Simulation and experiment of segregating/mixing of rice husksand

mixture in a bubbling uidized bed

Sun Qiaoqun
a
, Lu Huilin
a,
*
, Liu Wentie
a
, He Yurong
a
, Yang Lidan
a
, Dimitri Gidaspow
b
a
Department of Power Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, School of Energy Science and Engineering, Harbin 150001, China
b
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, IL 60616, USA
Received 28 May 2003; accepted 30 September 2004
Available online 8 December 2004
Abstract
The uidization behavior of rice husksand mixture in the gas bubbling uidized bed is experimentally and theoretically studied. The
relevancy of the pressure drop prole of rice husksand mixture to the denition of its minimum uidization velocity is discussed, and the
minimum uidization velocity of rice husksand binary mixture is determined. The distributions of mass fraction of rice husk particles along
the bed height are measured, and the proles of the mean particle diameter of mixture are determined. A multi-uid gassolid ow model is
presented where equations are derived from the kinetic theory of granular ow. Separate transport equations are constructed for each of the
particle classes, allowing for the interaction between particle classes, as well as the momentum and energy are exchanged between the
respective classes and the carrier gas. The distributions of the mass fraction of rice husk particles and the mean particle diameter of binary
mixture are predicted. The numerical results are analyzed, and compared with experimental data.
q 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Sand-rice husk mixture; Kinetic theory of granular ow; Segregation; Fluidization
1. Introduction
Biomass is an important renewable energy resource. It
not only has a wide distribution, but also abounds in
quantity [1,2]. Gasication of biomass-agriculture and
forest residues in uidized bed-reactors is widely used for
obtaining producer gas, synthesis gas and chemicals like
methanol, etc. [35]. The rice husk is the outer cover of the
rice and on average it accounts for 20% of the paddy
produced, on weight basis. Experimental results indicate
that uidized bed combustion technology seems to be the
suitable technology for converting a wide range of
agricultural residues into energy due to its inherent
advantages of fuel exibility, low operating temperature
and isothermal operating condition [6]. The uidization
characteristics of biomass materials are very important for
the modeling and design of the reactors. However, biomass
cannot be easily uidized alone due to their peculiar shapes,
sizes and densities. For proper uidization and processing in
the reactor, a second solid, usually an inert material like
silica sand, alumina, calcite, etc. is used to facilitate
uidization of biomass. It also acts as a heat transfer
medium in the reactor. The uidization of sand and biomass
mixtures is characterized by particles of different shapes,
sizes, densities and compositions. Rao et al. [7] studied on
the uidization of mixtures of sands and biomass of rice
husk, sawdust and groundnut shell powder to determine the
minimum uidization velocity in a uidized bed. These
experimental results show that, in general, it is difcult to
uidize rice husk, and its uidization behavior improves
when it is mixed with other solid particles.
Mixtures of solid particles of different size and/or
different density tend to separate in vertical direction
under uidized conditions. The nonuniform distribution of
the different solid components is caused by a competitive
action of mixing and segregation mechanisms. The
component that tends to sink at the air distributor is referred
to as a jetsam, while the component that tends to oat on
0016-2361/$ - see front matter q 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2004.09.026
Fuel 84 (2005) 17391748
www.fuelrst.com
* Corresponding author. Tel.: C86 10 0451 8641 2258; fax: C86 10
0451 8622 1048.
E-mail address: huilin@hit.edu.cn (L. Huilin).
the uidized bed surface is referred to as a otsam. Hence,
in typical biomass combustion systems with a small amount
of biomass fuel particles in a bed of sand particles, the sand
will be the jetsam component, and the biomass fuel particles
is the otsam component. Segregation behavior of biomass
fuel is of practical importance because the vertical location
of biomass fuel inuences the in-bed combustion efciency
of volatile matter.
Segregation behavior and minimum uidization velocity
of binary mixture were experimentally studied in bubbling
uidized beds [810]. Nienow et al. [11] and Rowe et al.
[12] studied the segregation in the bubbling uidized bed
consisting of binary mixtures for both different particle size
and density. Ekinci et al. [13] experimented the density and
size segregation behavior determined from temperature
