Modelling fast pyrolysis of biomass in a fluidized bed reactor

A compartmental one-dimensional model of a fluidized bed pyrolytic converter of biomass is presented. Reference conditions are those of non-catalytic fast pyrolysis of biomass in a shallow fluidized bed with external regeneration of the bed material. The fate of biomass and of the resulting char has been modelled by considering elutriation of biomass and char particles, char attrition as well as bed drain/regeneration. The course of primary and secondary pyrolitic reactions is modelled according to a semi-lumped reaction network using well-established kinetic parameters taken from the literature. A specific focus of the present study is the role of the heterogeneous volatile–char secondary reactions, whose rate has been modelled by borrowing a kinetic expression from the neighbouring area of tar adsorption/decomposition over char. The results of computations highlight the relevance of heterogeneous volatile–char secondary reactions and of the closely associated control of char loading in the bed. The sensitivity of the reactor performance to char elutriation and attrition, to proper management of bed drain/regeneration, and to control of gas phase backmixing is demonstrated. Model results provide useful guidelines for optimal design and control of fluidized bed pyrolyzers and pinpoint future research priorities.     

Modeling of biomass devolatilization in a fluidized bed reactor

A simple model that simulates a single biomass particle devolatilization is described. The model takes into account the main physical and chemical factors influencing the phenomenon at high temperatures (>700 K), where the production of gaseous components far outweighs that of liquids. The predictions of the model are shown to be in good agreement with published data. The model is then applied to the devolatilization of biomass in a fluidized bed, in which attention is focused on heat transfer, particle mixing and elutriation, and gas production. Predictions on the overall devolatilization time for a biomass particle are compared with experimental results obtained in a fluidized bed reactor in which the process was monitored by continuous measurement of the bed pressure. Good correspondence of predicted with calculated values was obtained, supporting the validity of the many approximations made in the derivation of the governing relationships for the pyrolysis process.     

The influence of fast pyrolysis condition on biocrude-oil yield and homogeneity

The characteristics of biocrude-oil yield and quality have been investigated by changing fast pyrolysis condition for woody biomass. For the fast pyrolysis of woody biomass, a bubbling fluidized bed reactor having cylindrical shape was devised and a commonly used spiral quenching system was applied to the condensation of volatile gases from the reactor. Biomass feeding rate, nitrogen flow rate, pyrolysis temperature and particle size of woody biomass were changed to study the characteristics of volatile generation, its condensation and the homogeneity of the condensed biocrude-oil. In particular, the microscopic visualization of the collected biocrude-oil and its evaluation method by image processing technique were made for quantifying the homogeneity of the oil. From the results, the effects of heating and fluidization condition on the biocrude-oil yield and the homogeneity were fully scrutinized in a bubbling fluidized bed reactor. Also, the physical and chemical characteristics of the collected biocrude-oil were determined through various analysis techniques.     

生物质快速热解装置研究进展

当今化石能源日渐枯竭和环境压力日益加重是亟待解决的问题,而生物质热解液化技术被认为是解决能源紧张的潜在方法,尤其是生物质快速热解技术。随着生物质快速热解技术与工艺不断成熟,需要快速热解装置不断放大以提高处理量,以实现生物质快速热解的工业化。生物质快速热解装置复杂且多样化,在装置的放大过程中,各系统的合理选择是难点。本文首先对生物质热解机理、快速热解过程的粒径选择和前处理进行了简述,并对快速热解流程中的进料系统、供能系统、热解反应器和快速冷凝系统4个关键系统进行了综述,着重介绍了快速热解反应器的类型及其特点,提供了该4个关键系统的选择及研究趋势。流化床反应器具有易放大、可以较好地实现自热式快速热解的优点,本文总结出流化床式反应器是目前研究的热点。在保证产品品质下,设备易放大、稳定实现自热式、流程能耗低、运行稳定安全等是快速热解装置未来的研究方向。     

生物质流化床快速裂解模型

研究了流化床内的生物质快速裂解模型,其特点是考虑了原料粒子在下部密相区和上部稀相区的不同反应历程.模型的计算结果表明,原料粒子和产物气体在反应器内的停留时间有较大的区别,其变化情况对裂解产物的分布有很大影响.由该模型得到的计算结果能和实验值很好吻合,表明它能较好地描述流化床反应器内生物质快速裂解的反应过程.结合计算数据对影响裂解结果的一些因素进行了分析.     

