Numerical simulation and experimental study on cyclone adsorption characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Abstract

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are widely concerned owing to their serious harm to the ecological environment and human health. In this paper, the adsorption effect of VOCs on a new type of swirling fluidized bed was studied from two aspects of numerical simulation and experimental research, which expanded the application of the device in the field of VOC removal. It was found that the adsorption efficiency of activated carbon in the cyclone fluidized bed was inversely proportional to the inlet concentration and the height of the spinning core column, and was proportional to the mass of the adsorbent and the diameter of the spinning core column. When SAC-3 activated carbon and cyclone fluidized bed S16–22 were selected, the highest adsorption efficiency was up to 100%, and the damage rate of activated carbon was not more than 3%. The simulation results showed that the maximum axial velocity and the maximum tangential velocity existed in the annular space. The axial velocity and tangential velocity on the cross-section first increased and then decreased with the increase of the radius. The axial velocity was proportional to the flow rate, the diameter, and height of the spinning core. The tangential velocity first increased and then decreased with the increase of the flow rate, diameter, and height of the spinning core. The overall pressure increased with the increase of the flow rate, the pressure increased with the increase of the radius in the cross-section, and the pressure decreased rapidly with the increase of the height in the axial direction. In this paper, a new type of cyclone fluidized bed is used to replace the existing fixed bed and carry bed system, and the optimal activated carbon, the best working conditions, and the best rotary fluidized bed structure are screened by the cyclone fluidized bed experiment.