distributions. Pilar et al. [14] have thoroughly reviewed
several investigations reported on the uidization of
mixtures of solids with different particle sizes as well as
mixtures of particles of different sizes and densities.
Hoffmann et al. [15] experimented the segregation of the
different particle sizes and densities of binary mixture in the
bubbling uidized bed. Wang et al. [16] investigated
the particle concentration proles and minimum uidizing
velocity of ternary mixtures. Wu et al. [17] studied the
behavior of segregation of particles consisting of equal
density, but different sizes. Mohammad et al. [18] reported
expermental results of different binary mixtures in a gas
bubbling uidized bed. Marzocchella et al. [19] tested the
particle size distribution in the equal density and dissimilar
size of binary mixture in a bubbling uidized bed. Manfred
et al. [20] studied the mixing and segregation behavior of
spherical solids in a bubbling uidized bed of silica sand,
and the time average segregation patterns of the solid
mixtures were obtained from single particle trajectories
measured by the particle detection system based on an
electromagnetic principle. Formisani et al. [21] reported an
experimental study of the uidization behavior of mixtures
of glass beads particles differing in size at various average
compositions.
Theoretical analyses of multicomponent particles are
available based on extensions of kinetic theory of dense
gases, appropriately modied to include the effect of energy
dissipations due to inelasticity [22,23]. In all of the
aforementioned models, the equipartition of granular energy
(the mean kinetic energy due to particle velocity uctu-
ations) of the respective particle classes is assumed in the
derivation of kinetic energy equation of particles. However,
this assumption is hold for molecular systems where
dissipative effects are absent, and when the mass ratio of
the respective particles is moderate. For granular ow of
particle mixture, this assumption is inappropriate due to the
dissipation associated with the inelasticity of particle
collisions. Gidaspow et al. [24] extended the kinetic theory
of dense gases to binary granular mixture with unequal
granular temperature between the particle phases. The
hydrodynamics of binary mixture with different sizes were
studied by Mathiesen et al. using a CFD model, and
predicted the axial and radial velocity and particle
concentrations in a riser [25]. Goldschmidt et al. [26]
studied the inuence of the restitution coefcient on the
segregation behavior of dense gas-uidized beds based on a
multi-uid Eulerian model. Wachem et al. [27] simulated
the ow behavior of gas-uidized bed with a bimodal
particle mixture using a computational uid dynamics
Nomenclature
C
d
drag coefcient
d particle diameter
e restitution coefcient
g gravity
g
sn
binary radial distribution function
H bed height
I unit tensor
L height
m mass of a particle
n normal direction
p uid pressure
p
s
solid pressure
q uctuating energy ux
Re Reynolds number
t time
u velocity
Greek letters
t
g
gas stress tensor
t
s
particle stress tensor
Dh segment height
q granular temperature
m
g
gas viscosity
m
s
shear viscosity
x
s
bulk viscosity
3
g
porosity
3
s
volume fraction of particles
r
s
particle density
g
s
energy dissipation
b drag coefcient
Subscripts
av average
dil dilute
g gas phase
lam laminar ow
m solid phase
max maximum packing
r rice husk particles
s sand particles, silica sand particles
S. Qiaoqun et al. / Fuel 84 (2005) 17391748 1740
model. Lathouwers et al. [28] presented a multi-uid
approach where macroscopic equations are derived from
the kinetic theory of granular ows using inelastic rigid-
sphere models accounting for collisional transfer in high-
density regions. Huilin et al. [29] gave an extension to
binary mixtures of particles using kinetic theory of dense
gases, and simulated ow behavior of particles of binary
mixture in the bubbling uidized bed [30].
Moving from these considerations, and out of the
empirical approach generally followed in most of the
available literature, this paper tries to identify and outline
the role of some of the particle properties and of the
operative variables that have a major inuence on the
uidization behavior of size segregating in the bubbling
uidized bed with biomass particles. To this purpose,
experiments have been conducted with mixtures of sand and
rice husk particles in a uidized bed. Based on Huilin et al.
[29] study, a generalized multiphase gassolid ow model
was presented. The gas-particle drag and particleparticle
interactions are considered in the model. The model was
applied to simulate the ow behavior of rice husksand
mixture in the gas bubbling uidized bed. The simulated
results are compared with experimental data of binary
mixture in the bubbling uidized bed.
