Fluidized beds have been applied in many industrial processes (e.g. coal combustion, gasification and granulation) as an effective means for providing excellent gas and solids contact and mixing, as well as good heat transfer. Although research on the fluidized bed has been carried out for more than 70 years, uncertainties and difficulties still remain. These challenges exist primarily due to the complex and dynamic flow structure within fluidized beds and the lack of reliable measurement techniques. The positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) technique, developed at the University of Birmingham, enables individual particles to be tracked non-invasively in opaque three-dimensional (3-D) fluidized beds and offers favourable temporal and spatial resolutions. PEPT is considered to be a powerful tool for fluidized bed studies and was utilized in the current study to investigate the dynamic behaviour of solid and gas in fluidized beds. The experiments in this study were conducted in a 150-mm inner diameter (I.D.) column and operated in the bubbling fluidization regime at ambient conditions. The effects of various factors on the solid flow structure were examined: solid properties, superficial gas velocity, bed height-to-diameter aspect ratio (H/D) and pore size of the air distributor. The solid flow structure was classified into four patterns, namely patterns A, B, C and D, in which pattern C was newly observed in this thesis. The solid motion, bubble behaviour (i.e., bubble spatial distribution, bubble size and bubble rise velocity) and solid mixing were assessed for each flow pattern to understand their unique fluidization behaviours. This assessment was achieved by the development of three methods: a method to reconstruct bubble behaviours based on solid motion, and two methods for estimating the solid mixing profile in this thesis. The results were discussed and compared with the published literature. The bubble rise velocity and bubble size calculated in this research from the PEPT-measured data was in agreement with other research, particularly that of Kunii and Levenspiel, Yasui and Johanson, and Mori and Wen. Finally, a parameter was developed to predict and control flow patterns based on particle kinetic energy and various factors. The outcomes of this study advance the understanding of the complicated dynamics of bubbling fluidized beds and may benefit several industries in the enhancement of fluidized bed design and control to achieve desirable qualities and efficiencies.

Co-firing of biomass with coal in fluidized bed combustors is a promising alternative which leads to environmentally friendly use of coal by reducing emissions and provides utilization of biomass residues. Therefore, effect of biomass share on gaseous pollutant emissions from fluidized bed co-firing of various biomass fuels with high calorific value coals have extensively been investigated to date. However, effect of co-firing of olive residue, hazelnut shell and cotton residue with low calorific value lignites having high ash and sulfur contents has not been studied in bubbling fluidized bed combustors to date. In this thesis study, co-firing of typical Turkish lignite with olive residue, hazelnut shell and cotton residue in 0.3 MWt METU Atmospheric Bubbling Fluidized Bed Combustion (ABFBC) Test Rig was investigated in terms of combustion and emission performance and ash behavior of different fuel blends. The results reveal that co-firing of olive residue, hazelnut shell and cotton residue with lignite increases the combustion efficiency and freeboard temperatures compared to those of lignite firing with limestone addition only. O2 and CO2 emissions are not found sensitive to increase in olive residue, hazelnut shell and cotton residue share in fuel blend. Co-firing lowers SO2 emissions considerably while increasing CO emissions. Co-firing of olive residue and hazelnut shell has no significant influence on NO emissions, however, reduces N2O emissions. Co-firing cotton residue results in higher NO and N2O emissions. Regarding to major, minor and trace elements partitioning, co-firing lignite with biomasses under consideration shifts the partitioning of these elements from bottom ash to fly ash. No chlorine is detected in both EDX and XRD analyses of the ash deposits. In conclusion, olive residue, hazelnut shell and cotton residue can easily be co-fired with high ash and sulfur containing lignite without agglomeration and fouling problems.