挥发分-半焦交互反应对生物质热解半焦特性的影响

挥发分-半焦交互作用是生物质热化学利用过程普遍存在的现象。为了解析交互反应对生物质热解半焦特性的影响,利用一阶固定床/流化床反应器及快速热裂解仪进行实验。针对挥发分-半焦交互反应,对碱金属和碱土金属（AAEM）元素的析出特性展开了研究,同时分析了交互反应对生物质热解半焦反应活性的影响。结果表明在700~900℃范围内,交互反应的存在使得热解成焦率较无交互反应下有所提高。热解过程中交互反应导致了单价K元素析出量增加,对二价Ca/Mg元素的析出影响较小。挥发分-半焦交互反应的存在使得半焦反应活性对温度的敏感度降低,随温度的升高其反应速率的下降幅度变缓。     

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。     

国外生物质快速热解反应器现状

介绍了国外快速热解反应器如流化床、引流床、烧蚀反应器、旋转锥和真空移动床等的现状。评述了生物质快速热解的商业化状况。     

Hydrodynamics of a Novel Biomass Autothermal Fast Pyrolysis Reactor: Flow Pattern and Pressure Drop

A novel biomass, autothermal, fast pyrolysis reactor with a draft tube and an internal dipleg dividing the reactor into two interconnected beds is proposed. This internally interconnected fluidized beds (IIFB) reactor is designed to produce high‐quality bio‐oil using catalysts. Meanwhile, the pyrolysis by‐products, i.e., char, coke and non‐condensable gases, are expected to burn in the combustion bed to provide the heat for the pyrolysis. On the other hand, the catalysts can be regenerated simultaneously. In this study, experiments on the hydrodynamics of a cold model IIFB reactor are reported. Geldart group B and D sand particles were used as the bed materials. The effects of spouting and fluidizing gas velocities, particle size, static bed height and the total pressure loss coefficient of the pyrolysis bed exit, on the flow patterns and pressure drops of the two interconnected beds are studied. Six distinct flow patterns, i.e., fixed bed (F), periodic spouted/bubbling bed (PS/B), spouted bed with aeration (SA), spout‐fluidized bed (SF), spout‐fluidized bed with slugging (SFS) and spouted bed with backward jet (SBJ) are identified. The investigations on the pressure drops of the two beds show that both of them are seen to increase at first (mainly in the F flow pattern), then to decrease (mainly in the PS/B and SA flow patterns) and finally to increase again (mainly in the SA and SF flow patterns), with the increase of the spouting gas velocity. It is observed that a larger particle size and lower static bed height lead to lower pressure drops of the two beds.     

Coarse grained computational fluid dynamic simulation of sands and biomass fluidization with a hybrid drag

The bubbling fluidized bed reactor is widely used in fast pyrolysis of biomass. Discrete simulation of this reactor is challenging due to many sand particles and lack of accurate drag corrections accounting for the interaction of two different solid particles with different properties. In this research, the computational cost is reduced by using the coarse-grained computational fluid dynamic-discrete element method, where many sand particles are lumped into a larger numerical parcel. The Syamlal–O'Brien drag model is used for sand, while Ganser correction coupled with Gidaspow model is used for the nonspherical biomass particles. This hybrid approach shows superior behavior over other drag models using pressure drops as a benchmark. The predicted bed height and pressure fluctuating frequencies compare well with experiment. The mixing of biomass is close to perfect if the superficial velocity is larger than four times the minimum fluidization velocity.     

Investigations on heat transfer and hydrodynamics under pyrolysis conditions of a pilot-plant draft tube conical spouted bed reactor

This paper describes the hydrodynamic and heat transfer performance of a pilot-plant scale conical spouted bed reactor designed for the pyrolysis of biomass wastes. The spouted bed reactor is the core of a fast pyrolysis pilot plant with continuous biomass feed of up to 25 kg/h, located at the Ikerlan-IK4 facilities.The aim of this paper is to obtain a deeper understanding of the spouted bed reactor performance at pyrolysis temperatures, in order to operate under stable conditions, improve the heat transfer rate in the reactor and minimize energy requirements. The influence of temperature on conical spouted bed hydrodynamics has been studied and wall-to-bed and bed-to-surface heat transfer coefficients have been determined.     

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%。     

微型流化床反应动力学分析仪的研制与应用

本文首次研发了一种用于测定气固反应速度、求算反应动力学参数的微型流化床反应分析仪器（MFBK）。该仪器利用流化床强化反应过程的热量与质量传递过程,通过气体脉冲输送在给定温度下瞬时进样,根据在线监测的气体组分浓度变化,测试反应速度、推导反应动力学参数和分析反应机理。利用该仪器测定氩气气氛中碳酸钙的分解反应表明：其表观活化能与指前因子分别为142.73kJ.mol^-1和399777s^-1,活化能在文献报道范围之内,且小于热重分析仪测定的184.3kJ.mol^-1,并建立了反应模式函数f(α)=(1-α)0.86,对应的拟合线性相关系数达到0.99。测定煤和生物质热解反应过程表明：MFBK测试的反应完成时间在15s左右,且揭示了生成气关键组分具有不同的释放时间和生成量,为深入探讨热解反应机理提供了新的证据。     

A bubbling fluidized bed solar reactor model of biomass char high temperature steam-only gasification

A two phase biomass char (biochar) steam gasification model based on the systems kinetics is developed in a bubbling fluidized bed with concentrated solar heat as source of energy. The model calculates the dynamic and steady state profiles, as well as the complex parameters of fluidized beds. This robust model is capable of predicting the temperature and concentration profiles of gases in the bubble, emulsion gas and solid phases. The Rosseland equation is used to calculate the radiative transfer within the bed. Due to the nature of the fluidized bed, the small bed thermal conductivity and bigger void between particles, there is a large temperature gradient throughout the bed, indicating that the system is highly non-isothermal. The set-up of a fluidized bed with solar irradiation in the upper side of the reactor is found to be a less efficient gasifying system in comparison with a packed bed, but could be optimized if the source of heat is changed to the bottom of the reactor. The trends and responses of the model are in good agreement with the experimental trends reported in the literature. Hydrogen is the principal product followed by carbon monoxide, the carbon dioxide production is small and the methane production is negligible.     

