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Article
CFD Modeling and X-Ray Imaging of Biomass in a Fluidized Bed
Journal of Fluids Engineering
  • Mirka Deza, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  • Nathan P. Franka, Iowa State University
  • Francine Battaglia, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  • Theodore J. Heindel, Iowa State University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-29-2009
DOI
10.1115/1.4000257
Abstract

Computational modeling of fluidized beds can be used to predict the operation of biomass gasifiers after extensive validation with experimental data. The present work focused on validating computational simulations of a fluidized bed using a multifluid Eulerian–Eulerian model to represent the gas and solid phases as interpenetrating continua. Simulations of a cold-flow glass bead fluidized bed, using two different drag models, were compared with experimental results for model validation. The validated numerical model was then used to complete a parametric study for the coefficient of restitution and particle sphericity, which are unknown properties of biomass. Biomass is not well characterized, and so this study attempts to demonstrate how particle properties affect the hydrodynamics of a fluidized bed. Hydrodynamic results from the simulations were compared with X-ray flow visualization computed tomography studies of a similar bed. It was found that the Gidaspow (blending) model can accurately predict the hydrodynamics of a biomass fluidized bed. The coefficient of restitution of biomass did not affect the hydrodynamics of the bed for the conditions of this study; however, the bed hydrodynamics were more sensitive to particle sphericity variation.

Comments

This article is from Journal of Fluids Engineering 131 (2009): 111303, doi:10.1115/1.4000257. Posted with permission.

Copyright Owner
ASME
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Mirka Deza, Nathan P. Franka, Francine Battaglia and Theodore J. Heindel. "CFD Modeling and X-Ray Imaging of Biomass in a Fluidized Bed" Journal of Fluids Engineering Vol. 131 Iss. 16 (2009) p. 111303
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/theodore_heindel/11/