From laboratory-scale experiments to industrial-scale CFD simulations of entrained flow coal gasification

Numerical simulations of the coal gasification process inside a generic 2-stage entrained-flow gasifier fed with Indonesian coal at approximately 2000 metric ton/day are carried out. The 3D Navier–Stokes equations and eight species transport equations are solved with three heterogeneous global reactions, three homogeneous reactions, and two-step thermal cracking equation of volatiles. The chemical percolation devolatilization (CPD) model is used for the devolatilization process. This study is conducted to investigate the effects of different operation parameters on the gasification process including coal mixture (dry versus slurry), oxidant (oxygen-blown versus air-blown), and different coal distribution between two stages. In the two-stage coal-slurry feed operation, the dominant reactions are intense char combustion in the first stage and enhanced gasification reactions in the second stage. The gas temperature in the first stage for the dry-fed case is about 800 K higher than the slurry-fed case. This calls for attention of additional refractory maintenance in the dry-fed case. One-stage operation yields higher H2, CO and CH4 combined than if a two-stage operation is used, but with a lower syngas heating value. The higher heating value (HHV) of syngas for the one-stage operation is 7.68 MJ/kg, compared with 8.24 MJ/kg for two-stage operation with 75%–25% fuel distribution and 9.03 MJ/kg for two-stage operation with 50%–50% fuel distribution. Carbon conversion efficiency of the air-blown case is 77.3%, which is much lower than that of the oxygen-blown case (99.4%). The syngas heating value for the air-blown case is 4.40 MJ/kg, which is almost half of the heating value of the oxygen-blown case (8.24 MJ/kg).

Download Full-text

The Impact of Predried Lignite Cofiring With Hard Coal in an Industrial Scale Pulverized Coal Fired Boiler

Journal of Energy Resources Technology ◽

10.1115/1.4039907 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 140 (6) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Halina Pawlak-Kruczek ◽

Robert Lewtak ◽

Zbigniew Plutecki ◽

Marcin Baranowski ◽

Michal Ostrycharczyk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Combustion Chamber ◽

Bituminous Coal ◽

Cfd Simulation ◽

Numerical Study ◽

Fluid Dynamic ◽

Industrial Scale ◽

Hard Coal ◽

Cfd Simulations ◽

Reference Case ◽

The Impact

The paper presents the experimental and numerical study on the behavior and performance of an industrial scale boiler during combustion of pulverized bituminous coal with various shares of predried lignite. The experimental measurements were carried out on a boiler WP120 located in CHP, Opole, Poland. Tests on the boiler were performed during low load operation and the lignite share reached over to 36% by mass. The predried lignite, kept in dedicated separate bunkers, was mixed with bituminous coal just before the coal mills. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation of a cofiring scenario of lignite with hard coal was also performed. Site measurements have proven that cofiring of a predried lignite is not detrimental to the boiler in terms of its overall efficiency, when compared with a corresponding reference case, with 100% of hard coal. Experiments demonstrated an improvement in the grindability that can be achieved during co-milling of lignite and hard coal in the same mill, for both wet and dry lignite. Moreover, performed tests delivered empirical evidence of the potential of lignite to decrease NOx emissions during cofiring, for both wet and dry lignite. Results of efficiency calculations and temperature measurements in the combustion chamber confirmed the need to predry lignite before cofiring. Performed measurements of temperature distribution in the combustion chamber confirmed trend that could be seen in the results of CFD. CFD simulations were performed for predried lignite and demonstrated flow patterns in the combustion chamber of the boiler, which could prove useful in case of any further improvements in the firing system. CFD simulations reached satisfactory agreement with the site measurements in terms of the prediction of emissions.

Download Full-text

Effect of Spray Dryer Scale Size on the Properties of Dried Beetroot Juice

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26216700 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (21) ◽

pp. 6700

Author(s):

Jolanta Gawałek

Keyword(s):

Spray Drying ◽

Industrial Process ◽

Laboratory Scale ◽

Industrial Scale ◽

Process Conditions ◽

Spray Dryer ◽

Beetroot Juice ◽

Centrifugal Atomization ◽

Drying Conditions ◽

Drying Efficiency

Experiments detailing the spray drying of fruit and vegetable juices are necessary at the experimental scale in order to determine the optimum drying conditions and to select the most appropriate carriers and solution formulations for drying on the industrial scale. In this study, the spray-drying process of beetroot juice concentrate on a maltodextrin carrier was analyzed at different dryer scales: mini-laboratory (ML), semi-technical (ST), small industrial (SI), and large industrial (LI). Selected physicochemical properties of the beetroot powders that were obtained (size and microstructure of the powder particles, loose and tapped bulk density, powder flowability, moisture, water activity, violet betalain, and polyphenol content) and their drying efficiencies were determined. Spray drying with the same process parameters but at a larger scale makes it possible to obtain beetroot powders with a larger particle size, better flowability, a color that is more shifted towards red and blue, and a higher retention of violet betalain pigments and polyphenols. As the size of the spray dryer increases, the efficiency of the process expressed in powder yield also increases. To obtain a drying efficiency >90% on an industrial scale, process conditions should be selected to obtain an efficiency of a min. of 50% at the laboratory scale or 80% at the semi-technical scale. Designing the industrial process for spray dryers with a centrifugal atomization system is definitely more effective at the semi-technical scale with the same atomization system than it is at laboratory scale with a two-fluid nozzle.

Download Full-text