The influence of pressure and temperature on gas-solid hydrodynamics for Geldart B particles in a high-density CFB riser

An Assessment of Drag Models in Eulerian–Eulerian CFD Simulation of Gas–Solid Flow Hydrodynamics in Circulating Fluidized Bed Riser

Accurate prediction of the hydrodynamic profile is important for circulating fluidized bed (CFB) reactor design and scale-up. Multiphase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation with interphase momentum exchange is key to accurately predict the gas-solid profile along the height of the riser. The present work deals with the assessment of six different drag model capability to accurately predict the riser section axial solid holdup distribution in bench scale circulating fluidized bed. The difference between six drag model predictions were validated against the experiment data. Two-dimensional geometry, transient solver and Eulerian–Eulerian multiphase models were used. Six drag model simulation predictions were discussed with respect to axial and radial profile. The comparison between CFD simulation and experimental data shows that the Syamlal-O’Brien, Gidaspow, Wen-Yu and Huilin-Gidaspow drag models were successfully able to predict the riser upper section solid holdup distribution with better accuracy, however unable to predict the solid holdup transition region. On the other hand, the Gibilaro model and Helland drag model were successfully able to predict the bottom dense region, but the upper section solid holdup distribution was overpredicted. The CFD simulation comparison of different drag model has clearly shown the limitation of the drag model to accurately predict overall axial heterogeneity with accuracy.

Gas-solid Flow Behaviors in a Pressurized Multi-stage Circulating Fluidized Bed with Geldart Group B Particles

A comprehensive study of gas-solids flow behaviors was conducted in a novel multi-stage circulating fluidized bed (MCFB). Experiments were carried out in a cold model apparatus (a jetting fluidized bed, JFB, of 0.3 m diameter and 1.95 m tall, a riser of 0.15 m diameter and 12 m tall) at different elevated pressure, solids circulation rates and gas velocities. Geldart group B polystyrene particles of 400 μm in diameter and 1020 kg/m3 in density were used as bed materials. The characteristic of L-valve, axial and radial distributions of solids holdup were systematically tested at elevated pressures by pressure transducers with the frequency of 100 Hz and model PC6M of the optical fiber probes. Operating the L-valve at elevated pressure needs less cross-section average gas velocity compared to that at atmospheric pressure. Experimental results showed that under elevated pressure and high solids flow rate, the MCFB could more easily couple JFB with a riser, where the solids that entered could form three-level step-by-step supplement entrainment and multi-flow regimes formed. Besides, increasing operating pressure led to a higher the apparent solids holdup and local solids holdup. The local solids profiles behaved less uniform distribution at elevated pressure due to decreasing the gas velocity.