Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Fluidized-bed combustion Mathematical models'

Simultaneous solution of the conservation equations for energy and chemical species in conjunction with radiative transfer equation was carried out by coupling a previously developed and tested system model of fluidized bed combustion (FBC) to an existing radiation model. The predictive accuracy of the coupled code was assessed by applying it to 0.3 MWt METU Atmospheric Bubbling Fluidized Bed Combustor (ABFBC) Test Rig burning lignite in its own ash and comparing its predictions with the measured temperatures and concentrations of gaseous species along the combustor and radiative heat fluxes incident on the refractory-lined freeboard walls on two combustion tests, with and without recycle. The predictions of the coupled code were found to be in good agreement with the measurements. For the investigation of the significance of coupling of the radiation model to the system model, temperature predictions of the coupled code were compared with those obtained by the original system model. It was found that the effect of incorporating a radiation model into the system model on the predictions was not significant because the high temperatures of refractory-lined freeboard walls and high surface to volume ratio of the test rig under consideration cause the incident radiative heat fluxes to be dominated by walls rather than the particle laden gas emissions. However, in industrial boilers, freeboard is surrounded by water-cooled membrane walls and boilers have much lower surface to volume ratio. In order to examine the effects of both on radiation in industrial boilers, an investigation was carried out on 16 MWt Stationary Fluidized Bed Boiler (SFBB) by applying radiation model, in isolation from the system model, to the freeboard of the boiler. It was found that in the boiler, incident radiative heat fluxes were dominated by particle laden gas emissions. In brief, the coupled code proposed in this study proves to be a useful tool in qualitatively and quantitatively simulating the processes taking place in an atmospheric fluidized bed boilers.

In Victoria, Australia, brown coal is utilised as a major source of energy for the power generation industry. Victorian and South Australian brown coals have a very high moisture content and therefore, the efficiencies of power generation in traditional pulverised fuel fired furnaces are low. Fluidised beds offer a number of advantages over conventional furnaces, leading to improvements in efficiency and environmental impact. A disadvantage with implementing fluidised bed technology is the issue of scale-up. Fluidised bed behaviour can alter significantly with changes in scale, because of their strong dependence on the bed hydrodynamics. Hence, there is a need to accurately model bed behaviour to ensure that the effect of changes in scale are well understood and will not become costly and time consuming. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques can be applied to fluidised bed systems to gain a better understanding of the hydrodynamic behaviour involved. In the past, numerical models have considered only single particle sizes due to the added complexity of interaction between particles of differing sizes and densities. Industrial fluidised beds typically contain more than one particle size and density, therefore there is a need to develop a numerical model which takes this into account. The aim of this thesis is to develop and validate CFD techniques for modelling the behavior of a gas-solid fluidised bed containing more than one particle size and density. To provide validation data for the numerical model, physical experiments are undertaken on a small two-dimensional bubbling gas-solid fluidised bed. Mixing and segregation behaviour of different materials are investigated. The experiments demonstrate that whilst only a small proportion of the bed consists of different size/density particles, significant changes in bed behaviour are apparent. Changes in bubble rise velocity, bubble size and bubble shape are observed. A number of constitutive equations must be included in the numerical model, including relationships for the momentum transfer between various phases and solids pressure. Different combinations of these constitutive equations are investigated. A new equation for particle-particle interactions is derived and included in a CFD model. The CFD model is validated against both data in the literature and physical experiments. From the validation studies, an optimum equation set is identified. This optimum equation set produces numerical results that closely resemble experimental bed behaviour, thus bringing the goal of solving scale-up problems one step closer. The use of this type of CFD model will ultimately result in timely and cost effective solutions for both the power generation and chemical processing industries.

A considerable number of modeling studies for the investigation of sulfur retention in atmospheric bubbling fluidized bed combustors have been carried out and well documented in the literature. Despite 30 years of intensive study of sulfation process in fluidized bed combustors and numerous laboratory studies, there are still many uncertainties and disagreements on the subject. In addition, modeling sulfur retention performance of Turkish lignites with high sulfur, volatile matter and ash contents has not drawn much attention to date. Recent trend in utilization of indigenous lignites in fluidized bed boilers necessitated investigation of pollutant emissions and adaptation of fluidized bed combustion technology to these lignites. In an attempt to achieve this objective, a system model, previously developed and tested for the prediction of the combustion behavior of fluidized bed combustors was extended to incorporate sulfur retention. The predictive accuracy of the model was assessed by applying it to the prediction of the behavior of METU 0.3 MWt ABFBC test rig burning indigenous lignites in their own ashes, and comparing its predictions with measurements taken on the same rig. Sulfur dioxide concentration predictions throughout the combustor were found to be in good agreement with the experimental data except for the small discrepancy between predictions and measurements in the bed section. Measurements and model predictions revealed that recyling enhances calcium utilization significantly by increasing the sorbent residence time leading to higher sulfur retention efficiencies. The system model proposed in this study proves to be a useful tool in qualitatively and quantitatively simulating the processes taking place in an atmospheric fluidized bed combustor.

