CFD Study of Aggregative Fluidization of Gas-Solid System

Abu R. M. Iasir M. M. Hossen M. T. Sowgath

Department of Chemical Engineering BUET, Dhaka

Outline
Introduction Background Model Equations CFD process Experiment Simulation Results Conclusion

Introduction
Purpose of simulation of gas-solid fluidized bed
-Widely used in process industries -Complex flow -CFD simulation may reduce need for experimental analysis -Simulation results help sizing equipment

Regarding these a 2D fluidized bed is simulated using FLUENT6.3.26 and the result is compared with some experimental observations.

Background
Fluidization
The operation by which fine solids are transformed into a fluid like state through contact with a gas or liquid.

Two types of Fluidization

Particulate Fluidization Aggregative Fluidization

Background (Contd )
What is CFD?
The science of predicting fluid flow, heat transfer, mass transfer, chemical reactions, and related phenomena by solving the mathematical equations which govern these processes using a numerical process.

Background (Contd )
CFD-how it works
Analysis begins with a mathematical model of a physical problem Conservation of mass, momentum and energy must be satisfied through the region of interest Fluid properties are modeled empirically Simplifying assumptions are made in order to make the problem tractable(e.g., steady-state, transient, incompressible, inviscid, two dimensional) Provide appropriate initial and boundary conditions for the problem

Background
Two approaches for Multiphase flows 1.Euler-Lagrange
Used for DPM -Spray dryers, coal and liquid fuel combustion VOF model -Free Surface flows , filling, sloshing Mixture Model -Sedimentation ,Cyclone separator Eulerian Model -Bubble columns, risers, particle suspension , fluidized
beds

2.Euler-Euler

Model Equations
Equation of continuity
x x (E V )  (E V v ) ! o xt xx
k k k k ki i

x x E V v  E V v v xt xx
k k ki k k ki

kj

!
ki kij

Equation of momentum

xp x E  E V g  F v  v  X xx xx
g k k k i k 'i i i

 + v
k

ki

F ! Cd

3E s E g Vg vg  vs 4d s vr 2
2

Syamlal- O Brien Drag model

4.8 Cd ! 0.63  Re vr

CFD Process
CFD simulation is performed in three stepsPreprocessing
 Geometry of problem is defined .  Volume occupied by fluid is divided into discrete cells.

CFD Process contd.

Processing A physical model is defined  Boundary conditions are defined which involves specifying of fluid behavior and properties at the boundaries.  Equations are solved iteratively as steady state or transient state.

Post processing
 Analysis and visualization of data

Software to Solve the Process

FLUENT CFX MFIX FLOTRAN SPLASH TIDAL GASP AND MANY MORE

We usedGAMBIT 2.2.30 for preprocessing FLUENT 6.3.26 for processing and post processing

Experimental Observation

35.5 in

11.5 in Solid Bed of 5.5 in

Air at 0.3 m/s

Simulation Setup
Parameters Particle density Gas Density Particle Diameter Initial solid volume fraction Restitution coefficient Initial bed height Bed width Inlet boundary condition` Outlet boundary condition Grid Spacing Time step Convergence allowance Value 1050 kg/m3 1.225 kg/m3 0.3 mm 0.6 0.9 5.5 inch 11.5 inch 0.3 m/s 1 atm 0.05 inch 0.002 s 0.001 Remarks Resin Air Uniform distribution Fixed Fixed Fixed Velocity inlet Pressure Output Fixed Specified Specified

Results
Time Series of Volume fraction of solids Animation

t= 0 s

t=0.6s

t=1.5s

t=4s

t=6s

t=8s

Change of void fraction with respect to time and radial distance

Void fraction[-] Void fraction[-] Time(s)

Radial distance(inch)

Conclusion
 Experimental phenomena is similar to that found in literature  Visualization of the simulation is almost similar to experimental observation  Difference in the bed expansion between simulation(9 inch) and experiment(7 inch) is small  Single diameter particle(0.3 mm) is used in simulation but in experiment a range of diameter of particles(0.2-0.4 mm) is used.  Better simulation result could be found if multiple particle size distribution is used with enough time ,large iteration and smaller time steps.

Thank You