Oscillations in gas-fluidized beds: Ultra-fast magnetic resonance imaging and pressure sensor measurements

Ultra-fast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and pressure sensor measurements have been applied to study: (i) pressure fluctuations, (ii) the eruption of bubbles at the top of a bed and (iii) the formation of bubbles in a gas-fluidized bed. Ultra-fast MRI has been applied for the first time to study the formation and eruption of bubbles; the technique is non-intrusive and provides measurements with good temporal and spatial resolutions. The MRI measurements revealed that bubbles are formed periodically, rather than randomly at a distributor, which in this case was a perforated plate. The frequency at which bubbles erupted from the top of the bed matched the frequency of the pressure fluctuations measured just above the distributor, where the measured pressure is predicted very well for the case of slug flow by Kehoe and Davidson's [P.W.K. Kehoe, J.F. Davidson, Pressure fluctuations in slugging fluidized beds, AIChE Symp. Ser. 128 (69) (1973) 34-40] correlation, originally developed for locations high up a bed. Both findings lead to the conclusion that the passage and eruption of bubbles at the top of a bed are the dominant cause of the pressure fluctuations, which are subsequently propagated downwards through the bed. Two new correlations are proposed for predicting the frequency of pressure fluctuations in a bubbling bed; both correlations agree well with experimental measurements. A modification of Baeyens and Geldart's [J. Baeyens, D. Geldart, An investigation into slugging fluidized beds, Chem. Eng. Sci. 29 (1974) 255-265] correlation predicts the frequency of pressure fluctuations when slugs are formed, but are not fully developed. The frequency of bubble formation, as measured by MRI, is equal to or higher than both the frequency of bubble eruption at the top of the bed and the frequency of pressure fluctuations, depending on the depth of the bed. The frequency of bubble formation is significantly lower than predicted by Davidson and Schüler's [J.F. Davidson, B.O.G. Schüler, Bubble formation at an orifice in an inviscid liquid, Trans. Inst. Chem. Eng. 38 (1960) 335-342] equation, originally developed for gas-liquid systems.     

EXPERIMENTAL OBSERVATIONS OF FLUIDIZED BEDS AT ELEVATED PRESSURES

The object of the work described here was to elucidate the effects of operation under pressure on the physical behaviour of gas fluidized beds. Extensive measurements of various bubble properties such as size, shape and rise velocity in beds of coarse powders (mean particle diameters of 184 μm and 450μm) operated at pressures of up to 81 bar were made by photographing the images created by irradiation of the bed with X-rays, and analysing the bubble silhouettes thereby obtained. Most of the results presented here are averages of some 200 individual measurements.

Experimental evidence to support the following picture of the effect of pressurization on the behaviour of freely bubbling gas fluidized beds is presented. Both bubble interaction (tendency to coalesce) and the incidence of bubble splitting increase with increasing pressure; the two are intimately connected. The nett results are a decrease in bubble size with increasing pressure over most of the pressure range and an increase in the tendency for bubbles to distribute non-uniformly in a radial direction. This latter tendency probably causes gross solids circulation in the bed, and this in turn leads to higher bubble rise velocities than those observed for single bubbles under similar conditions. The splitting mechanism accounting for the decrease in bubble size was found to be intrusion of the wake into the bubble void by the flow of gas through the wake region of a leading bubble during pair coalescence.

An updated review of other published work relating to the subject of experimental observations of the effects of pressure on gas fluidized beds is included in the form of a table.     

Bubble behavior in corrugated‐wall bubbling fluidized beds—Experiments and CFD simulations

A new concept to harness bubble dynamics in bubbling fluidization of Geldart D particles was proposed. Various geometrical declinations of a cold‐prototype corrugated‐wall bubbling fluidized bed were compared at different flow rates (U_g) to conventional flat‐wall fluidized bed using high‐speed digital image analysis. Hydrodynamic studies were carried out to appraise the effect of triangular‐shaped wall corrugation on incipient fluidization, bubble coalescence (size and frequency), bubble rise velocity, and pressure drop. Bubble size and rise velocity in corrugated‐wall beds were appreciably lower, at given U_g/U_mb, than in flat‐wall beds with equal flow cross‐sectional areas and initial bed heights. The decrease (increase) in size (frequency) of bubbles during their rise was sustained by their periodic breakups while protruding through the necks between corrugated plates. Euler‐Euler transient full three‐dimensional computational fluid dynamic simulations helped shape an understanding of the impact of corrugation geometry on lowering the minimum bubbling fluidization and improving gas distribution. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012     

