Abstract
ABSTRACT An Eulerian-Eulerian granular model was used to simulate the flow and heat transfer through a heatedgassolid fluidised bed. The primary objective of the study was to determine whether the Eulerian-Eulerian granular model adequately predicts the chamber pressure drop, temperature, and bed expansion through the bed. The model predictions were assessed and validated for various flow-regimes, namely the fixed-bed, smooth, bubbling fluidisation, and the maximum fluidisation regimes. This was done on an experimental scale heated gas-solid fluidised bed. However, the results are generalisable for heated gas-solid fluidised beds when the flow is laminar. Numerical models were created using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The CFD-model predictions were investigated, analysed, and compared to experimental results. Basic experiments were carried out to obtain varying hydrodynamic characteristics. The results showed a slight overprediction of pressure drop and bed expansion, however, the results were still in close agreement with the experiment. In contrast, underprediction of chamber temperatures were obtained. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that the Eulerian model be used to predict dynamic flow behaviour. Before minimum fluidisation, when in a fixed bed regime, pressure drop in the chamber increases with no increase in bed height. No visible bubbles were present in the fixed bed regime. When fluidisation has been reached, the bed height rises whereas the pressure drop tends to a constant value. Bubble size increases with chamber height and increased superficial velocities. Bubble speed increased with increased chamber height. With increased superficial velocity, the chamber temperatures increase to a maximum temperature of326.65 K with an initial heating element temperature of373.15 K. However, when excessive heat is present in the gas-solid fluidised bed, other methods that sufficiently incorporate particle-particle interactions and bubble-bubble interactions, are recommended. An investigation should be lent to bubble-bubble interactions in the fluidised beds with relation to heat transfer. Additional keywords: Heated fluidised bed, computational fluid dynamics, CFD, Eulerian, granular, fluidisation, gas-solid
Highlights
Gas-solid fluidised beds are commonly used in applications such as fluid bed dryers which, in turn, are extensively applied in the chemical, pharmaceutical, food, dairy and the dyes industries [1,2]
4.1 Pressure Drop Results Pressure drop was obtained across the chamber by subtracting the ambient pressure from the pressure obtained at the specific probe location
When the heat transfer coefficient was introduced by the Gunn-model, heat was transferred both from particle-to-particle and particle-to-air
Summary
Gas-solid fluidised beds are commonly used in applications such as fluid bed dryers which, in turn, are extensively applied in the chemical, pharmaceutical, food, dairy and the dyes industries [1,2]. Particles are separated from each other as they are partially suspended in the stream of the gas, causing the gas to behave in a fluid-like manner known as fluidisation [3] During this state, the particles’ exposed surface area increases. When the fluidised bed is exposed to low gas flow rates, the buoyancy force and surface tension govern the flow of the bubbles [5] This phase occurs before minimum fluidisation is reached and is known as the fixed bed regime. When ascending bubbles coalesce with each other, they create larger bubbles which results in an increased buoyancy force and a reduced drag force resulting in an upward acceleration and an increase in velocity [6] These bubble size changes affect the interfacial surface through which mass and heat transfer occur [8]. It should be noted that this is the case whereby the gas-flow is opposite to the gravitational axis
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