A comprehensive model, previously developed and tested for prediction of behavior of continuous fluidized bed combustors is extended to incorporate NOx formation and reduction reactions and applied to the simulation of METU 0.3 MWt Atmospheric Bubbling Fluidized Bed Combustor (ABFBC) burning lignites with high volatile matter in their own ashes. The predictive accuracy of the model was assessed by comparing its predictions with measurements taken previously on the same rig. Favorable comparisons are obtained between the predicted and measured temperatures and concentrations of gaseous species along the combustor. Results show that determination of partitioning of coal nitrogen into char nitrogen and volatile nitrogen, and release of volatile nitrogen along the combustor are found to be the most important parameters that affect NOx formation and reduction in bubbling fluidized bed combustors. The system model proposed in this study proves to be a useful tool in qualitatively and quantitatively simulating the processes taking place in an atmospheric fluidized bed combustor.

Detailed sensitivity numerical studies have shown that the mesh cell-size may have a drastic effect on the modelling of circulating fluidized bed with small particles. Typically, the cell-size must be of the order of few particle diameters to predict accurately the dynamical behaviour of a fluidized bed. Hence, the Euler-Euler numerical simulations of industrial processes are generally performed with grids too coarse to allow the prediction of the local segregation effects. Appropriate modelling, which takes into account the influence of unresolved structures, have been already proposed for monodisperse simulations. In this work, the influence of unresolved structures on a binary mixture of particles is investigated and models are proposed to account for those effect on bidisperse simulations of bidisperse gas-solid fluidized bed. To achieve this goal, Euler-Euler reference simulations are performed with grid refinement up to reach a mesh independent solution. Such kind of numerical simulation is very expensive and is restricted to very simple configurations. In this work, the configuration consists of a 3D periodical circulating fluidized bed, that could represent the established zone of an industrial circulating fluidized bed. In parallel, a filtered approach is developed where the unknown terms, called sub-grid contributions, appear. They correspond to the difference between filtered terms, which are calculated with the reference results then filtered, and resolved contributions, calculated with the filtered fields. Then spatial filters can be applied to reference simulation results to measure each sub-grid contribution appearing in the theoretical filtered approach. A budget analysis is carried out to understand and model the sub-grid term. The analysis of the filtered momentum equation shows that the resolved fluid-particle drag and inter-particle collision are overestimating the momentum transfer effects. The analysis of the budget of the filtered random kinetic energy shows that the resolved production by the mean shear and by the mean particle relative motion are underestimating the filtered ones. Functional models are proposed for the subgrid contributions of the drag and the inter-particle collision.

Dans une optique de maîtrise du procédé d’incinération des ordures ménagères et de ses possibles émissions polluantes, nous avons développé un modèle mathématique qui simule un lit d’ordures ménagères en combustion sur une grille mobile. Ce modèle décrit la plupart des phénomènes physicochimiques et thermiques intervenant lors de l’incinération : séchage et pyrolyse de la charge, combustion et gazéification du carbone résiduel, transferts thermiques, effondrement du lit, brassage… Il intègre également une description des mécanismes de volatilisation des métaux lourds et de formation des NOx. La cinétique de départ des métaux lourds est modélisée en tenant compte des différentes étapes de transport (transfert externe, diffusion intraparticulaire, volatilisation) au moyen de l’approche des temps caractéristiques additifs. Dans le cas simulé du cadmium, la prédiction d’une volatilisation quasi-complète est conforme aux résultats de la littérature. Le sous-modèle NOx prend en compte les mécanismes de formation thermique, prompt, combustible, par l’intermédiaire de N2O, ainsi que les mécanismes de réduction homogène par recombustion et hétérogène par le carbone résiduel. Les calculs révèlent que prédominent la formation par le mécanisme combustible et la destruction par la réduction hétérogène. Enfin, le modèle de lit a été utilisé pour étudier l’influence des divers paramètres opératoires : température, débit et distribution d’air primaire, taille des particules de déchets, brassage et schéma de brassage. Les résultats sont présentés et discutés en détail. L’influence des conditions opératoires sur l’efficacité du procédé et sur les émissions de Cd et NOx est analysée
As a tool for controlling the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) incineration process and its possible pollutant emissions, a mathematical model of the MSW bed burning on travelling grate of an incinerator was developed. The model describes most of the physico-chemical and thermal phenomena taking place in incineration like the drying and pyrolysis of the feed, combustion and gasification of char, oxidation of pyrolysis gases, heat transfer, bed shrinking, feed stirring, etc. Also described in the model are the mechanisms of Heavy Metals (HM) volatilization and NOx formation. Kinetics of HM release was modelled using the approach of additive reaction times accounting for the various transport mechanisms involved: external transfer, intra-particle diffusion and actual volatilization. In the case simulated, i.e. of Cd, almost total volatilization is predicted, which is confirmed by literature findings. The NOx sub-model takes into account most of the common mechanisms of formation like thermal, prompt, fuel, N2O intermediate and also NOx reduction by homogeneous reburning and heterogeneous reduction by char. Calculations show that NOx formation is predominated by the fuel mechanism and destruction by the heterogeneous reduction. Finally, the bed model was applied to study the influence of various operating parameters like flow rate, temperature and distribution of air under grates, waste particle size, feed stirring and the stirring scheme. The results are presented and discussed in detail and the influence of operating conditions on process efficiency and on emissions of Cd and NOx is analyzed