Non-intrusive monitoring of bubbles in a gas-solid fluidized bed using vibration signature analysis

A reliable method was developed to study bubble behavior by analysis of vibration signals in fluidized beds. The advantage of this method is that the vibration probe is in indirect contact with the process. Accelerometers were used to record vibration signals generated by particle flow through the fluidized bed at various superficial gas velocities and particle sizes. Measurement of vibration signals, sampled at 25 kHz for 30 s, enabled investigation of changes in flow structure related to flow regime transitions. To study bubble behavior under different conditions, different particle sizes were used in the experiments. The measurements were extensively analyzed using wavelet and fast Fourier transforms. Results indicate that the vibration frequency generated by bubbles is between 1000 and 3000 Hz. The vibration analysis was effectively used to detect minimum fluidization and transition from bubbling to slugging in gas-solid fluidized beds.     

Bubble Splitting in a Pseudo‐2D Gas‐Solid Fluidized Bed for Geldart B‐Type Particles

Bubble splitting in 2D gas‐solid freely bubbling fluidized beds is experimentally investigated using digital image analysis. The quantitative results can be applied for the development of a new breakage model for bubbly fluidized beds, especially discrete bubble models. The variation of splitting frequency with bubble diameter, new resulting bubble volumes, positions, and also the assumptions of mass and momentum conservation for bubbles after breakage are studied in detail. Small bubbles are found to be more stable than large ones and nearly all mother bubbles split into two almost equally sized daughter bubbles. The momentum of gas bubbles in the vertical direction remains approximately constant after breakage, whereas that of bubbles in the horizontal direction changes with no clear trend. The effect of fluidizing gas velocity in breakage frequency is also examined.     

脉动流化床的数值模拟

运用Fluent 6．3中的欧拉-欧拉模型模拟传统流化床与锯齿形波脉动进气流化床的运动特性，并进行对比，针对沿床高的气泡高度、当量直径及内压等因素进行分析，得出脉动锯齿形波进气流化效果比传统流化效果明显提高。     

二维流化床光反应器中的光强分布及波动规律

考察了外部平行光源照射下液-固及气-液-固二维流化床中流体流动状况对床层光强分布和波动规律的影响. 采用朗伯-比尔定律建立了两相及三相流化床中光强分布的数学模型，分析了液含率、气含率及气、固相吸光系数对床层光强分布的影响，并采用自制光纤光强传感器测定了床层中的光强分布和波动信号. 二维流化床中床层光强沿径向呈指数衰减，随着液含率和气含率增大而增大，理论计算与实验结果相吻合. 对光强波动信号的功率谱分析表明，液-固流化床中功率谱密度由低频至高频呈规律性衰减，气-液-固三相流化床中由于受气泡的影响功率谱密度出现起伏，在5~12 Hz处出现谱峰，与气泡的产生频率一致. 上述模型可推广应用于其他光源和不同结构流化床光反应器的数学描述.     

基于EMMS模型的气固鼓泡床的模拟及气泡特性的分析

基于EMMS曳力模型,采用双流体的方法对气固鼓泡床内的气固流动特性进行模拟,建立基于图像处理气泡特性的分析方法,重点研究了不同表观气速下气泡在床层内分布特性,包括气泡平均当量直径、气泡速度和气泡球形度的轴向分布,以及气泡的生命周期。研究结果表明,小气泡多集中在床层底部和壁面区域,而大气泡多集中在床层中间区域。随着表观气速的增加,床层高度不断增加,气泡的球形度降低,气泡的大小、出现频率、上升速度以及生命周期均增加;然而,当表观气速增大到一定程度,继续增加气速对气泡的上升速度影响不大。     

Wavelet Analysis of Particle Concentration Signals in an Acoustic Bubbling Fluidized Bed

The time series of fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) particle concentrations were measured by an optical fiber probe under conditions of different sound pressure levels and sound frequencies in an acoustic bubbling fluidized bed (? 140 mm × 1600 mm). The results show that the minimum fluidization velocity had a minimum value when the sound wave frequency was 150 Hz. Under the same sound frequency, the fluidization velocity decreased as the sound pressure level increased. The particle concentration signals in an acoustic fluidized bed were also analyzed by means of wavelet analysis. On the basis of discrete wavelet transform, an original signal was resolved into five detailed scale signals. By using wavelet energy analysis, it was found that the peak frequency of the scale 3 or 4 detail wavelet signals represents the bubbling frequency and the peak amplitude for the bubble size. The results indicate that the bubbling frequency and bubble size decreased with increasing sound pressure level at a given frequency. In addition they decreased with increasing sound frequency ranging from 50–150 Hz, but further increased with increasing sound frequency ranging from 150–500 Hz.     

