gas velocity. The differential velocity between small and large particles found in the segregation experiments can predict the spread in residence time as found in the residence time distribution experiments with a powder with a broad particle size distribution. Raining of particles through the slugs was studied as a function of plug length, gas velocity and pulse length. It was found that raining is not the determining mechanism for segregation of particles.     

流化床粉煤气体热载体快速热解反应器的计算

在冷态模拟实验和煤热解动力学计算的基础上,对粉煤气体热载体快速热解提升管反应器的高度进行了计算。利用高速摄像粒子测速法结合互相关算法研究了不同气体流量和不同颗粒粒径时固体颗粒在热解提升管中的运动速度,通过求解神府煤热解动力学方程,得到了不同粒径神府煤颗粒热解挥发分析出的时间,从而确定了快速热解提升管反应器的高度。研究结果表明:当气体流量在850 m3/h,粉煤的粒径主要集中在0.7—3.0 mm时,提升管的高度应选择在10.0 m。     

提升管出口T型弯头压降特性的实验分析

在大型循环流化床装置上,以FCC催化剂颗粒为实验物料,针对提升管出口T型弯头用动态压力传感器测量了操作参数和结构尺寸变化对其压降的影响,系统地分析了T型弯头的压降特性。实验结果表明T型弯头的压降与颗粒浓度呈线性关系,与入口速度（提升表观气速）呈二次方关系;T型弯头出口管截面积的减小使得压降显著增大;T型弯头盲管高度的增加可使T型弯头的压降降低,但是当盲管高度增加到一定值时,压降减小不明显。盲管高度对压降的影响是由于盲管高度的增加改变了提升管上部压力的分布,使T型弯头入口压力减小,导致T型弯头的压降降低;同时盲管高度的增加也使提升管出口区域的负压约束区长度增加。盲管所形成的负压约束区构成了对提升管出口的约束作用,T型弯头的盲管高度越大负压约束区越长,约束作用越强。     

流动方向对循环流化床中颗粒混合行为的影响

对循环流化床提升管及下行床两种不同气固流动方式对颗粒混合行为的影响进行了较为深入的对比分析，发现在影响循环流化床颗粒混合的众多因素（如操作条件、床层直径、颗粒性质及床层内构件等）中，气固流动方向是影响颗粒轴向混合的最主要因素．当气固流动为顺重力场时（下行床），颗粒的轴向混合很小，流型接近平推流；当气固流动为逆重力场的提升管时，轴向颗粒混合将成倍增大，颗粒流动远离平推流流动．分析表明，下行床中颗粒混合仅为单一的弥散颗粒扩散，而提升管中则存在着两种颗粒混合机制：弥散颗粒扩散及颗粒团扩散．弥散颗粒的扩散基本以平推流的形式通过循环流化床，提升管中大量的颗粒轴向返混归因于颗粒团的严重返混并由此形成了提升管中颗粒停留时间的双峰分布．     

多段分级转化流化床提升管速度场的研究

针对流化床煤气化过程中需要长气固接触时间和高固体浓度,开发了耦合灰熔聚流化床和提升管的多段分级转化流化床。为了研究多段分级转化流化床提升管中局部颗粒速度的径向、轴向分布,在不同的操作条件下,采用PV-6型颗粒速度测量仪在冷态实验装置中系统测定提升管内局部颗粒速度。实验结果表明:提升管中任何径向、轴向位置的颗粒速度随着操作气速的增大而增大,随循环量的增加而减小。操作条件对中心区颗粒速度变化的影响明显高于边壁区。颗粒的加速首先发生在提升管中心区域,然后向边壁区域扩展。颗粒速度径向分布的不均匀性沿轴向逐渐增大,并且受操作气速影响比较大。     

Evaluation of the mixing performance for one novel twin screw kneader with particle tracking

In this article, a novel continuous twin‐screw kneader was proposed. The end‐cross section of the screw rotor consists of convex arcs and cycloidal curves and the rotors profiles were presented. The mixing performance of the novel twin screw kneader was simulated using finite element method (FEM) combined with mesh superimposition technique (MST). Statistical analysis was carried out for flow field using particle tracking technique to research the effect of geometry parameters and working parameters on the mixing performance. To study the dispersive mixing performance, specifically the maximum shear rate, maximum shear stress, maximum mixing index, residence time distribution (RTD) and RTD density function of tracer particles, and dispersive mixing is evaluated using the mixing index in combination with the shear stress. The results show that the changes of centre distance between female and male rotor have little influence on dispersive mixing performance, the lead of rotor has little effect on maximum shear stress and maximum shear rate, while it has an obvious effect on mixing index, cumulative RTD, and RTD density function. The rotor speed has obvious influence on mixing performance, and average residence time of material decreases greatly and the mixing ability is weakened, while the self‐cleaning performance of rotor improved obviously with the increasing of rotor speed. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:2407–2419, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers     