碩士
中原大學
化學工程研究所
82
A novel dimensionless relationship for predicting the proportions of volatile combustion within different regions of the fluidized bed combustor was presented. The temperatures of different regions can be predicted by material and energy balance including the proportion of volatile combustion. Experiments were carried out in a 0.45m pilot vortexing fluidized bed combustor (VFBC) to obtain temperature data of the two coal particle sizes, 2.52mm and 6.68mm, with different operating conditions. By using the multiple linear regression, the constants of the dimension- less equation were calculated. This model was used to predict the temperature distribution of the 0.7m*1.4m prototype VFBC and the difference between the experimental and theoretical study was compared. When the primary air increases, the temperature distribution curve stays the same and the total temperature decreases; the temperature of the freeboard decreases as the secondary air increases and the temperature has little increase both in the bed and above bed surface. The 6.68mm coal particle's temperature in the freeboard is lower than in the bed and compared with the 2.52mm coal particle, it shows a higher proportion of volatile combustion in the bed. The 2.52mm coal particle's temperature is higher at the feed position than in the bed because the time of volatile release is short due to the small particle size. Although the theoretical temperature is sometimes higher or sometimes lower than the experimental value, but the tendency of both are the same. The difference is smaller than 20℃ and the average deviation of including operating condition of the pilot and prototype VFBC doesn't exceed 7% within the three regions. The predictions from the model of different primary/ theoretical air ratio and different particle size also coincide well.

Includes bibliographical references.
[210] leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.
Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library.
This thesis presents two advanced modelling studies which address some unresolved fluidized bed combustion (FBC) issues. In the first study, finite element methods are used to solve a transient continuum/percolation model of a single porous char and its surrounding boundary layer so as to generate temperature, O2,CO2, CO pressure and porosity distributions for over 100 different FBC conditions. In the second study, a new discrete approach for the determination of the diffusion coefficients of the fluid-solid system is described and used, based on moecular dynamics and percolation concepts.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, 1996

Includes bibliographical references.
[210] leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.
This thesis presents two advanced modelling studies which address some unresolved fluidized bed combustion (FBC) issues. In the first study, finite element methods are used to solve a transient continuum/percolation model of a single porous char and its surrounding boundary layer so as to generate temperature, O2,CO2, CO pressure and porosity distributions for over 100 different FBC conditions. In the second study, a new discrete approach for the determination of the diffusion coefficients of the fluid-solid system is described and used, based on moecular dynamics and percolation concepts.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, 1996

Coal continues to be burned by direct combustion in packed or moving bed in small size domestic furnaces, medium size industrial furnaces, as well as small power stations. Recent stringent restrictions on exhaust emissions call for a better understanding of the process of combustion of coal in beds. The present study is a prelude to developing methods of analysis to obtain this improved understanding. A one-dimensional steady-state computational model for combustion of a bed of solid fuel particles with a counterflowing oxidant gas has been developed. Air, with or without preheating, is supplied at the bottom of the bed. Spherical solid fuel particles (composed of carbon and ash) are supplied at the top of the bed. Upon sufficient heating in their downward descent, the carbon in particles reacts with oxygen of the flowing gas. The governing equations of conservation of mass, energy, and species are integrated numerically to obtain the solid supply rate whose carbon content can be completely consumed by a given gas supply rate. The distributions of solid and gas temperatures, of concentrations of various gas species, of carbon content in solid, and of velocity and density of gas mixture are also calculated along the bed length. The dependence of these distributions on the solid and gas supply rates, the air supply temperature, the size of solid fuel particle, and the initial carbon content in solid is also investigated. The calculated distributions are compared with the available measurements from literature to find reasonable agreement. More gas supply is needed for complete combustion at higher solid supply rate. At a given gas supply rate, more solid fuel particles can be consumed at higher gas supply temperature, for larger particle size, and for lower initial carbon content in solid. The temperature of the bed becomes higher for higher solid supply rate, higher gas supply temperature, larger solid particle diameter, or lower initial carbon content in solid. These reasonable results lead one to encourage extension of the model presented here to more complex problems involving combustion of coals in beds including the effects of drying and pyrolysis.
Graduation date: 1994