2. Experimental equipment, materials and procedure
2.1. Apparatus and bed materials
All the experiments of this study have been performed in
a cross-section area of 245!450 mm, and height of
2000 mm bubbling uidization apparatus made of plexiglas
as shown in Fig. 1. The uidized bed equipped with a high-
pressure drop perforated distributor of gas. Fluidizing air
ow rates were regulated by a set of rotameters. The
pressure drops across the distributor and the bed are
measured by U-tube manometers. Bed height was evaluated
by averaging the values read on two graduated scales at the
wall, and then used for determining bed porosity. A solenoid
valve on the feed line was employed to cut the air ux off
instantaneously. Several windows at the front wall are
arranged to take out the bed materials in the xed bed
condition. Each window height is 50 mm.
Biomass material used in the present work is rice husk.
The other solid materials used are sand and silica sand
particles. The density and average diameter of sand particles
are 2600 kg/m
3
and 360 and 440 mm, and the density and
averaged diameter of silica sand particles are 2700 kg/m
3
and 360 and 710 mm, respectively. The average dimensions
of the rice husk particles are 2 mm wide, 1 mm thick and
10 mm long. The averaged density of rice husk particles is
950.6 kg/m
3
.
2.2. Procedure
The binary mixture materials of rice husk and sand
particles, indicated as R-S360 and R-S440, and rice husk
and silica sand particles, indicated as R-Q360 and R-Q710,
are used. The binary mixture is initially thoroughly mixed
by uidization condition at the given supercial gas velocity
that is higher than the minimum uidization velocity. The
pressure drop along bed height is measured by U-tube
manometers. The porosity, 3
g,f
, between two measured
points Dh can be calculated, and the porosity distribution
along bed height is determined at the uidization state. The
gas owrate is simultaneously shut off. Thus the freezing
particles in the xed bed of mixing state associated to a
given steady uidization condition. The solid was gently
drawn from each window. Each of these layers was then
sieved to measure by weighing. The mass fraction of solid
component and the porosity were determined. Both porosity
and mass fraction were then referred to the average height of
the relevant layers and used to trace the respective proles
as a function of height. According to measured particle
weight within a layer height Dh
o
, the averaged porosity, 3
g,o
,
was determined in the xed bed. The height at uidization
condition corresponding to height Dh
o
of the xed bed is
DhZDh
o
(1K3
g;o
)=(1K3
g;f
). The technique employed is
used by many research groups [11,17,31], and many others
and widely accepted in the eld of uidization.
3. Mathematical model
We consider a binary mixture of smooth, nearly elastic
sphere of two different particle classes A and B. These
particles have mass m
k
, density r
k
and velocity u
k
, where
k is either classes A or B. The granular temperature of
particle classes k is dened as: q
k
Z(C
2
k
)=3, where C
k
is
the uctuating velocity of classes k. The laws of
conservation of mass, momentum and granular tempera-
ture are satised for gas phase and particle classes
individually. Section 3.1 gives the governing equations for
gassolids two-phase ow model [29,32]. In the particle
kinetic energy conservation Eq. (4), the rst term on Fig. 1. Scheme of experimental system of a bubbling uidized bed.
S. Qiaoqun et al. / Fuel 84 (2005) 17391748 1741
the left-hand side denotes the time dependency of the
granular energy, the second term is the convection of the
granular energy. On the right-hand side, the rst term
denotes the creation of the granular energy, the second
term is the diffusion of the granular temperature and the
third term is the dissipation of granular energy due to
inelastic particleparticle collisions, and the last term is
the dissipation due to uid friction. Conservation
equations of mass, momentum and granular temperature
is solved for each solid classes.
In order to describe solid-phase stress in the momentum
and granular temperature equations, the constitutive
relations are needed. These constitutive laws specify how
the physical parameters of the phases interact with each
others. The constitutive equations come from the inter-
actions of the uctuating and the mean motions of the
particles. The couple between the various particle classes is
through particle pressure, radial distribution function at
contact, viscosities, particle collision dissipation and
conductivities.
3.1. Equations of gassolid two-phase ow
(1) Continuity equation (mZgas phase, solid classes):
v
vt
(3
m
r
m
) CV$(3
m
r
m
u
m
) Z0 (1)
(2) Gas phase momentum equation:
v
vt
(3
g
r
g
u
g
) CV$(3
g
r
g
u
g
u
g
)
ZKVp CV$t
g
C3
g
r
g
g C