高密度液固循环流化床流动特性研究及数值模拟

在φ80 mm×8000 mm的液固循环流化床提升管中,利用实心玻璃珠和常温水,采用实验和数值模拟相结合的方法对高密度液固循环流化床的流动特性进行了考察。实验发现,高密度液固提升管中,颗粒固含率和颗粒速度径向分布均为抛物线分布,轴向平均固含率分布总体上为下浓上稀的波动形式分布,颗粒在提升管中的流动表现出加速-减速-再加速直至充分发展的过程。这种分布特征与较高颗粒浓度、较高表观液速和颗粒循环速率及喷管式液体分布器的影响有关。液固提升管中固体颗粒的停留时间分布曲线均为尖而窄、较对称且没有明显拖尾的单峰分布,这表明颗粒基本是以弥散颗粒形式存在,颗粒停留时间分布较为均匀。通过将数值模拟结果与实验结果进行比较发现,模拟值与实验值吻合较好,说明所建立的数学模型较为合理,进一步通过数值模拟实验对颗粒密度和颗粒粒径对流动特性的影响规律进行了考察。     

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。     

CFD analysis of hydrodynamic, heat transfer and reaction of three phase riser reactor

Catalytic cracking reaction and vaporization of gas oil droplets have significant effects on the gas solid mixture hydrodynamic and heat transfer phenomena in a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) riser reactor. A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model of the reactor has been developed considering three phase hydrodynamics, cracking reactions, heat and mass transfer as well as evaporation of the feed droplets into a gas solid flow. A hybrid Eulerian-Lagrangian method was applied to numerically simulate the vaporization of gas oil droplets and catalytic reactions in the gas-solid fluidized bed. The distributions of volume fraction of each phase, gas and catalyst velocities, gas and particle temperatures as well as gas oil vapor species were computed assuming six lump kinetic reactions in the gas phase. The developed model is capable of predicting coke formation and its effect on catalyst activity reduction. In this research, the catalyst deactivation coefficient was modeled as a function of catalyst particle residence time, in order to investigate the effects of catalyst deactivation on gas oil and gasoline concentrations along the reactor length. The simulation results showed that droplet vaporization and catalytic cracking reactions drastically impact riser hydrodynamics and heat transfer.     

60米高矩形截面循环流化床内物料分布冷态试验

为研究超高提升管内的气固流动特性,依托四川白马电厂600MW超临界循环流化床锅炉现有钢架,将原有60m高的提升管冷模试验台的上部20m改为矩形截面的循环流化床提升管试验台。本文重点研究了提升管流化风速对上部颗粒浓度的轴向/截面分布特性及其影响因素。试验结果表明：颗粒浓度和颗粒粒径的分布特性与流化风速和几何结构密切相关,在一定初始床料高度下,随着风速的增加,提升管上部的空隙率沿轴向先不变然后减少,并最终呈现倒C形分布;截面浓度从均匀分布逐渐变为近短边壁处的颗粒浓度要明显大于近长边壁处的不均匀分布;平均颗粒粒径则随风速的增加而增大,沿截面分布均匀,但是沿提升管高度方向平均颗粒粒径沿轴向会略微减小,且提升管上部近短边壁的颗粒粒径要稍小于近长边壁的。     

A CFD-DEM study of the cluster behavior in riser and downer reactors

This paper presents a numerical study of the particle cluster behavior in a riser/downer reactor by means of combined computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and discrete element method (DEM), in which the motion of discrete particles is obtained by solving Newton's equations of motion and the flow of continuum gas by the Navier-Stokes equations. It is shown that the existence of particle clusters, unique to the solid flow behavior in such a reactor, can be predicted from this first principle approach. The results demonstrate that there are two types of clusters in a riser and downer: one is in the near wall region where the velocities of particles are low; the other is in the center region where the velocities of particles are high. While the extent of particle aggregation appears to be similar, the duration time for the first type in a downer is shorter than in a riser. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the formation of clusters is affected by a range of variables related to operational conditions, particle properties, and bed properties and geometry. The increase of solid volume fraction, sliding and rolling friction between particles or between particles and wall, or damping coefficient can enhance the formation of clusters. The use of multi-sized particles can also promote the formation of clusters. But the increase of gas velocity or use of a wider bed can suppress the formation of clusters. The van der Waals force may enhance the formation of clusters when solid concentration is high but suppress the formation of clusters near the wall region when solid concentration is low.     