O uso de combustíveis fósseis para a geração de energia, especificamente carvão mineral, ainda dominará a matriz energética mundial por algumas décadas. No Brasil, entretanto, apesar de sua vasta disponibilidade, o carvão mineral segue ocupando uma tímida posição na matriz. Ao mesmo tempo, há uma considerável geração de resíduos de biomassa oriundos de atividades agrícolas, que poderiam ser incorporados ao uso do carvão na geração termoelétrica de energia. Sobre o uso de combustíveis fósseis na geração termoelétrica e a consequente emissão de CO2, a ainda insipiente tecnologia de oxicombustão aparece como possibilidade de geração de emissões quase-zero de CO2. Diante disso, esta tese tem como objetivo estudar os aspectos envolvidos na adaptação da combustão em leito fluidizado borbulhante para a oxicombustão de carvão mineral e biomassa. Para tanto, inicialmente, realiza-se uma estimativa da possibilidade do uso de resíduos de biomassa, especificamente os provenientes da cadeia produtiva de madeira e casca de arroz, em sistemas de combustão no estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Estes combustíveis são, então, utilizados na combustão com ar atmosférico em planta piloto, com capacidade de 0,25 MWt de leito fluidizado borbulhante, para posterior comparação com a oxicombustão dos mesmos combustíveis. As comparações foram realizadas quanto ao balanço de massa balanço de energia e questões fluidodinâmicas. A influência dos principais parâmetros de processo na transição de combustão com ar atmosférico para a oxicombustão foi analisada quanto à possibilidade de minimizar a entrada de ar falso no sistema. A manutenção de pressões negativas mostrou-se indesejável na oxicombustão, especialmente quando é realizada a adaptação de plantas já existentes. Os resultados indicaram uma forte influência do ajuste da válvula de recirculação dos gases, da potência do ventilador e da vazão de gases no sistema na minimização da entrada de ar falso. A partir do ajuste das condições operacionais, foi possível a obtenção de uma concentração de 59,6% vol. de CO2 nos gases de combustão. / The fossil fuels use for energy generation, especially coal, will dominate the world energy matrix for decades. However, in Brazil, coal still occupies a timid position in spite of its extensive disponibility. At the same time, there is a considerable generation of wastes from agricultural activities that could be incorporated to coal as fuels on thermoelectric energy processes, in special for a decentralized system configuration. Yet, by considering the use of fossil fuels on thermoelectric generation and the consequent CO2 emission, there is the oxyfuel combustion technology that has appeared as an option for near-zear CO2 emissions by promoting its capture. From this perspective, this work has the objective of studying the aspects that involve the retrofit of bubbling fluidized bed combustion to oxyfuel combustion by using coal and biomass wastes as fuels. In this sense, an estimative of the use of biomass wastes, especially wood wastes and rice husk, on combustion systems in the State of Rio Grande do Sul is firstly proceeded. These fuels are used on air combustion in a 0,25 MWt bubbling fluidized bed pilot plant for comparison to oxyfuel combustion with the fuels used. Such comparisons where done by applying material balance, energy balance and fluid dynamics analysis. The influence of the main process parameters on the retrofit of air combustion to oxyfuel combustion were analyzed concerning the air leakage minimization. Negative pressure maintenance in key points of the system was shown as an undesirable issue when retrofitting. The results indicated a strong influence of the recycling valve adjustment, fan power and gases flow on the air leakage. From operational conditions adjustment, 59,6 vol.% CO2 concentration could be achieved in the gases.

