An experimental and numerical investigation of the three‐phase flow in the washing chamber of an entrained flow gasifier

Abstract

AbstractThis study established a cold experimental platform and a mathematical model to examine the gas–liquid–solid three‐phase flow in the washing process of the gas–solid flow as it passes through a liquid pool in an entrained flow coal gasifier. It visualized the three‐phase flow process and separation of the solid particles, including the bubble motion and particle separation processes. The concentration distribution and separation efficiency of the particles were quantitatively analyzed considering various major influencing factors. The particle separation mechanism was analyzed based on the characteristics of the three‐phase flow, and the results confirm that a multi‐peak distribution of particle concentration exists in the liquid pool along the axial and radial directions. There is considerable variation in peak particle concentration points with different particle sizes; as particle size increases, the particle separation efficiency also rises. Based on the calculation conditions in this study, the separation efficiencies obtained with particle diameters of 50, 20, and 10 μm were 96.98%, 94.48%, and 87.31%, respectively.