sZA;B
f
gs
(u
s
Ku
g
) (2)
(3) Momentum equation for solid classes s (sZA, B):
v
vt
(3
s
r
s
u
s
) CV$(3
s
r
s
u
s
u
s
)
ZV$t
s
C3
s
r
s
g Cf
gs
(u
g
Ku
s
)
C

mZA;B;ssm
f
ms
(u
m
Ku
s
) (3)
(4) Kinetic energy equation for solid classes s (sZA, B):
3
2
v
vt
(3
s
r
s
q
s
) CV$(3
s
r
s
q
s
u
s
)
_ _
Z(t
s
: V$u
s
) CV$q
s
Kg
s
K3f
sg
q
s
(4)
(5) Constitutive relations of gassolid two-phase ow
(a) Gas phase stress tensor:
t
g
Z3
g
m
g
[Vu
g
CVu
T
g
] K
2
3
3
g
m
g
V$u
g
(5)
(b) Stress tensor of solid phase s (sZA, B):
t
s
Z(Kp
s
Cx
s
V$u
s
)I Cm
s
[Vu
s
CVu
T
s
]
K
2
3
m
s
V$u
s
I (6)
(c) Solid pressure p
s
(sZA, B):
p
s
Z3
s
r
s
q
s
C

mZA;B
p
c;sm
Z3
s
r
s
q
s
C

mZA;B
p(1 Ce
sm
)d
3
sm
g
sm
n
s
n
m
m
s
m
m
m
o
q
s
q
m
3(m
2
s
q
s
Cm
2
m
q
m
)
!
m
2
o
q
s
q
m
(m
2
s
q
s
Cm
2
m
q
m
)(q
s
Cq
m
)
_ _
3=2
!(1 K3DC6D
2
K10D
3
/)
D Z
(m
s
q
s
Km
m
q
m
)
[(m
2
s
q
2
s
Cm
2
m
q
2
m
) Cq
s
q
m
(m
2
s
Cm
2
m
)]
1=2
;
e
sm
Z
e
s
Ce
m
2
; d
sm
Z
d
s
Cd
m
2
;
m
o
Z(m
s
Cm
m
) (7)
(d) Radial distribution function at contact for mixtures:
g
sm
Z
1
1 K
3
p
3
s;max
C
6d
s
d
m
d
s
Cd
m
d
1 K
3
p
3
s;max
_ _
2
C8
d
s
d
m
d
s
Cd
m
_ _
2
d
2
1 K
3
p
3
s;max
_ _
3
(8)
d Z2p(n
s
d
2
s
Cn
m
d
2
m
)=3 and 3
p
Z3
s
C3
m
(e) Solid phase bulk viscosity (sZA, B):
x
s
Z

mZA;B
d
sm
3
2(m
s
q
s
Cm
m
q
m
)
2
pq
s
q
m
(m
2
s
q
s
Cm
2
m
q
m
)
_ _
1=2
p
c;sm
(9)
(f) Solid phase viscosity (sZA, B):
m
s
Z

mZA;B
p
c;sm
d
sm
5

2(m
s
q
s
Cm
m
q
m
)
2
pq
s
q
m
(m
2
s
q
s
Cm
2
m
q
m
)

C
2m
dil;s
1
2

mZA;B
(1 Ce
sm
)g
sm
! 1 C
4
5

mZA;B
(1 Ce
sm
)3
m
g
sm
_ _
2
(10)
m
dil;s
Z
5

p
_
96
d
s
r
s
q
1=2
s;av
(11)
S. Qiaoqun et al. / Fuel 84 (2005) 17391748 1742
q
s;av
Z
2q
s

