Modeling Aspects

in
Fluidization Engineering
T. HariHaran
P100061CH

Department of Chemical Engineering

National Institute of Technology Calicut
Outline of Presentation
 Overview
 Scope
 Objectives
 Zonal Effects
 Aspects
 Davidson & Harrison Model
 Existing Models - Overview
 Models have been developed with regard to the gas fluidized bed

 Most of the models developed are confined to irreversible, solid

catalyzed gas-phase reactions of the first order because of ease of
mathematical formulation

 purpose of each model is to analyze the gas–solid contact,

delineate the exchange processes between the various phases as
identified by each model, and study the effects of gas–solid
properties and the operating velocity.

 Most of the models developed deal with a gas fluidized bed

comprised of a simple cylindrical column
 Scope for Future Modeling
 Models have not been developed for reactors that have tapered
vessels or for a spout fluidized bed because of the complexity of
the hydrodynamics involved in such systems.

 hydrodynamics for a simple gas fluidized bed is so complex that

even an isothermal non-reacting system has not reached a level of
development that can assure confidence

 any change in volume due to reactions is neglected

 Models available in the literature for non-isothermal reactions are

very less
 Objectives
 The overall objective of a fluidized bed model is to combine the chemistry of
the reaction and several other hydrodynamic parameters mathematically to
arrive at equations that are useful in estimating the degree of conversion and
the size of the reactor.

 The diameter of a fluidized bed reactor depends on the stoichiometry of the

reaction, the production rate, and the maximum allowable gas flow rate that
would keep the solid inventory in the bed constant.

 The height of the reactor is determined from knowledge of the gas–solid

contact and the chemical reaction rate

 In addition to the above two factors, the available heat transfer area and the
freeboard height for suppressing solid entrainment also must be represented
 Zonal Effects
A fluidized bed reactor model should consider not only the single zone where
a single pattern of gas–solid contact is prevalent but also all the possible
zones which are responsible for the overall characteristics of a fluidized bed.
A fluidized bed is made up of three zones:

The Grid Zone: Here the gas enters through the distributor and emerges as
bubbles or jets

The Bubbling Zone: begin above the distributor plate just at the point
where the bubble or the gas jet reaches the equilibrium size

The Freeboard Zone: Further reaction of the un-reacted gas which escapes
from the surface of a fluidized bed can continue in the freeboard zone,
where entrained solid particles may also be present.
 Grid Zone
 The mechanism of gas entry into the fluidized bed from the gas issuing point has
been the subject of many research investigations. With regard to modeling a
fluidized bed reactor.
 Yates et al found that around 70% of the gas that goes into the bubbles
penetrates into the dense phase and has intimate contact with the solid particles
during the period extending from bubble formation to bubble detachment.
 When the bubble is fully formed and detached, further gas–solid reaction occurs
by inter-phase mass transfer
 The gas from the dense phase subsequently enters the bubble phase through the
wake below the bubble
 The equilibrium time (te) required for the bubble to reach an equilibrium height
(Heq ) was evaluated by Yang et alas:
te = Heq(2/g)1/2(Π/8)1/6[ nb/xoQor]1/6
Where; xo is the fraction of orifice flow forming a visible bubble, n b is the bubble
frequency per orifice (s–1), and Qor is the volumetric flow rate per orifice (cm3/s).
 The Main Bubbling Bed
 The bubbling bed is considered to begin above the distributor plate just at the
point where the bubble or the gas jet reaches the equilibrium size. In other
words, this zone is no longer influenced by or characterized in terms of the
bubbles or jets that are present within the grid zone.

 almost all models uphold the conclusion that a bubbling bed consists of two
phases:

 an emulsion phase rich in solids and

 a bubble phase with or without solid particles.

 Model development starts from the concept of the two-phase theory, which
assumes that all gas in excess of that required for incipient fluidization appears
in the bed as bubbles.
 Varieties in Modeling

Different types of models depends on assumptions made :

Visible bubble flow and actual bubble flow

The pattern and type of flow in the emulsion phase and the
bubble phase.

The types of flow normally assumed are plug, complete

mixing, and axially dispersed.

Mass transfer between the two phases is assumed to take

place by various modes such as convection, diffusion, and
convective diffusion.

Also some assumes bubbles are devoid of solids whereas Schematics for two-phase
others assumes fewer solids are present in the bubble also theory models.
 The Freeboard Zone
 The idea of the occurrence of reactions in the freeboard zone was first conceived by
Miyauchi and Furusaki. They measured the solid concentration in the freeboard and
calculated the reactant conversion assuming piston flow (plug flow) for the gas.
 However, they did not attempt to analyze the mechanism by which solids appear in
the freeboard.
 Yates and Rowe developed a hypothesis regarding particle ejection from the wake of
the bubbles which erupt at the surface of the bed. This mechanistic model, along
with a two-phase flow theory of gas–solid flow, can predict the rate of solid ejection
from the surface
 Using this solid ejection rate and assuming plug flow of gas, the fraction of un-
reacted gas at the exit can be expressed as:
Here,
h is the height above the surface,
Ch/Cs = exp(-α’h) Ch/Cs is the fraction of gas unconverted
where (relative to the surface concentration [Cs]),
kg is the gas mass transfer coefficient,
α’ = F/3(U-Ut)[dp/6kg(1-Ɛmf) + 1/K]-1 K is the reaction rate constant,
and F is the fraction of solid elutriated
 Modeling Aspects
1) Only two phases – Solid rich dense phase (Emulsion) and
gas rich lean phase (Bubble)
 Level 1 - excess gas flow above minimum fluidization.
 Level 2 - bubble size parameters are considered to be
either constant or adjustable
 Level 3 - bubble size variation with bed height and bed
diameter is also considered

2) Bubbling bed
 Generalized Material Balance
equations for Fundamental Modeling
Wen proposed a generalized material balance equation for a first-order reaction and
suggested that the pertinent set of mass balance equations could account for almost all
models.

