Biomass pyrolysis modeling of systems at laboratory scale with experimental validation

Author(s):  
Stefano Cordiner ◽  
Alessandro Manni ◽  
Vincenzo Mulone ◽  
Vittorio Rocco

Purpose Thermochemical conversion processes are one of the possible solutions for the flexible production of electric and thermal power from biomass. The pyrolysis degradation process presents, among the others, the interesting features of biofuels and high energy density bio-oil production potential high conversion rate. In this paper, numerical results of a slow batch and continuous fast pyrolyzers, are presented, aiming at validating both a tridimensional computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method (CFD–DEM) and a monodimensional distributed activation energy model (DAEM) represents with data collected in dedicated experiments. The purpose of this paper is then to provide reliable models for industrial scale-up and direct design purposes. Design/methodology/approach The slow pyrolysis experimental system, a batch of small-scale constant-pressure bomb for allothermic conversion processes, is presented. A DEM numerical model has been implemented by means of a modified OpenFOAM solver. The fast pyrolysis experimental system and a lab scale screw reactor designed for biomass fast pyrolysis conversion are also presented along with a 1D numerical model to represent its operation. The model which is developed for continuous stationary feeding conditions and based on a four-parallel reaction chemical framework is presented in detail. Findings The slow pyrolysis numerical results are compared with experimental data in terms of both gaseous species production and reduction of the bed height showing good predictive capabilities. Fast pyrolysis numerical results have been compared to the experimental data obtained from the fast pyrolysis process of spruce wood pellet. The comparison shows that the chemical reaction modeling based on a Gaussian DAEM is capable of giving results in very good agreement with the bio-oil yield evaluated experimentally. Originality/value As general results of the proposed activities, a mixed experimental and numerical approach has demonstrated a very good potential in developing design tools for pyrolysis development.

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 288-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oğuzhan Emre Akbaş ◽  
Onur Hıra ◽  
Sahar Zhiani Hervan ◽  
Shahrad Samankan ◽  
Atakan Altınkaynak

Purpose This paper aims to analyze experimentally and numerically the effect of the nozzle temperature and feed rates on the dimensions of the fused deposition modeling (FDM) polymer parts. Design/methodology/approach In total, 30 strips per sample were printed with the same width as the nozzle diameter. The strips were printed with one vertical movement of the nozzle head. The width of the strips was measured with a caliper at five locations. A linear regression model was created based on the experimental data to understand the correlation between the strip width deviation and the parameters of interest. Numerical simulations were performed to predict the swell of the polymer exiting the nozzle using finite element method combined with level set method. The experimental results were then used to validate the models. Findings The average accuracy of polylactic acid (PLA) samples was better than that of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) samples. The average strip width had a tendency to increase with increasing temperature for PLA samples, whereas ABS samples showed mixed behavior. The strip width decreased with increasing feed rate for most cases. The measurement positions had a major effect on strip width when compared to nozzle temperature and feed rate. The numerical model predictions were in good agreement with the experimental data. A few discrepancies were observed at high feed rates and nozzle temperatures. Originality/value This study will contribute to gaps in knowledge regarding the effect of processing conditions on dimensional accuracy of FDM-printed parts. The developed numerical model can be efficiently used to predict the dimensional accuracy of FDM-printed parts.


Author(s):  
Yan Cui ◽  
John C. Wells

Experiments on sedimentary ripples in rotating cylinders have been considered as a convenient configuration for studying ripples. This system is simple and convenient to study sediment transport compared to the traditional channel experiments. In the present contribution, we conduct a small scale experiment as a “benchmark” of our numerical model. Processes of pattern formations have been produced and the results of the spiral arm properties are compared to the published experimental data.


