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Title: CFD-aided benchmark assessment of coal devolatilization one-step models in oxy-coal combustion conditions

Journal Article · · Fuel Processing Technology
ORCiD logo [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3];  [2];  [4];  [5]
  1. Univ. Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles (Belgium); Univ. Libre de Bruxelles and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Bruxelles (Belgium)
  2. Univ. of Pisa, Pisa (Italy)
  3. Vrije Univ. Brussel, Brussels (Belgium); Univ. Libre de Bruxelles and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Bruxelles (Belgium)
  4. Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
  5. Univ. Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles (Belgium); Vrije Univ. Brussel, Brussels (Belgium)

Coal devolatilization, as first step in thermochemical processes involving solid fuels, has been targeted in plenty of CFD investigations: despite the variety of models that were developed to define the rate of the process and the amount of volatile matter released, not all of them are suitable for CFD simulations of large-scale coal combustors. Empirical models ensure both simplicity and feasibility, but not full reliability for all coal types and operating conditions. CFD modeling results for coal conversion during devolatilization in an entrained flow reactor and oxy-conditions are presented and compared to experimental data. A benchmark assessment of one-step models on the accuracy of the volatile yield prediction is then performed. It is shown that the heating rate strongly influences the devolatilization process and its modeling, not only in terms of rate but also in terms of yield, which differs significantly from the proximate analysis value. Furthermore, this indicates the need for a model able to predict the variation of coal volatile yield with temperature and heating rate, in addition to the kinetic model.

Research Organization:
Univ. Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles (Belgium)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
NA0002375
OSTI ID:
1532767
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1397951
Journal Information:
Fuel Processing Technology, Vol. 154, Issue C; ISSN 0378-3820
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 5 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science