气固搅拌流化床内压力脉动特性的数值模拟

在传统气固流化床中引入搅拌桨,可减轻聚合物颗粒的黏附并强化流态化过程。采用计算流体力学(CFD)方法对搅拌流化床内的压力脉动特性进行数值模拟,考察流态化过程中的气泡行为。模拟过程采用多重参考坐标系方法解决搅拌桨区域的运动问题,由欧拉双流体模型和颗粒动力学方法模拟气固两相流。床层压力脉动的统计分析和功率谱分析表明,随着搅拌桨转速的增加,流化床内的压力脉动标准偏差和功率谱幅值变小,床层内的平均气泡尺寸减小,床层可由鼓泡流态化向散式流态化转变。     

Bed expansion and bubble wakes in three-phase fluidization

The expansion characteristics of gas-liquid fluidized beds have been measured for beds of glass ballotini and sand with particle sizes ranging from 120 to 775 microns. This data has been used in conjunction with recent measurements of bubble properties to predict the proportion of wake associated with bubbles rising through the bed using a modification of the theory proposed by Ostergaard to explain the contraction observed when gas is introduced into a liquid fluidized bed. Three-pase fluidization has also been observed by photography in a two-dimensional bed and the results are in substantial agreement with the calculations based on expansion behavior and bubble properties. The bubble wakes in a three phase system consist not only of a stable portion carried with the bubbles but also of vortices shed by the bubbles. A simplified model has been used to demonstrate that these vortices may contribute significantly to the observed contraction.     

Bubble Motion Pattern and Rise Velocity in Two‐dimensional Horizontal and Vertical Vibro‐fluidized Beds

The motion pattern of a bubble was examined and the bubble rise velocity was measured in horizontally and vertically sinusoidal vibro‐fluidized beds. Experimental results showed that the motion pattern of a bubble depends on the vibration direction. Compared with the case of no vibration, it seems that the flow pattern of bubbles is not affected significantly by vertical vibrations, while bubbles rise in the form of a tower for horizontal vibrations. For vertical vibrations, all the local average bubble rise velocities were larger than those in the case of no vibration, but they were hardly influenced by horizontal vibrations at the lower bed height and were larger than those in the case of no vibration at the higher bed height.     

颗粒与分布板的碰撞声信号分析及其流化状态的识别

引言 在气固流态化过程中,流型的不同对反应装置内气固接触、传热、传质都有重要影响,并直接关系着反应器的生产能力、收率和选择性.     

Maximum entropy estimation of the bubble size distribution in fluidized beds

This work presents a new methodology, based on the maximum entropy method, to obtain bubble characteristics in fluidized beds. The probability distributions (PDF) of bubble pierced length and velocity are obtained applying the maximum entropy principle to experimental measurements. In addition, the bubble diameter distribution has been inferred from experimental pierced length measurements. This method is applied to characterize bubbles in fluidized beds for the first time and the most general bubble geometry, a truncated spheroid, is considered. The distance between probes, s, which is the minimum pierced length that is possible to measure accurately using intrusive probes, has been introduced as a constraint in the derivation of the size distribution equation.The maximum entropy method is applied to experimental measurements of bubble characteristics carried out using optical and pressure probes in a three-dimensional fluidized bed of Geldart B particles. Results on bubble size obtained from pressure and optical probes are very similar, although optical probes provide more local information and can be used at any position in the bed. The maximum entropy principle has been found to be a simple method that offers many advantages over other methods applied before for size distribution modeling in fluidized beds.     

Utilization of the pressure differential records from gas fluidized beds with internals for bubble parameters determination

Simulated pressure gradient records, based on the theoretical pressure field around a bubble in fluidized bed derived by Davidson, are analysed by statistical methods to determine significant bubble parameters. It is shown that from two records measured by two pairs of pressure differential probes located on common vertical axis the following can be computed: bubble velocity, bubble depth (diameter), vertical spacing of bubbles, bubbling frequency, distributions of bubble sizes and spacings, and local bubble phase fraction. Simulated and actual records of the passage of non-interacting single bubbles over four pairs of probes located in a fluidized bed with internals show good agreement.     