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Bahadir ◽  
Turgay Kar ◽  
Sedat Keles ◽  
Kamil Kaygusuz

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate fast pyrolysis of maple fruit as an energy sources. This could serve as a solution to the energy sources problem. Design/methodology/approach Fast pyrolysis of maple fruit (samara) was achieved in a fixed bed reactor. The pyrolysis experiments have been conducted on the sample of maple seeds to particularly determine the effects of pyrolysis temperature, particle size and sweep gas flow rate on the pyrolysis product yields. Findings The oil of maple fruit from fast pyrolysis has good properties to be a potential candidate as a biofuel or as a source of chemicals. In addition to being environmentally desirable, it can reduce the energy cost, e.g. that Turkey imports a majority of its energy. Originality/value The use of maple fruit for fast pyrolysis and pyrolysis conditions impact on the yields of pyrolysis liquid can be considered as novel aspects of this paper.


2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 722-744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcela A. Cruchaga ◽  
Carlos Ferrada ◽  
Nicolás Márquez ◽  
Sebastián Osses ◽  
Mario Storti ◽  
...  

Purpose – The present work is an experimental and numerical study of a sloshing problem including baffle effects. The purpose of this paper is to assess the numerical behavior of a Lagrangian technique to track free surface flows by comparison with experiments, to report experimental data for sloshing at different conditions and to evaluate the effectiveness of baffles in limiting the wave height and the wave propagation. Design/methodology/approach – Finite element simulations performed with a fixed mesh technique able to describe the free surface evolution are contrasted with experimental data. The experiments consist of an acrylic tank of rectangular section designed to attach baffles of different sizes at different distance from the bottom. The tank is filled with water and mounted on a shake table able to move under controlled horizontal motion. The free surface evolution is measured with ultrasonic sensors. The numerical results computed for different sloshing conditions are compared with the experimental data. Findings – The reported numerical results are in general in good agreement with the experiments. In particular, wave heights and frequencies response satisfactorily compared with the experimental data for the several cases analyzed during steady state forced sloshing and free sloshing. The effectiveness of the baffles increases near resonance conditions. From the set of experiments studied, the major reduction of the wave height was obtained when larger baffles were positioned closer to the water level at rest. Practical implications – Model validation: evaluation of the effectiveness of non-massive immersed baffles during sloshing. Originality/value – The value of the present work encompass the numerical and experimental study of the effect of immersed baffles during sloshing under different imposed conditions and the comparison of numerical results with the experimental data. Also, the results shown in the present work are a contribution to the understanding of the role in the analysis of the proposed problem of some specific aspects of the geometry and the imposed motion.


Author(s):  
Nguyen Tuan Trung ◽  
Pham Thanh Tung

The paper presents a numerical study on the effects of opening size and location on punching shear resistance of flat slabs without drop panels and shear reinforcement using ABAQUS. The study proposes an ABAQUS model that is enable to predict the punching shear resistance of flat slabs with openings. The model is validated well with the experimental data in literature. Using the validated numerical model, the effects of opening size and location on the punching shear resistance of flat slabs are then investigated, and the numerical results are compared with those predicted by ACI 318-19 and TCVN 5574:2018. The comparison between experimental and numerical results shows that the ABAQUS model is reliable. The punching shear resistances calculated by ACI 318-19 and TCVN 5574:2018 with different opening sizes and locations are agreed well to each other, since the design principles between two codes now are similar.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 1677-1688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arun Appadurai ◽  
Vasudevan Raghavan

Purpose Dynamic separator is an equipment having a rotor and static vanes and is used to separate solids from gas-solids flow based on size. Particle separation in a dynamic separator happens due to complex interchanges between multiple forces exerted in the separation zone. Currently, there is only limited knowledge concerning the working principles of separation. This paper aims to systematically study a dynamic separator using numerical models to get insights into particle separation. Design/methodology/approach The Lagrangian–Eulerian formulation is used to simulate gas-solid flow. Multiple frames of reference using stage interpolation are used to account for rotation. Periodic symmetry in the equipment is exploited to create a simplified numerical model. The predictions from the numerical model are compared against available experimental data. Findings The numerical results indicate that only when particle collision is included, the separation efficiency trend from the experiment is matched by numerical predictions. Further, it is shown that at the same range of rotor speeds where numerical results predict increased separation efficiency, the solid pressure due to particle collision also reaches its maximum value. The gas flow and particle behavior in the separator are explained in detail. Originality/value The importance of particle collision in separation is interesting because traditionally, particle separation is assumed to be influenced by three forces, namely, centrifugal force, drag force and gravity. The numerical results, however, point to the contribution by particle collision, in addition to the above three forces.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdelaziz Khennouf ◽  
Mohamed Baheddi

