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Title: An experimental study of the hydrodynamics and cluster formation in a circulating fluidized bed. Topical report, January 1, 1991--June 30, 1992

Abstract

This research program involves two major aspects. First, to evaluate techniques to effectively probe the polydisperse gas-solid flows and second, to apply these techniques to study the gas-solid flow structure and clusters in the riser of a circulating fluidized bed riser. Amongst the non-intrusive techniques a modified laser Doppler technique based on the fluorescence-emission concept has been adopted and the other techniques involve pitot-static pressure probes. A circulating fluidized bed (CFB) facility has been designed, built and is currently operational at West Virginia University. The design provides for maximum versatility in investigating the hydrodynamics of the CFB riser. Two stage cyclones are employed to capture the particles exhausted from the riser. Measurements of gas velocity distribution were carried out in the circulating fluidized bed riser. with particles having a mean diameter of 112 {mu}m and a density of 2305 kg/m{sup 3} and another set of particles with a mean diameter of 145 {mu}m and a density of 2245 kg/m{sup 3}. The experimental results showed that the local gas velocity varied with the radial position, elevation, solids circulation rate, superficial velocity and particle size. A general formula for gas velocity distribution in the circulating fluidized bed riser was obtained based onmore » the particle circulation, superficial velocity and particle diameter. The pressure drops across the L-valve were also studied for different particle sizes, L-valve diameters and aeration. The solids flowrate was found to be a function of the L-valve geometry, operating parameters and solids properties. Pressure drop of L-valve increases with increasing solids diameter and decreasing diameter of the L-valve. Pressure drop across standpipe increases as the solids diameter and diameter of the standpipe decrease.« less

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States). Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
10171600
Report Number(s):
DOE/MC/24207-3322
ON: DE94004090; BR: AA0535000/AA1505000
DOE Contract Number:
FC21-87MC24207
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Jul 1992
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT; 42 ENGINEERING; FLUIDIZED BEDS; HYDRODYNAMICS; CIRCULATING SYSTEMS; TEST FACILITIES; GASES; SOLIDS; LASERS; PARTICULATES; VELOCITY; FLOW RATE; EXPERIMENTAL DATA; MULTIPHASE FLOW; FLUORESCENCE; 014000; 420400; COMBUSTION; HEAT TRANSFER AND FLUID FLOW

Citation Formats

Gautam, M., Jurewicz, J., Heping, Y., and Clifton, K. An experimental study of the hydrodynamics and cluster formation in a circulating fluidized bed. Topical report, January 1, 1991--June 30, 1992. United States: N. p., 1992. Web. doi:10.2172/10171600.
Gautam, M., Jurewicz, J., Heping, Y., & Clifton, K. An experimental study of the hydrodynamics and cluster formation in a circulating fluidized bed. Topical report, January 1, 1991--June 30, 1992. United States. doi:10.2172/10171600.
Gautam, M., Jurewicz, J., Heping, Y., and Clifton, K. Wed . "An experimental study of the hydrodynamics and cluster formation in a circulating fluidized bed. Topical report, January 1, 1991--June 30, 1992". United States. doi:10.2172/10171600. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10171600.
@article{osti_10171600,
title = {An experimental study of the hydrodynamics and cluster formation in a circulating fluidized bed. Topical report, January 1, 1991--June 30, 1992},
author = {Gautam, M. and Jurewicz, J. and Heping, Y. and Clifton, K.},
abstractNote = {This research program involves two major aspects. First, to evaluate techniques to effectively probe the polydisperse gas-solid flows and second, to apply these techniques to study the gas-solid flow structure and clusters in the riser of a circulating fluidized bed riser. Amongst the non-intrusive techniques a modified laser Doppler technique based on the fluorescence-emission concept has been adopted and the other techniques involve pitot-static pressure probes. A circulating fluidized bed (CFB) facility has been designed, built and is currently operational at West Virginia University. The design provides for maximum versatility in investigating the hydrodynamics of the CFB riser. Two stage cyclones are employed to capture the particles exhausted from the riser. Measurements of gas velocity distribution were carried out in the circulating fluidized bed riser. with particles having a mean diameter of 112 {mu}m and a density of 2305 kg/m{sup 3} and another set of particles with a mean diameter of 145 {mu}m and a density of 2245 kg/m{sup 3}. The experimental results showed that the local gas velocity varied with the radial position, elevation, solids circulation rate, superficial velocity and particle size. A general formula for gas velocity distribution in the circulating fluidized bed riser was obtained based on the particle circulation, superficial velocity and particle diameter. The pressure drops across the L-valve were also studied for different particle sizes, L-valve diameters and aeration. The solids flowrate was found to be a function of the L-valve geometry, operating parameters and solids properties. Pressure drop of L-valve increases with increasing solids diameter and decreasing diameter of the L-valve. Pressure drop across standpipe increases as the solids diameter and diameter of the standpipe decrease.},
doi = {10.2172/10171600},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992},
month = {Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992}
}

Technical Report:

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  • A novel gas-solid flow measuring technique is being developed and tested for studying the hydrodynamics inside the riser of a Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB). First of the two aims of the overall program, namely, design, development and testing of the technique to characterize the particle and gas velocities in two-phase flows was accomplished in the past year. The second objective, that of making detailed measurements of gas and solid phases in the rises of a cold CFB model to investigate the phenomena of clusters and streamers for different bed operating parameters is being accomplished in the current year. The differentialmore » pressure fluctuations were in order to study the solids cluster formation. Of the several factors which lead to differential pressure fluctuations, the solids cluster formation in CFB riser is by far the most important of all. Simultaneously, theoretical formulation of the two-phase flow in the CFB riser was initiated. The concept of entropy maximization is being applied to explain the hydrodynamics inside the riser. The results from this study will present a unique detailed description of the complex gas-solid behavior in the CFB riser.« less
  • A novel non-invasive gas-solid flow measuring technique being developed and tested for studying the hydrodynamics inside the riser of a Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB). First of the two aims of the overall program, namely, design, development and testing of the technique to characterize the particle and gas velocities in two-phase flows was accomplished in the past year. The fringe-model'' laser Doppler anemometry concept has been modified and extended by using particles coated with a fluorescent dye and introducing a narrow band pass filter in the receiving optics. The technique permits optical discrimination between the scattered light (laser wavelength from undyedmore » particles) and the fluorescence emission (longer wavelength). Results from extensive testing of various dye-solvent combinations, counter processor settings, signal-to noise optimization and subsequent flow measurements in the test section have shown that the technique can effectively discriminate between two classes of particles--the smaller seed particles for the gas phase data and the larger bed particles. Use of a two-watt Argon-Ion laser assisted in the non-intrusive probing of the gas-solid flow and in enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio. An uncertainty analysis of LDA measurements is presented. Design of the cold flow CFB model, presently under fabrication, is outlined in this report. The Plexiglas CFB model will be employed for the riser core-annular flow studies using the fluorescence-emission based laser-Doppler anemometry. The results from this study will present a unique detailed description of the complex gas-solid behavior in the CFB riser.« less
  • A novel non-invasive gas-solid flow measuring technique being developed and tested for studying the hydrodynamics inside the riser of a Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB). First of the two aims of the overall program, namely, design, development and testing of the technique to characterize the particle and gas velocities in two-phase flows was accomplished in the past year. The ``fringe-model`` laser Doppler anemometry concept has been modified and extended by using particles coated with a fluorescent dye and introducing a narrow band pass filter in the receiving optics. The technique permits optical discrimination between the scattered light (laser wavelength from undyedmore » particles) and the fluorescence emission (longer wavelength). Results from extensive testing of various dye-solvent combinations, counter processor settings, signal-to noise optimization and subsequent flow measurements in the test section have shown that the technique can effectively discriminate between two classes of particles--the smaller seed particles for the gas phase data and the larger bed particles. Use of a two-watt Argon-Ion laser assisted in the non-intrusive probing of the gas-solid flow and in enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio. An uncertainty analysis of LDA measurements is presented. Design of the cold flow CFB model, presently under fabrication, is outlined in this report. The Plexiglas CFB model will be employed for the riser core-annular flow studies using the fluorescence-emission based laser-Doppler anemometry. The results from this study will present a unique detailed description of the complex gas-solid behavior in the CFB riser.« less
  • Convective heat transfer and hydrodynamic scaling experiments using glass and plastic particles in scaled beds using a simplified set of scaling parameters have been completed. In these tests the particle diameter to bed length scaling parameter was combined with the Reynolds number based on particle diameter and solid density to define a new dimensionless parameter which is essentially the ratio of superficial velocity to minimum fluidization velocity as defined in the Ergun equation. Further theoretical development of the scaling laws has indicated that a set of scaling laws using the ratio of superficial to minimum fluidization velocity in place ofmore » the particle Reynolds number and ratio of particle diameter to bed length may be valid over a wider range of conditions than the viscous limit scaling parameters previously defined. A more complete explanation of the proposed simplified scaling parameters, and their regions of validity is included as Attachment A. Results of the hydrodynamic scaling experiments show good agreement when using this simplified set of scaling laws and strongly suggest that this new set of parameters is acceptable over the range of conditions tested (fast-fluidization regime).« less
  • The objective of this work is to recognize and interpret the signals of transient motion of bubbles (slugs) in fluidized beds (METC/DOE) by measuring and utilizing the signals of transient gas phase pressure fluctuation, and also by taking the video pictures of transient motions of the bubbles and emulsion phase in fluidized beds. The two signals were measured simultaneously in a three dimensional fluidized bed. Correlation study on the voidage signal and pressure fluctuation was carried out. A domain concept was introduced and new bubble classification was suggested. A video recording approach was also developed to record the transient bubblemore » motion in a two dimensional fluidized bed with a special consideration. This new approach enhances the understanding of bubble image and the physical meaning of transient particle forces. The fundamental mechanism of bubble flow was experimentally investigated and interesting new findings of the transient bubble flow were obtained.« less