MZA;B
n
m
n
s
_ _
d
sm
d
s
_ _
2
m
2
o
q
m
(m
2
s
q
s
Cm
2
m
q
m
)
_ _
1=2
m
2
o
q
s
q
m
(m
2
s
q
s
Cm
2
m
q
m
)(q
s
Cq
m
)
_ _
3=2
(1 K3uC6u
2
K/)
_ _
2
(12)
(g) Drag coefcient between the gas and the solid
phases:
f
gs
Z4f
gs
}
Ergun
C(1 K4)f
gs
}
Wen & Yu
(13)
f
gs
}
Ergun
Z150
(1 K3
g
)3
s
m
g
3
2
g
d
3
s
C1:75
r
g
3
s
}u
g
Ku
s
}
3
g
d
s
3
g
%0:8 (14)
f
gs
}
Wen & Yu
Z
3
4
C
d
3
g
3
s
}u
g
Ku
s
}
d
s
3
K2:65
g
3
g
O0:8 (15)
4 Zarctan
150!1:75(0:2 K3
s
)
p
_ _
C0:5 (16)
C
d
Z
24
Re
(1 C0:15 Re
0:68
) Re%1000
0:44 ReO1000
_
(17)
Re Z
}u
g
Ku
s
}3
g
r
g
d
s
m
g
(18)
(h) Drag coefcient of particleparticle:
f
sm
Zp
c:sm
3
d
sm
2(m
2
s
q
s
Cm
2
m
q
m
)
pm
2
o
q
s
q
m
_ _
1=2
_
C
1
}u
s
Ku
m
}
V ln
3
s
3
m
C3V
ln(m
m
q
m
)
ln(m
s
q
s
)
_ _ _
C
q
s
q
m
q
s
Cq
m
Vq
m
q
2
m
K
Vq
s
q
2
s
_ ___
(19)
(i) Collisional heat ux for solid phase (sZA, B):
q
s
Z3
s
k
s
Vq
s
C

mZA;B
p
c;sm
(1 Ce
sm
)
9m
m
5m
o
(u
m
Ku
s
)
_
Cd
sm
2m
2
m
q
m
p(m
2
s
q
s
Cm
2
m
q
m
)
_ _
1=2
_
! V ln
3
s
3
m
C3V
ln(m
m
q
m
)
ln(m
s
q
s
)
_ _
C3
2m
3
s
m
3
m
q
s
q
m
p(m
2
s
q
s
Cm
2
m
q
m
)
_ _
1=2
m
m
q
s
q
m
q
s
Cq
m
_ _
!
Vq
s
q
2
s
K
Vq
m
q
2
m
_ _
C6m
m
2m
3
s
m
3
m
q
s
q
m
m
2
s
q
s
Cm
2
m
q
m
_ _
3=2
!
Vq
s
m
s
q
2
s
K
Vq
m
m
m
q
2
m
_ ___
(20)
k
s
Z
2k
dil;s
1
2

mZA;B
(1 Ce
sm
)g
sm
! 1 C
6
5

mZA;B
g
sm
3
m
(1 Ce
sm
)
m
_ _
2
C23
s
r
s
d
s

q
s
p
_

mZA;B
3
m
g
sm
(1 Ce
sm
) (21)
k
dil;s
Z
75

p
_
384
d
s
r
s
q
1=2
s;av
(22)
(j) Dissipation of the turbulent kinetic energy due to
particle collisions (sZA, B):
g
s
Z

mZA;B
3
d
sm
2m
2
o
q
s
q
m
p(m
2
s
q
s
Cm
2
m
q
m
)
_ _
1=2
_
K
3m
o
(m
s
q
s
Cm
m
q
m
)
4(m
2
s
q
s
Cm
2
m
q
m
)
V$u
s
(1 Ke
sm
)p
c;sm
(23)
All simulations were carried out in a two-dimensional
Cartesian space. The boundary condition of walls is treated
as no-slip boundaries for the gas phase. The partial slip
condition applied to the particle classes is given by Sinclair
et al. [33]:
K
pr
s
3
s
g
o

