Multi‐scale CFD simulation of operating diagram for gas–solid risers

Abstract

AbstractOur recently presented multi‐scale computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach has proven to be able to capture the choking phenomena in a circulating fluidized bed (CFB). However, how to transfer this capability to assist industrial operation remains to be explored. To this end, this paper presents further simulation results over the intrinsic flow regime diagram and the operating diagram for gas–solid risers, showing the variation of flow regimes with gas velocity and solids flux as well as riser height. It is confirmed that the choking in CFB risers, characterized by the saturation carrying capacity and the coexistence of both dense and dilute flows, holds clear‐cut definition in hydrodynamics. In physics, both the choking, non‐choking transitions, and the critical point in‐between are intrinsic nature of gas–solid riser flows; they initiate as functions of gas velocity and solids flux. In engineering operation, however, their appearances vary with the riser height used. As a result, the intrinsic flow regime diagram can be defined by the combination of gas velocity and solids flux, although it is hard to obtain in practice owing to the limitation of riser height. The operating diagram of a CFB should be, accordingly, height‐dependent in practice, demanding the riser height as a parameter besides commonly believed gas velocity and solids flux.