O uso de combustíveis fósseis para a geração de energia, especificamente carvão mineral, ainda dominará a matriz energética mundial por algumas décadas. No Brasil, entretanto, apesar de sua vasta disponibilidade, o carvão mineral segue ocupando uma tímida posição na matriz. Ao mesmo tempo, há uma considerável geração de resíduos de biomassa oriundos de atividades agrícolas, que poderiam ser incorporados ao uso do carvão na geração termoelétrica de energia. Sobre o uso de combustíveis fósseis na geração termoelétrica e a consequente emissão de CO2, a ainda insipiente tecnologia de oxicombustão aparece como possibilidade de geração de emissões quase-zero de CO2. Diante disso, esta tese tem como objetivo estudar os aspectos envolvidos na adaptação da combustão em leito fluidizado borbulhante para a oxicombustão de carvão mineral e biomassa. Para tanto, inicialmente, realiza-se uma estimativa da possibilidade do uso de resíduos de biomassa, especificamente os provenientes da cadeia produtiva de madeira e casca de arroz, em sistemas de combustão no estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Estes combustíveis são, então, utilizados na combustão com ar atmosférico em planta piloto, com capacidade de 0,25 MWt de leito fluidizado borbulhante, para posterior comparação com a oxicombustão dos mesmos combustíveis. As comparações foram realizadas quanto ao balanço de massa balanço de energia e questões fluidodinâmicas. A influência dos principais parâmetros de processo na transição de combustão com ar atmosférico para a oxicombustão foi analisada quanto à possibilidade de minimizar a entrada de ar falso no sistema. A manutenção de pressões negativas mostrou-se indesejável na oxicombustão, especialmente quando é realizada a adaptação de plantas já existentes. Os resultados indicaram uma forte influência do ajuste da válvula de recirculação dos gases, da potência do ventilador e da vazão de gases no sistema na minimização da entrada de ar falso. A partir do ajuste das condições operacionais, foi possível a obtenção de uma concentração de 59,6% vol. de CO2 nos gases de combustão. / The fossil fuels use for energy generation, especially coal, will dominate the world energy matrix for decades. However, in Brazil, coal still occupies a timid position in spite of its extensive disponibility. At the same time, there is a considerable generation of wastes from agricultural activities that could be incorporated to coal as fuels on thermoelectric energy processes, in special for a decentralized system configuration. Yet, by considering the use of fossil fuels on thermoelectric generation and the consequent CO2 emission, there is the oxyfuel combustion technology that has appeared as an option for near-zear CO2 emissions by promoting its capture. From this perspective, this work has the objective of studying the aspects that involve the retrofit of bubbling fluidized bed combustion to oxyfuel combustion by using coal and biomass wastes as fuels. In this sense, an estimative of the use of biomass wastes, especially wood wastes and rice husk, on combustion systems in the State of Rio Grande do Sul is firstly proceeded. These fuels are used on air combustion in a 0,25 MWt bubbling fluidized bed pilot plant for comparison to oxyfuel combustion with the fuels used. Such comparisons where done by applying material balance, energy balance and fluid dynamics analysis. The influence of the main process parameters on the retrofit of air combustion to oxyfuel combustion were analyzed concerning the air leakage minimization. Negative pressure maintenance in key points of the system was shown as an undesirable issue when retrofitting. The results indicated a strong influence of the recycling valve adjustment, fan power and gases flow on the air leakage. From operational conditions adjustment, 59,6 vol.% CO2 concentration could be achieved in the gases.

Orientador: Caio Glauco Sanchez / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecanica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-10T13:46:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Silva_GiovaniltonFerreirada_D.pdf: 2151460 bytes, checksum: b4f7aed8eddbf42f0d871e6e526ef9b0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: Objetivo deste trabalho foi obter os parâmetros cinéticos do poliéster insaturado com fibra de vidro em balança termogravimétrica e a aplicação do leito fluidizado como reator de pirólise. Primeiramente foi feito um estudo para escolher o modelo cinético a partir dos dados obtidos na balança termogravimétrica. O resultado apontou o modelo de primeira ordem como o mais adequado. Foi feito um planejamento fatorial 22 a fim de avaliar a influência que as variáveis, taxa de aquecimento e diâmetro da partícula, tiveram nos parâmetros cinéticos. Os resultados do planejamento fatorial mostraram que a taxa de aquecimento foi o fator mais importante seguido do diâmetro da partícula, e não houve interação entre os fatores. A energia de ativação foi inversamente proporcional com a taxa de aquecimento e diretamente proporcional com o diâmetro da partícula. A taxa de 10°C/min foi a taxa que forneceu os melhores parâmetros cinéticos. Para leito fluidizado foi proposto um planejamento fatorial 23 para avaliar a influência das variáveis, temperatura, velocidade de fluidização e altura do leito fluidizado, tiveram no rendimento da fração liquida, gasosa e sólida. Os resultados mostraram que a temperatura foi a variável que mais influenciou o processo de pirólise em leito / Abstract: The aim of this work was to find out the kinetic parameters of unsatured polyester with fiberglass using thermogravimetric analysis, and to apply a fluidized bed like pyrolysis reactor. Firstly, it was selected a kinetic model most suitable to use with obtained data from thermogravimetric analysis. The results pointed the first order model like most suitable. It was performed a factorial analysis 22 in order to analyze the system. The experimental variables have varied simultaneously and systematically (heating rate and particle diameter). The responsevariables were used to evaluate the kinetic parameters. The experimental results of the factorial design showed that heating rate was the effect more significant and there were not interactions between the studied variables. The results showed that activity energy decreased when the heating rate increased and, it increased with increasing particle diameter. The heating rate of 10°C/min achieved the best kinetic parameters. Statistical method was applied to fluidized bed followed a 23 factorial design to evaluate the influence of variables: temperature, fluidized rate and height of fluidized bed. Response variables were yield of oil, yield of gas and, yield of solid. The results showed that temperature was the variable most significant for the pirolysis process at fluidized bed. / Doutorado / Termica e Fluidos / Doutor em Engenharia Mecânica