q
s
_
2

3
_
3
s;max
u
s
Z(3
s
t
s
$n) (24)
3
s
(q
s
$n) ZKu
s
(3
s
t
s
$n) C

3
_
p(1 Ke
w
)r
s
3
s
g
o
q
3=2
s
43
s;max
(25)
The boundary condition at the top of the bed is a pressure
boundary. The pressure at this boundary is xed to a
reference value. Neumann boundary conditions are applied
to gas ow. At the bottom of the bed, gas velocity is given.
The bottom is assumed impenetratable for the solid classes
by setting the solids axial velocity to zero.
The modied K-FIX program, which was previously used
in the uidization [32], is carried out in the simulations of
this study [30]. The K-FIX code employs a staggered nite
difference mesh system. Phase velocities are centered on
cell boundaries, whereas all other quantities are located at
the center of the mesh. The equations for the solid-phase
granular temperature, solid-phase stress and the drag on the
particle mixture were implemented into this code. The gas
phase is assumed to be compressible and the calculated
pressure is used to determine the gas density. The values of
S. Qiaoqun et al. / Fuel 84 (2005) 17391748 1743
restitution coefcients of sand and silica sand particles of
e
s
Z0.9, and rice husk of e
r
Z0.6 are used. Initially, the two
classes particles of uniform-mixed are lled with in the bed
with a given solid mass fraction. All simulations are
continued for 50 s of real simulation time, which require up
to 1 or 2 weeks of computational time on a PC (40 GB hard
disk, 128 Mb RAM, and 600 MHz CPU). All presented
time-averaged distributions were taken from 10 to 50 s from
simulation results.
4. Results and discussions
At the beginning of a uidization experiment, the
particles of binary mixture can be charged into the bed in
different ways: the xed bed arrangement may be that of a
well-mixed assembly of particles, of two completely
segregated layers of each component or may represent any
other intermediate situation. In all experiments, the well-
mixed arrangement of particles is used as the initial particle
bed. Fig. 2a shows the proles of measured bed pressure
drop for R-S440 and R-S360 mixture, and Fig. 2b for
R-Q710 and R-Q360 mixtures as a function of supercial
gas velocity. As the supercial gas velocity increases, the
bed pressure drop increases gradually in the xed bed where
all particles are stabilization. Until at the point A, the total
pressure drop of bed goes to a constant, and equals to the
particle weight of mixture per area of the bed. The bed
pressure drop versus supercial gas velocities is plotted for
determining the minimum uidization velocity of mixture.
The minimum uidization velocity is obtained from the
intersecting point of the curve of xed bed at deuidization
with the constant pressure line at the uidization condition.
Fig. 3 shows the measured minimum uidization velocity as
a function of the averaged mass fraction of rice husk
particles. It is observed that the measured minimum
uidization velocity increases with the increase of the
averaged mass fraction of rice husk, and decreases with the
decrease of the sand particle size.
Given the weight of rice husk particles in the bed, the
averaged porosity, 3
g
, can be obtained from the measured
bed height of rice husk particles alone in the xed bed. From
the measured bed pressure drop of rice husk particles alone
in the xed bed, the equivalent diameter of a sphere rice
husk particle, d
r,av
, can be obtained by solving Ergun
equation at the given supercial gas velocity [32]:
Dp
H
Z150
(1 K3
g
)
2
m
g
u
g
3
3
g
d
2
r;av
C1:75
1 K3
g
3
3
g
r
g
d
r;av
u
2
g
(26)
The calculated equivalent diameter of rice husk particles is
1.54 mm.
Fig. 4 shows the simulated segregation patterns for the
R-S360 binary mixture with the averaged mass fraction of
rice husk particles x
av,r
of 5.82% at the supercial gas
velocity of 0.58 m/s. At the state tZ0 the sand particles and
rice husk particles are assumed to be well-mixed. As the
computational time proceeds, the sand particles are
gradually accumulated into the bottom of bed, and the
mass fraction of sand particles increases at the bottom and
decreases in the upper regime of bed. The rice husk
particles, however, are oated in the upper regime of bed.
The mass fraction of rice husk particles decreases in the
bottom and increases at the upper regime of bed. Within
10 s almost complete segregation of rice husk and sand
particles is predicted in the bed.
Fig. 5 shows the experimented and calculated mass
fraction of rice husk particles as a function of bed height for
the binary mixtures of R-S440 at the averaged mass fraction
of rice husk particles of 5.82% and at the supercial gas
velocity of 0.58 and 0.79 m/s, respectively. The mass
fraction of rice husk particles is small in the bottom, and