(i) Bubble Phase (b):

Ubδb (dCb/dz) - Kbcδb(Cb-CC) - Kbwδb(CC-Cw) - KrrbCb = 0

(ii) Cloud Phase (c):

ExδcƐe (d2Cc/dz2) – UcδcƐe(dCc/dz) – Kbcδb(Cb-Ce) – Kce(Cc-Ce) – Krδc(1-Ɛe)Cc = 0

(iii) Wake Phase (w):

ExδcƐe (d2Cw/dz2) – UwδwƐe(dCw/dz) + Kbwδb(Cb-Cw) - Kwe(Cw-Ce) – Krδw(1-Ɛe)Cw = 0

(iv) Emulsion Phase (e):

ExδeƐe (d2Ce/dz2) – UeδeƐe(dCe/dz) + Kceδe(Cc-Ce) + Kweδw(Cw-Ce) – Krδc(1-Ɛe)Ce = 0

Ex - axial dispersion coefficient (m2/s): δ - volume fraction; Ɛ - voidage
 Continue….
1. Mass balance for total gas flow:
[Total gas flow, U ] = [Net gas flow through bubbles, Ubδb]
+ [Net gas flow through bubble wake, Ubδbεmf (R + fw – 1)]
+ [Net gas flow emulsion, {1 – δb (R + fw)}Ue ε mf]
Where, R and fw are, respectively, the cloud and wake volumes expressed as ratios to
the bubble volume.
2. Gas velocity in the emulsion phase (Ue):
Ue = (Umf/ ε mf) – Us
where Us is the solids circulation velocity, which comes into the picture because a
bubble drags a wake of solids up the bed. If solid circulation is neglected,
then Us = 0.
3. Excess gas velocity (U – Umf):
As per the two-phase theory of flow in fluidized solids, all gas in excess of Umf passes
as bubbles, that is,
(U – Umf) = δbUb
 Davidson & Harrison Model
This model assumes the Two-Phase theory, which considers the bubbling fluidized bed to be composed
of two phases; the bubbling phase (the gas bubbles) and the particulate phase (the fluidized solids
around the bubbles) or emulsion phase. Any gas in excess of that required at incipient fluidization will
pass through the bed as bubbles. Thus, in bubbling fluidization, bed expansion at velocities beyond
minimum bubbling velocity is due to the presence of bubbles.

1. Mass balance at the exit: The mass balance for the reactant gas at the exit is
UC = UmfCe + (U – Umf)CbH

Introducing the exit reactant gas concentration fraction (C/Co),

C/Co = (1-β)Ce/Co + β CbH/Co
where
β = 1 – Umf/U
The dimensionless parameter Ce′ = Ce/Co and Cb′= CbH/Co should be evaluated to obtain
C′= C/Co.
The parameter Cb can be evaluated from the mass balance across a bubble, and Ce can be evaluated
from the mass balance across the emulsion phase.
 
 Davidson & Harrison Model
2. Mass balance across a bubble:
Rate of change of reactant concentration; -(dV b/dt)Cb = Loss of reactant by exchange Kbe(Cb-Ce)
Using dt = dz/ub and integrating and rearranging Cb’ = Ce'+(1-Ce')exp(-η)
Where
η= KbeH/(UbVb)
3. Mass balance across the emulsion phase:
(Feed rate of reactant, UmfCo) - ( exit flow rate of reactant, UmfCe) - (Loss of exchange in emulsion
phase, NKbeHCe) + (Gain by exchange in bubble phase, NK be∫Cbdz) - {(Loss due to reaction,
KHCe(1-NVb)} = 0
can be solved for Ce′,
δ = NVb = (H – Hmf)/H = (U – Umf)/Ub
to give:
Ce'=βe-η+{(1- βe-η)2/(1- βe-η+K')}
Case 1
when inter gas exchange rate is very high, which is the case of a perfectly mixed system (i.e., when
η→×):
C′ = (1 + K′)–1
 Davidson & Harrison Model
Case 2: when the reaction is fast (i.e., K → ×):
C′ = βe–η
it can be assumed that there is a possibility that some reactant gas would always appear at the
exit, whatever the conditions may be. This can be attributed to the bypassing of gas in the form
of bubbles. The above treatment in the Davidson and Harrison (D-H) model corresponds to the
condition where the emulsion phase is in a perfectly mixed state.

Plug Glow Conditions:

If the condition corresponds to plug flow or piston flow, then
 
C' =

where m1 and m2 are, respectively, the positive and negative values of m obtained from the
equation
2H(1 – δ)m = (η + K′) ± [(η + K′)2 – 4K′η(1 – δ)]1/2

The D-H model predicts C′ for two types of gas flow, and the interphase exchange parameter (Kbe)
is assumed to be the sum of two terms: the convective term, q, and the diffusive terms, Kbe·a,
where a is the interphase surface area
Thank You