Investigation of particulate flow behavior in a continuous, high solids, leach-bed biogasification system

Abstract

Recent concerns regarding global warming and energy security have accelerated research and developmental efforts to produce biofuels from agricultural and forestry residues, and energy crops. Anaerobic digestion is a promising process for producing biogas-biofuel from biomass feedstocks. However, there is a need for new reactor designs and operating considerations to process fibrous biomass feedstocks. In this research project, the multiphase flow behavior of biomass particles was investigated. The objective was accomplished through both simulation and experimentation. The simulations included both particle-level and bulk flow simulations. Successful computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of multiphase flow in the digester is dependent on the accuracy of constitutive models which describe (1) the particle phase stress due to particle interactions, (2) the particle phase dissipation due to inelastic interactions between particles and (3) the drag force between the fibres and the digester fluid. Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations of Homogeneous Cooling Systems (HCS) were used to develop a particle phase dissipation rate model for non-spherical particle systems that was incorporated in a two-fluid CFDmultiphase flow model framework. Two types of frictionless, elongated particle models were compared in the HCS simulations: glued-sphere and true cylinder. A new model for drag for elongated fibres was developed which depends on Reynolds number, solids fraction, and fibre aspect ratio. Schulze shear test results could be used to calibrate particle-particle friction for DEM simulations. Several experimental measurements were taken for biomass particles like olive pulp, orange peels, wheat straw, semolina, and wheat grains. Using a compression tester, the breakage force, breakage energy, yield force, elastic stiffness and Young’s modulus were measured. Measurements were made in a shear tester to determine unconfined yield stress, major principal stress, effective angle of internal friction and internal friction angle. A liquid fludized bed system was used to determine critical velocity of fluidization for these materials. Transport measurements for pneumatic conveying were also assessed. Anaerobic digestion experiments were conducted using orange peel waste, olive pulp and wheat straw. Orange peel waste and olive pulp could be anaerobically digested to produce high methane yields. Wheat straw was not digestible. In a packed bed reactor, anaerobic digestion was not initiated above bulk densities of 100 kg/m³ for peel waste and 75 kg/m³ for olive pulp. Interestingly, after the digestion has been initiated and balanced methanogenesis established, the decomposing biomass could be packed to higher densities and successfully digested. These observations provided useful insights for high throughput reactor designs. Another outcome from this project was the development of low cost devices to measure methane content of biogas for off-line (US$37), field (US$50), and online (US$107) applications.