high at the upper regime of bed. The mass fraction of sand
particles, however, is high in the bottom and low at the top
of the bed. This means that the sand particles and rice husk
particles are segregated along the bed height. We see that
with the increase of supercial gas velocity the distribution
of mass fraction of rice husk particles tends to uniform along
the bed height. From experimental observations, we see that
the sand particle will carried out from bottom to top of the
bed by bubbles with the increase of supercial gas velocity.
At the same time the rice husk particles are carried from
Fig. 2. Pressure drop of rice husksand and rice husksilica sand binary
mixtures as a function of supercial gas velocity.
Fig. 3. Measured minimum uidization velocity as a function of mass
fraction of rice husk particles.
S. Qiaoqun et al. / Fuel 84 (2005) 17391748 1744
the upper regime of bed to the bottom through particles
circulation in the bed. The higher the supercial gas
velocity, the stronger the mixing between the rice husk
particles and sand particles. Hence, the high gas velocity
gives a more uniform distribution of sand and rice husk
particles in the bed.
The effect of the mean diameter of silica sand particles
on the distribution of mass fraction of rice husk particles
is shown in Fig. 6. The mass fraction of rice husk
particles increases at the upper regime, and decreases in
the bottom in the bed with the diameter of silica sand
particles from 360 to 710 mm. The minimum uidization
velocity of mixture particles increases with the increase of
the mean diameter of silica sand particles, seeing Fig. 2.
The excess gas velocity, (u
g
Ku
mf
), decreases with the
increase of the diameter of silica sand particles at the
given supercial gas velocity. The bubble number will be
decreased with the increase of the diameter of silica sand
particles. This causes the mixing between silica sand and
rice husk particles becomes weak. Due to the mass
difference between sand particles and rice husk particles,
the silica sand particles will tend to sink the bed bottom,
and the rice husk particles will oat at the upper regime
of bed. Hence, the diameter of jetsam particles effects on
the distribution of mass fraction of rice husk particles in
the bed.
Fig. 7 shows the effects of restitution coefcients of
particles on the mass fraction distribution of rice husk
particles for the binary mixture of R-Q360 at the supercial
gas velocity of 0.61 m/s. We see that as the restitution
coefcient of rice husk particles increases from 0.5 to 0.7
the mass fraction of rice husk particles decreases at the
lower region, and increases at the upper region of bed. A
variation of the restitution coefcient inuences on the
momentum and energy exchange between sand particles
and rice husk particles since the dissipation of uctuating
energy will change considerably by inelastic particle
collisions. It can be seen that the value of restitution
coefcient of rice husk particles effects on the distribution of
mass fraction of rice husk particles in the bed.
Fig. 4. Segregation patterns of binary mixture of R-S360 at the supercial gas velocity of 0.58 m/s.
Fig. 5. Prole of mass fraction of rice husk for R-S440 at the averaged mass
fraction of 5.82%.
Fig. 6. Distribution of mass fraction of rice husk for R-Q710 and R-Q360
binary mixtures.
S. Qiaoqun et al. / Fuel 84 (2005) 17391748 1745
From measured and computed mass fraction of
particles, the mean particle diameter is calculated. Fig. 8
shows the mean particle diameter distributions as a
function of height for the binary mixtures of R-S440 at
the averaged mass fraction of rice husk particles of 5.82%.
The mean particle diameter increases with the decrease of
bed height. The mean particle diameter is larger in the
bottom region than that at the top of bed. At the averaged
mass fraction of rice husk particles of 5.82%, the mean
particle diameter for the binary mixtures of R-S440 is
459.1 mm. From the simulation results of R-S440 binary
mixture, the computed mean particle diameter increases
from 448.9 mm in the bottom to 476.2 mm at the bed
surface at the supercial gas velocity of 0.58 m/s, and
452.9 mm in the bottom to 468.8 mm at the bed surface at
the supercial gas velocity of 0.79 m/s. We see that the
distribution of mean diameter of binary mixture of R-S440
along the bed height trends to uniform with the increase of
supercial gas velocity.
Fig. 9 shows the mean particle diameter distributions as a
function of bed height for the binary mixtures of R-Q360
and R-Q710 at the averaged mass fraction of rice husk
particle of 8.86%. The mean particle diameters for the
binary mixtures of R-Q360 and R-Q710 are 383.1 and
741.4 mm, respectively. For R-Q360 binary mixture, the
