Heat Transfer in Packed Bed

Packed Bed as Regenerators/Heat Storage

• Bed heated using hot flue gases and then air is passed to
extract the heat
• Whereas in recuperators, where heat is transferred directly and
immediately through a partition wall of some kind, from a hot
to a cold fluid, both of which flow simultaneously through the
exchanger, the operation of the regenerative heat exchanger
involves the temporary storage of the heat transferred in
a packing which possesses the necessary thermal capacity. One
consequence of this is that in regenerative heat exchangers
or thermal regenerators, the hot and cold fluids pass through
the same channels in the packing, alternately, both fluids
washing the same surface area. In recuperators, the hot and
cold fluids pass simultaneously through different but adjacent
channels.
• In thermal regenerator operation the hot fluid passes through the channels of the
packing for a length of time called the "hot period," at the end of which, the hot
fluid is switched off. A reversal now takes place when the cold fluid is admitted into
the channels of the packing, initially driving out any hot fluid still resident in these
channels, thereby purging the regenerator. The cold fluid then flows through the
regenerator for a length of time called the "cold period," at the end of which the
cold fluid is switched off and another reversal occurs in which, this time, the hot
fluid purges the channels of the packing of any remaining cold fluid. A fresh hot
period then begins.

• During the hot period, heat is transferred from the hot fluid and is stored in the
packing of the regenerator. In the subsequent cold period, this heat is regenerated
and is transferred to the cold fluid passing through the exchanger.
Some correlations used for h between gases and
packed solid are as follows:
𝑉𝑜 𝜌𝑔 0.7
Lof & Hawley : ℎ𝑣 = 650
𝐷𝑣
𝐷𝑣 average volume diameter
ℎ𝑣 𝑖𝑠 Volume Heat Transfer Coefficient/ Volume of bed

Whitaker : (more accurate, sp. For Raschig Ring, Berl Saddle)

2
3
𝜀 1
𝑁𝑢𝑔𝑝 = 0.5 𝑅𝑒𝑝 + 0.2(𝑅𝑒𝑝 ) 𝑃𝑟 3
1−𝜀
ℎ𝑔𝑝 𝐷𝑣𝑠
𝑁𝑢𝑔𝑝 =
𝑘𝑔
For, 20<Rep < 10000
0.34<ε<0.78
 2𝜀D𝑣𝑠
• 𝐷𝑒𝑞 = …….xx
3(1−𝜀)
4𝜀𝐴𝑐 𝐿
• 𝐷𝑒𝑞 = , Numerator is void volume,
1−𝜀 𝐴𝑐 𝐿𝑆𝑝
denominator is Surface area of solid particles
𝐶𝑝,𝑔 µ𝑔
• 𝑃𝑟 =
𝑘
𝐷𝑣𝑠 𝑉𝑜 𝜌𝑔
• 𝑅𝑒𝑝 =
µ𝑔 (1−𝜀)

xx this equation we have derived in last sem for

packed bed.
• A pebble bed heater is being used for heating air.
The bed is composed of 20mm spherical particles
and the average voidage of the bed is 0.5. The
particles are initially heated to a temperature of
70oC. Air at 10oC is passed through the bed at a
superficial mass velocity of 0.5kg/ m2 s.
Determine the height of bed required if the initial
outlet temperature of air is to be 65oC.
At 37.5={ (65 + 10)/2 }, properties of air are:
Specific heat = 1005 J/kg K; viscosity = 19 X 10-6kg/
m s; density =1.137kg/m3; thermal conductivity =
0.0274 W/m K
• For spherical particle, Dvs = Dp = 20mm = 0.02m
• Superficial Mass Velocity = Vo ρg = 0.5 kg/ m2 s
• Voidage = ε= 0.5
𝐷𝑣𝑠 𝑉𝑜 𝜌𝑔 0.02 𝑋 0.5
• 𝑅𝑒𝑝 = = = 1052.63
µ𝑔 (1−𝜀) 1.9 𝑋 10−6 (1−0.5)
• Since Rep is between 20 & 10000 and ε between
0.34 & 0.78
2 𝜀 1
• 𝑁𝑢𝑔𝑝 = 0.5 𝑅𝑒𝑝 + 0.2(𝑅𝑒𝑝 ) 3
𝑃𝑟 3
1−𝜀
 𝐶𝑝,𝑔 µ𝑔
• 𝑃𝑟 = = (1005 X 1.9 𝑋 10−6 )/ 0.0274 =
𝑘
0.697
• On substituting all the values, Nugp = 32.74
ℎ𝑔𝑝 𝐷𝑣𝑠
• 𝑁𝑢𝑔𝑝 =
𝑘𝑔
• Thus, hgp = (32.74 X 0.0274)/ 0.02
• hgp= 44.85 W/m2 K
• Rate of heat transfer to gas
• 𝑄 = 𝑚 𝐶𝑝,𝑔 ∆𝑇 & m= 0.5 A
• where m is mass flow rate of gas; A is cross-
section of bed
• ∆𝑇 = 65 − 10 = 55
•
• 𝑄 = 0.5 𝐴 𝑋 1005 𝑋 55 = 27637.5𝐴
• Q can also be written as 𝑄 = ℎ𝑔𝑝 𝑆𝑝 𝐿𝑀𝑇𝐷 here,
𝑆𝑝 is total surface area of particles
• Particles at 70oC, gas enters at 10 & leaves at 65oC
70−10 −(70−65)
• 𝐿𝑀𝑇𝐷 = 70−10 = 22.13
𝑙𝑛70−65

• 27637.5𝐴 = 44.85 𝑆𝑝 𝑋 22.13 … … … … (1)

1
• 𝑆𝑝 = 𝜋D2𝑝 & 𝑣𝑝 = 𝜋D3𝑝
6
𝑆𝑝 6 6 𝑚2
• = = = 300 3
𝑣𝑝 𝐷𝑝 0.02 𝑚
• ε is Void Vol/ Total Vol of bed & 1- ε = Vol of
solid/Total Vol of bed
• Sp = 300 vp = 300 (1-0.5) A L
• Thus, from eq. 1
• 27637.5𝐴 = 44.85 𝑋 150 𝐴𝐿 𝑋 22.13
•
• L= 0.1856m
• Pebble heaters operate batchwise. As time
pass , temp of bed decreases and outlet air
temp also decreases.
• For very low Re. No.
1.075
• 𝑗𝐻 = 𝑅𝑒𝑝−0.826
𝜀
ℎ𝑔𝑝 2
• 𝑗𝐻 = 𝑃𝑟 3
𝐶𝑝,𝑔 𝑉𝑜 𝜌 𝑔

• 𝑅𝑒𝑝𝑚 = 𝑅𝑒𝑝 (1 − 𝜀)
• For 0.01<𝑅𝑒𝑝𝑚 < 10 & 0.371< ε < 0.452
•