Open source implementation of glued sphere discrete element method and nonspherical biomass fast pyrolysis simulation

In this research, a glued-sphere discrete element method was implemented in the open-source, computational fluid dynamics software MFiX. The implementation was verified using a cylinder-wall collision and then validated by simulating the packing and fluidization of nonspherical particles. The validated code was applied to simulate fast pyrolysis of nonspherical biomass particles in a bubbling fluidized bed. The glued sphere occupancy ratio was proposed to quantify the quality of shape resolution using glued sphere. Shape resolution showed significant influence on the packing height in the simulation of particle packing and an occupancy ratio of 80% was recommended. Its influence is minor in fully fluidized bed but can be eight times higher in packed bed. Three tested heat transfer models predicted similar yields of elongated biomass fast pyrolysis. The solver developed in this research can be used to simulate other multiphase reacting flows involving nonspherical particles.     

导向喷动流化床生物质快速热解技术

综述了生物质在导向喷动流化床反应器中快速热解的理论基础与过程特征,分别从反应机理、流体动力学特性与传热传质、二次裂解、气相和固相停留时间、操作相图、热解产物的收集与处理等方面进行阐述。比较了喷动流化床与其它流化床在快速热解上的异同,概述了导向喷动流化床生物质热解特性, 并提出了导向喷动流化床生物质快速热解技术的发展方向。     

Bubbling fluidization of biomass and sand binary mixtures: Minimum fluidization velocity and particle segregation

Understanding the minimum fluidization velocity of biomass and sand mixtures is fundamental to ensuring the optimal performance of fluidized beds in a thermo-conversional process, such as fast pyrolysis. The present work aimed to determine the minimum fluidization velocity of binary mixtures using the characteristic diagram of pressure drop in the bed and to develop an experimental correlation for the minimum fluidization velocity of biomass and sand mixtures. Three types of biomass (sweet sorghum bagasse, waste tobacco and soybean hulls) and four sands with different sizes were investigated. The results showed that the fluid dynamic behavior of binary mixtures is directly related to the biomass size and shape. For sweet sorghum bagasse (more irregular particles), higher biomass percentages led to lower minimum fluidization velocities, which differed from the behaviors observed for waste tobacco and soybean hulls. The diameter ratio inert/biomass effectively influenced the segregation, with a higher ratio causing more pronounced bed segregation. A good fluidization regime (with little segregation) for biomass and sand mixtures was obtained using the smallest sand (d₅₀ = 0.35). Considering the studied operating conditions, the proposed correlation can be used satisfactorily to predict the minimum fluidization velocities for mixtures of biomass and sand in fluidized beds.     

Co-pyrolysis of bituminous coal and biomass in a pressured fluidized bed

An experimental study on co-pyrolysis of bituminous coal and biomass was performed in a pressured fluidized bed reactor. The blend ratio of biomass in the mixture was varied between 0 and 100 wt%, and the temperature was over a range of 550–650 °C under 1.0 MPa pressure with different atmospheres. On the basis of the individual pyrolysis behavior of bituminous coal and biomass, the influences of the biomass blending ratio, temperature, pressure and atmosphere on the product distribution were investigated. The results indicated that there existed a synergetic effect in the co-pyrolysis of bituminous coal and biomass in this pressured fluidized bed reactor, especially when the condition of bituminous coal and biomass blend ratio of 70:30(w/w), 600 °C, and 0.3 MPa was applied. The addition of biomass influenced the tar and char yields and gas and tar composition during co-pyrolysis. The tar yields were higher than the calculated values from individual pyrolysis of each fuel, and consequently the char yields were lower.The experimental results showed that the composition of the gaseous products was not in accordance with those of their individual fuel. The improvement of composition in tar also indicated synergistic effect in the co-pyrolysis.     

CFD modelling of the fast pyrolysis of biomass in fluidised bed reactors. Part B: Heat, momentum and mass transport in bubbling fluidised beds

The fluid-particle interaction inside a 150 g/h fluidised bed reactor is modelled. The biomass particle is injected into the fluidised bed and the heat, momentum and mass transport from the fluidising gas and fluidised sand is modelled. The Eulerian approach is used to model the bubbling behaviour of the sand, which is treated as a continuum. Heat transfer from the bubbling bed to the discrete biomass particle, as well as biomass reaction kinetics are modelled according to the literature. The particle motion inside the reactor is computed using drag laws, dependent on the local volume fraction of each phase. FLUENT 6.2 has been used as the modelling framework of the simulations with the whole pyrolysis model incorporated in the form of user-defined function (UDF). The study completes the fast pyrolysis modelling in bubbling fluidised bed reactors.