Validation and application of a multiphase CFD model for hydrodynamics, temperature field and RTD simulation in a pilot-scale biomass pyrolysis vapor phase upgrading reactor

Gao, Xi; Li, Tingwen; Rogers, William A.; Smith, Kristin M.; Gaston, Katherine R.; Wiggins, Gavin; Parks II, James E.

doi:10.1016/j.cej.2020.124279

Title: Validation and application of a multiphase CFD model for hydrodynamics, temperature field and RTD simulation in a pilot-scale biomass pyrolysis vapor phase upgrading reactor

Journal Article · 31 January 2020 · Chemical Engineering Journal

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2020.124279 · OSTI ID:1601574

^[1]; Li, Tingwen ^[2]; Rogers, William A. ^[3];

^[4];

^[4]; Wiggins, Gavin ^[5]; Parks II, James E. ^[5]

Leidos Research Support Team, Morgantown, WV (United States); National Energy Technology Lab. (NETL), Albany, OR (United States)
SABIC Americas, Sugar Land, TX (United States)
National Energy Technology Lab. (NETL), Albany, OR (United States)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Accurate prediction of transport phenomena is critical for VPU reactor design, optimization, and scale-up. The current study focused on the validation and application of a multiphase CFD model within an open-source code MFiX for hydrodynamics, temperature field, and residence time distribution (RTD) simulation in a non-reacting circulating fluidized bed riser for biomass pyrolysis vapor phase upgrading (VPU). First, an Eulerian-Eulerian approach three-dimensional CFD model was employed to simulate the pilot-scale VPU riser on the supercomputer Joule. Excellent quantitative agreement between experimental and simulated results was achieved for pressure drops and temperature field in a range of operating conditions. Then the validated multiphase CFD model was applied to predict gas and solid residence time distributions (RTDs) since prediction and analysis of RTD is an important tool to study the complex multiphase flow behavior and mixing inside chemical reactors. The predictions show that solid mean residence time is 3.5 times the gas residence time; the solid RTD is more sensitive to the process gas flow rate than the solids circulation rate.

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Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Bioenergy Technologies Office (EE-3B)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308; AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1601574

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA--5100-74814

Journal Information:: Chemical Engineering Journal, Journal Name: Chemical Engineering Journal Journal Issue: C Vol. 388; ISSN 1385-8947

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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09 BIOMASS FUELS
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Title: Validation and application of a multiphase CFD model for hydrodynamics, temperature field and RTD simulation in a pilot-scale biomass pyrolysis vapor phase upgrading reactor

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