Impact of material property and operating conditions on mass flux profiles of monodisperse and polydisperse Group B particles in a CFB riser

Experiments directed at understanding local mass flux behavior of Geldart Group B materials in the riser of a gas-solids circulating fluidized bed (CFB) have been carried out. Three monodisperse materials (with differences in particle size and/or material density), two binary mixtures (one with only a particle size difference between the species and the other with only a material density difference), and one continuous particle size distribution (PSD) have been investigated at four operating conditions. Results show that the riser axial position has the greatest influence on mass flux behavior, especially near the top of the riser, where profile shapes consistently have an inverted U-shape or V-shape. The material type (i.e., monodisperse materials of different particle sizes and/or particle densities or different types of polydispersity) and operating conditions effects are secondary but more apparent at the riser bottom. An interesting observation involving binary mixtures is that while the mass flux profiles of the density-difference binary mixture mimics that of one of its (monodisperse) constituent components, the size-difference binary mimics neither of its two monodisperse components.     

Solids mixing in the riser of a circulating fluidized bed

Gas/solid and catalytic gas phase reactions in CFBs use different operating conditions, with a strict control of the solids residence time and limited back-mixing only essential in the latter applications. Since conversion proceeds with residence time, this residence time is an essential parameter in reactor modelling. To determine the residence time and its distribution (RTD), previous studies used either stimulus response or single tracer particle studies.The experiments of the present research were conducted at ambient conditions and combine both stimulus response and particle tracking measurements. Positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) continuously tracks individual radioactive tracer particles, thus yielding data on particle movement in “real time”, defining particle velocities and population density plots.Pulse tracer injection measurements of the RTD were performed in a 0.1 m I.D. riser. PEPT experiments were performed in a small ( I.D.) riser, using ¹⁸F-labelled sand and radish seed. The operating conditions varied from 1 to 10 m/s as superficial velocity, and 25- as solids circulation rate.Experimental results were compared with fittings from several models. Although the model evaluation shows that the residence time distribution (RTD) of the experiments shifts from near plug flow to perfect mixing (when the solids circulation rate decreases), none of the models fits the experimental results over the broad (U,G)-range.The particle slip velocity was found to be considerably below the theoretical value in core/annulus flow (due to cluster formation), but to be equal at high values of the solids circulation rate and superficial gas velocity.The transition from mixed to plug flow was further examined. At velocities near U_tr the CFB-regime is either not fully developed and/or mixing occurs even at high solids circulation rates. This indicates the necessity of working at U> approx. ( to have a stable solids circulation, irrespective of the need to operate in either mixed or plug flow mode. At velocities above this limit, plug flow is achieved when the solids circulation rate . Solids back-mixing occurs at lower G and the operating mode can be described by the core/annulus approach. The relative sizes of core and annulus, as well as the downward particle velocity in the annulus (∼U_t) are defined from PEPT measurements.Own and literature data were finally combined in a core/annulus vs. plug flow diagram. These limits of working conditions were developed from experiments at ambient conditions. Since commercial CFB reactors normally operate at a higher temperature and/or pressure, gas properties such as density and viscosity will be different and possibly influence the gas-solid flow and mixing. Further tests at higher temperatures and pressures are needed or scaling laws must be considered. At ambient conditions, reactors requiring pure plug flow must operate at and . If back-mixing is required, as in gas/solid reactors, operation at and is recommended.     

Modeling and simulation of polypropylene particle size distribution in industrial horizontal stirred bed reactors

This work aims at developing a steady-state particle size distribution (PSD) model for predicting the size distribution of polypropylene particles in the outflow streams of propylene gas-phase horizontal stirred bed reactors (HSBR), on the one hand and investigating the effect of the catalyst residence time distribution (RTD) on the polymer PSD, on the other hand. The polymer multilayer model (PMLM) is used to describe the growth of a single particle. Knowing the PSD and RTD of a Ziegler–Natta type of catalyst and polymerization kinetics, this model allows calculating the polymer PSD of propylene polymerization in the HSBRs. The calculated polypropylene PSDs agree well with those obtained from the industrial reactors. The results reveal that both the PSD and the RTD of the catalyst affect the polymer PSD but in different manners. The effect of RTD on the PSD is less significant in the case of a nonuniform size catalyst feed. This model also allows investigating the effects of other process parameters on the polymer PSD under steady-state conditions, including intraparticle mass- and heat-transfer limitations, initial catalyst size, and polymer crystallinity. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012