O uso de combustíveis fósseis para a geração de energia, especificamente carvão mineral, ainda dominará a matriz energética mundial por algumas décadas. No Brasil, entretanto, apesar de sua vasta disponibilidade, o carvão mineral segue ocupando uma tímida posição na matriz. Ao mesmo tempo, há uma considerável geração de resíduos de biomassa oriundos de atividades agrícolas, que poderiam ser incorporados ao uso do carvão na geração termoelétrica de energia. Sobre o uso de combustíveis fósseis na geração termoelétrica e a consequente emissão de CO2, a ainda insipiente tecnologia de oxicombustão aparece como possibilidade de geração de emissões quase-zero de CO2. Diante disso, esta tese tem como objetivo estudar os aspectos envolvidos na adaptação da combustão em leito fluidizado borbulhante para a oxicombustão de carvão mineral e biomassa. Para tanto, inicialmente, realiza-se uma estimativa da possibilidade do uso de resíduos de biomassa, especificamente os provenientes da cadeia produtiva de madeira e casca de arroz, em sistemas de combustão no estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Estes combustíveis são, então, utilizados na combustão com ar atmosférico em planta piloto, com capacidade de 0,25 MWt de leito fluidizado borbulhante, para posterior comparação com a oxicombustão dos mesmos combustíveis. As comparações foram realizadas quanto ao balanço de massa balanço de energia e questões fluidodinâmicas. A influência dos principais parâmetros de processo na transição de combustão com ar atmosférico para a oxicombustão foi analisada quanto à possibilidade de minimizar a entrada de ar falso no sistema. A manutenção de pressões negativas mostrou-se indesejável na oxicombustão, especialmente quando é realizada a adaptação de plantas já existentes. Os resultados indicaram uma forte influência do ajuste da válvula de recirculação dos gases, da potência do ventilador e da vazão de gases no sistema na minimização da entrada de ar falso. A partir do ajuste das condições operacionais, foi possível a obtenção de uma concentração de 59,6% vol. de CO2 nos gases de combustão. / The fossil fuels use for energy generation, especially coal, will dominate the world energy matrix for decades. However, in Brazil, coal still occupies a timid position in spite of its extensive disponibility. At the same time, there is a considerable generation of wastes from agricultural activities that could be incorporated to coal as fuels on thermoelectric energy processes, in special for a decentralized system configuration. Yet, by considering the use of fossil fuels on thermoelectric generation and the consequent CO2 emission, there is the oxyfuel combustion technology that has appeared as an option for near-zear CO2 emissions by promoting its capture. From this perspective, this work has the objective of studying the aspects that involve the retrofit of bubbling fluidized bed combustion to oxyfuel combustion by using coal and biomass wastes as fuels. In this sense, an estimative of the use of biomass wastes, especially wood wastes and rice husk, on combustion systems in the State of Rio Grande do Sul is firstly proceeded. These fuels are used on air combustion in a 0,25 MWt bubbling fluidized bed pilot plant for comparison to oxyfuel combustion with the fuels used. Such comparisons where done by applying material balance, energy balance and fluid dynamics analysis. The influence of the main process parameters on the retrofit of air combustion to oxyfuel combustion were analyzed concerning the air leakage minimization. Negative pressure maintenance in key points of the system was shown as an undesirable issue when retrofitting. The results indicated a strong influence of the recycling valve adjustment, fan power and gases flow on the air leakage. From operational conditions adjustment, 59,6 vol.% CO2 concentration could be achieved in the gases.

No description available.