高密度浓相流化床中气泡的兼并与分裂特性

利用先进的高速动态分析系统对二维床中气泡的行为进行了研究,通过对所拍摄图象的分析处理．得到了不同介质流化床内形成的气泡形状、大小、聚并及分裂的基本规律和特点．实验研究表明．气泡的兼并主要是两气泡问的合并、被合并气泡总是从气泡的尾涡区曳入气泡;气泡分裂主要发生在操作气速较大或大气泡中,是由于其顶部粒子流(或“剪切流”)的侵入造成的;操作气速较低,粒度、密度较大粒子形成的流化床更易于造成气泡的湮灭。     

流化床反应器结块故障的声纹特征提取及监测技术

流化床反应器的物料结块故障不仅影响产品质量,严重的还会影响生产。为了监测流化床反应器的物料结块故障,提出了一种基于压电声波传感器和声纹特征提取的故障监测方法。在流化床外壁粘贴压电陶瓷声波传感器,采用长屏蔽电缆电荷传输和音频采样方式,监测流化床内物料撞击床壁的声波信号。分析了正常颗粒物料和物料结块情况下声波信号的时域波形、功率谱和声纹特征,重点比较了正常信号和故障信号声纹特征的稳定性和可区分度。通过提取声纹特征,运用神经网络模型实现了对物料结块故障的准确监测。用不同位置声波传感器的感测信号验证故障监测模型的结果验证了这种方法具有较高的时空域鲁棒性。用不同信号抽取率对原始信号进行了重采样,对重采样数据分别进行了声纹特征提取、监测模型的训练和检验,结果表明适当降低信号采样率不影响流化床物料结块的监测结果。为流化床物料结块故障监测问题提供了一种新的系统结构和实现方法。     

Discrete particle simulations of an electric-field enhanced fluidized bed

Reducing the size of gas bubbles can significantly improve the performance of gas-solid fluidized reactors. However, such a control of bubbles is difficult to realize without measures that either use a lot of energy or deteriorate the fluidization behavior. In this paper, we present the results of discrete particle simulations of an electric-field enhanced fluidized bed, and compare these results to experimental data.The simulations show a significant effect on the size of bubbles, both with horizontal and vertical electric-fields applied. When the field strength is increased to values higher than those used in the experiments, the particles are found to form strings in the direction of the electric field. At very high field strengths, defluidization is observed, consistent with the experiments.Through the analysis of the bubble behavior, it is concluded that moderate strength electric fields distribute gas more evenly at the bottom of the bed. As the bubbles rise through the bed, the coalescence rate is lower because of the guiding paths, or resistance, the particles form due to the field. This results in a smaller average bubble size in the higher region of the bed. The simulations presented here show how and why the electric fields reduce bubble size in electric-field enhanced fluidized beds.     

Initial particle velocity spatial distribution from 2-D erupting bubbles in fluidized beds

Some results on particle image velocimetry (PIV) in 2-D freely bubbling fluidized beds are presented. The PIV applications were used in order to determine the initial particle velocity of bubble eruptions. A two-dimensional non-reacting fluidized bed was constructed to measure the origin of the ejected particles and the initial particle velocity distribution, using coarse sand particles. The bubble ejection mechanism was observed taking into account the origin of particles ejected, the initial particle velocity distributions as well as the effect of other neighbor exploding bubbles. Our results show that the assumption of linear dependence of initial velocity with the angle predicts the velocity faithfully only for purely vertical-ascent bubbles. Measurements of ejection velocities show that initial velocities in the combined layer are higher than those of the particles in the nose of the leading bubble. Avoiding coalescence of bubbles at the bed surface can lead to less particle entrainment out of the bed and consequently to shorter fluidized beds.     

喷嘴释放单气泡的声发射特性

利用声发射技术在单气泡发生实验装置中研究了气液两相流中单气泡的动力学特性,使用自行开发的采集处理程序进行气泡声信号的参数提取,采用统计分析、小波变换和快速傅里叶变换对声信号进行时域和频域范围的分析。分析结果表明,声发射技术可以检测到管内气泡的声信号,具有较高的信噪比,且声信号随着喷嘴尺寸的增大而增大,随着液相表面张力的减小而减小。比较不同喷嘴直径下气泡的频率谱,发现喷嘴释放气泡发出的声信号频率为150～200 kHz,且随着喷嘴直径的增大,峰值频率相应增大,提出了声信号峰值频率与气泡尺寸之间的关联式。同时得到了气泡上升过程中的连续形态变化,分析了气泡产生声音的机理。研究表明,声发射技术是一种灵敏度高、测量手段方便的方法,可用于气液两相流气泡运动特性的检测。