simulated mean particle diameter increases from 366.4 mm
in the bottom to 385.7 mm at the bed surface. The simulated
mean particle diameter increases from 715.4 mm in the
bottom to 749.2 mm at the bed surface for R-Q710 binary
mixture. This indicates that the particle diameter of jetsam
effects on the segregation/mixing behavior of particles in
the bed.
The simulated time-averaged vertical and lateral particle
velocity distributions are shown in Fig. 10 for the binary
mixture of R-S360 at the averaged mass fraction of rice husk
particles and the supercial gas velocity of 5.82% and
0.93 m/s, respectively. The simulated results show that in
the center part of bed the sand particles and rice husk
particles ow upward with a high velocity of particles. In
the wall region, the vertical velocities of sand and rice husk
particles are negative. This indicates that the particles ow
down near the walls. The circulation of sand and rice husk
particles is formed in the bed. From Fig. 10, we see that the
vertical velocity of the rice husk particles is larger than that
of the sand particles. The relative velocity between the sand
and rice husk particles is larger in the center than that at the
walls. The time-averaged lateral particle velocities are
Fig. 7. Effect of restitution coefcients on mass fraction distribution of
biomass particles.
Fig. 8. Distribution of mean diameter of binary mixture of R-S440.
Fig. 9. Proles of mean diameter of binary mixture of R-Q360.
Fig. 10. Distribution of vertical particle velocity of sand and rice husk
particles.
S. Qiaoqun et al. / Fuel 84 (2005) 17391748 1746
negative in the left side and positive in the right side. This
means that the sand and rice husk particles ow from walls
into center of bed.
Fig. 11 shows the simulated granular temperature of the
sand particles and rice husk particles for the binary mixtures
of R-S360 at the averaged mass fraction of rice husk
particles and the supercial gas velocity of 5.82% and
0.93 m/s, respectively. The granular temperature of particle
classes is high wherever there is a great deal of motion of
particles. It can be seen that the rice husk particles give a
lower uctuation energy, while the sand particles have a
higher kinetic energy of uctuations. The simulated granular
temperatures of rice husk and sand particles are lower in the
low portion than that at the top of the bed. We see that the
sand particles and rice husk particles have unequal granular
temperature in the bed.
5. Conclusions
The uidization behavior of a binary mixture of sand and
rice husk particles with the different diameter and density is
strongly inuenced by the variations of supercial gas
velocity and density and diameter of jetsam particles in the
bed. The initial uidization state of a binary mixture is
characterized by the minimum uidization velocity at which
the total pressure drop equals to the particles weight per unit
area of bed, which depends upon the averaged mass fraction
of rice husk particles. The minimum uidization velocities
of binary mixture for the different sands and rice husk
particles are experimentally determined in a bubbling
uidized bed. The measured minimum uidization velocity
increases with the increase of mass fraction of rice husk
particles in the bed.
A computational uid dynamics model has been
presented where the kinetic theory of granular ow forms
the basis for the turbulence modeling of the solid classes.
Separate transport equations are used for each particle
classes leading to momentum and energy exchange between
respective classes, and between particles and gas phase. The
model has been applied to simulate the binary mixtures ow
in a bubbling uidized bed. A parametric study has been
performed. The mass fraction distributions of rice husk
particles are predicted. The mean particle diameter
distributions along bed height are computed. Simulated
results indicate the particle size, mass fraction of sand
particles and supercial gas velocity have considerable
impacted on the segregating behavior of rice husk particles.
The simulated results are in agreement with measured mass
fraction of rice husk particles. The simulation results
indicate that the model captures the key features of binary
mixture uidization of biomass. Since the validation of
fundamental hydrodynamic models can only be made when
the collision parameters of particles are set to the correct
values, there is a great need for experiments for which the
rheology of particles has been accurately determined.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Science
Foundation through Grant No. 50376013; and NSFC-
PetroChina Company Limited under the cooperative project
No. 20490200.
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