The ozone decomposition reaction was performed in a 2.5cmx40cmx450cm two dimensional (2D) catalytic fluidized bed reactor. Commercial FCC catalyst impregnated with Fe2O3 was used at superficial gas velocities ranging between 0.006 m/s and 0.55 m/s. The onset velocity of the turbulent regime (uc) was determined as 0.4 m/s. The catalyst activity was optimized so that the effect of inter-phase mass transfer could be accentuated in the conversion reading. It was found that the general bubbling-turbulent model of Thompson et. al. (1999) combined with the mass transfer correlations of Kunii and Levenspiel (1991), Foka et. al. (1996) and Miyauchi et. al. (1980)gave reasonable predictions of the experimental data. The gradual improvement of reactor performance with an increase in superficial velocity (as predicted by the Thompson et. al. model) was not observed; instead a discontinuity of the reactor performance was noted in the vicinity of uc. More experimental work is required to substantiate this observation. Copyright / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Chemical Engineering / unrestricted

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Thoron Rn-220 is a radioactive gas with a half-life of 55.6 s. It has been identified as a possible health concern in specific places such as monazite processing plants and (rare-earth) mines. The short half-life of Rn-220 makes Rn-220 calibration sources and chambers less common than for the isotope Rn-222. There are many Rn-220 standard sources and chambers that are widely described in the literature and used for different applications and calibration. However, some of these chambers and sources are not easy to set up in typical nuclear environmental laboratories. In this project, we developed a Rn-220 standard source using a thorium nitrate solution (Th(NO3)4.6H2O). The solution was split into a large volume which was used in a Marinelli beaker to characterize its strength using a Hyper Pure Germanium (HPGe) detector, and a smaller volume of around 30 ml which was poured into a small bottle. The Rn-220 is extracted by bubbling air through the solution in the small bottle using an aerator. Gamma rays from the solution were measured simultaneously using a 76.2 mm × 76.2 mm NaI(Tl) detector. The gamma rays were measured for 66 hours. The accumulated spectra were thereafter analysed using an Excel spreadsheet where the counts in the Tl-208(2614 keV) peak were extracted and used to obtain the percentage of Rn-220 pumped out of the solution in the small bottle.

Orientador: Hélio Aparecido Navarro / Banca: Paulo Cesar Razuk / Banca: Luben Cabezas Gomez / Resumo: No presente trabalho desenvolve-se um estudo de modelagem matemática e simulação numérica do escoamento gás-sólido em um leito fuidizado borbulhante. É apresentado o modelo hidrodinâmico, A, para escoamentos bifásicos gás-solido considerando a Teoria Cinética dos Escoamentos Granulares. É usado o modelo Euleriano de duas fases separadas considerando a modelagem do tensor das tensões da fase sólida através do atrito entre as partículas e da teoria cinética dos escoamentos granulares. O código fonte MFIX (Multiphase Flow with Interphase eXchanges) desenvolvido no NETL (National Energy Technology Laboratory) é utilizado para as simulações numéricas. Os resultados de simulação são obtidos resolvendo a temperatura granular algebricamente ou através de uma equação diferencial parcial. Obtêm-se resultados mais realísticos no uso da EDP com condição de contorno de deslizamento parcial na parede. Uma variação no diâmetro das partículas (partículas do grupo B e do grupo A/B) é investigada, concluindo-se que deve ser acrescentado ao código MFIX outros parâmetros físico para simulações com partículas do grupo A/B. / Abstract: In the present work is described a mathematical model and numerical simulation of gas-solid flow in the bubbling fluidized bed. It is presented the hydrodynamic model, A, for gas-solid flow considering the Kinetic Theory of Granular Flows. It is used the two fluids Eulerian model where the solid phase stress tensor is modeled considering the friction between the particles and the kinetic theory of granular flows. The code MFIX (Multiphase Flow with Interphase eXchanges) developed in NETL (National Energy Tecnology Laboratory) is used for numerical simulations. The results are obtained with the compute of the granular temperature using a partial differential equation or an algebraic expression. It was obtained more realistic results when is used a PDE with boundary conditions of the partial slip. A variation in the diameter of the particles (particles in Group B and Group A/B) it is analyzed. It is also concluded that should be added to the code MFIX other physical parameters for simulations with particles of group A/B. / Mestre