Purpose The estimation of bearing capacity for shallow foundations in swelling soil is an important and complex context. The complexity is due to the unsaturated swelling soil related to the drying and humidification environment. Hence, a serious study is needed to evaluate the effect of swelling potential soil on the foundation bearing capacity. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the bearing capacity of a rough square foundation founded on a homogeneous swelling soil mass, subjected to vertical loads. Design/methodology/approach A proposed numerical model based on the simulation of the swelling pressure in the initial state, followed by an elastoplastic behavior model may be used to calculate the foundation bearing capacity. The analyses were carried out using the finite-difference software (FLAC 3 D) with an elastic perfectly plastic Mohr–Coulomb constitutive model. Moreover, the numerical results obtained are compared with the analytical solutions proposed in the literature. Findings The numerical results were in good agreement with the analytical solutions proposed in the literature. Also, reasonable capacity and performance of the proposed numerical model. Originality/value The proposed numerical model is capable to predict the bearing capacity of the homogeneous swelling soil mass loaded by a shallow foundation. Also, it will be of great use for geotechnical engineers and researchers in the field.


Author(s):  
L Cantone ◽  
E Crescentini ◽  
R Verzicco ◽  
V Vullo

In this article, a numerical model for the pneumatic braking system of traditional freight trains is developed and tested. The validation of the results is performed through the comparison of the numerical results with analogous experimental data. The model has proved to be reliable and computationally efficient either for simple braking and releasing manoeuvres or for complex/transient manoeuvres. This model has been included in the software TrainDy, and thanks to its key features it has gained the Union Internationale Chemin de fer certification.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 173-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasser M. Ahmed ◽  
A.H. Elbatran

Purpose This paper aims to investigate numerically the turbulent flow characteristics over a backward facing step. Different turbulence models with hybrid computational grid have been used to study the detached flow structure in this case. Comparison between the numerical results and the available experiment data is carried out in the present study. The results of the different turbulence models were in a good agreement with the experimental results. The numerical results also concluded that the k-kl-ω turbulence model gave favorable results compared with the experiment. Design/methodology/approach It is very important to study the flow characteristics of detached flows. Therefore, the current study investigates numerically the flow characteristics in backward facing step by using two-, three- and seven-equation turbulence models in the finite volume code ANSYS Fluent. In addition, hybrid grid has been used to improve the capability of the unstructured mesh elements for predicting the flow separation in this case. Comparison between the different turbulence models and the available experimental data was done to find the most suitable turbulence model for simulating such cases of detached flows. Findings The present numerical simulations with the different turbulence models predicted efficiently the flow characteristics over the backward facing step. The transition k-kl-ω gave the best acceptable results compared with experimental data. This is a good concluded remark in the fields of fluid mechanics and hydrodynamics because the phenomenon of flow separation is not easy to be predicted numerically and can affect greatly on the predicted drag of moving bodies in many engineering applications. Originality/value The CFD results of using different turbulence models have been validated with the experimental work, and the results of k-kl-ω proven acceptable with flow characteristics. The results of the current study conclude that the use of k-kl-ω turbulence model will contribute towards a more efficient utilization in the fields of fluid mechanics and hydrodynamics.


Author(s):  
Erfan Niazi ◽  
M. J. Mahjoob ◽  
Ardeshir Bangian

Cavitation in pumps is one of the most important causes of damage to pumps impellers/inducers. A numerical model is developed here to simulate the pump hydraulics in different conditions. Experiments are also conducted to validate the computer simulations. To verify the numerical model, the h–m˙ (head versus mass flow rate) of the model is compared with the experimental data. The system is then run under cavitation state. Two methods are applied to monitor the cavitation threshold: first by using stroboscope and observing cavitation bubbles through the transparent casing of the pump and second by checking the NPSHA value for cavitation based on ISO3555. The paper then compares the experimental and numerical results to find the strengths and weaknesses of the numerical model.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document