Hydrodynamics of binary mixture fluidization in a compartmented fluidized bed

Abstract

The paper represents an extensive study of hydrodynamic cahracteristics of a fluidized bed in a pilot-plant-scale fluidized bed reactor designed for syngas production and power generation from biomass as a source of renewable energy. An air-blown compartmented fluidized bad gasifier permitting heat transfer between adjacent discrete compartments via solid circulation consists of two compartments, the combustor and the gasifier, operating at bubbling fluidized mode. Results of numerical simulation of the fluidized bed containing monodisperesed size Geldart B particles are represented. A three-dimensional Eulerian-culerian granualr model with closure laws according to the kinetic theory of granular flow is chosen to simulate the multipahse environs at 0.2 - 3.2 times minimum fluidization velocity. The present work reports also experimental results on the fluidization of palm-shell-sand binary mixtures of 2, 5, 10 and 15 wt % of feedstock including the minimum fluidization velocity of palm shell-sand binary mixtures, fluidization quality for different bed diameter, particle size, bed height, and superficial velocity. The velocity and lateral palm shells distributions in the mixtures are discussed.