Feeding biomass powders into circulating fluidized bed reactors using non-mechanical devices: a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis

• Grant number: 18/11031-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: January 15, 2019
• End date: January 14, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Industrial Operations and Equipment for Chemical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Maria Do Carmo Ferreira
• Grantee: Lucas Massaro Sousa
• Supervisor: Aibing Yu
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Monash University, Australia
• Associated to the scholarship: 16/25946-2 - Study on the performance of non-mechanical valves as feeders devices of biomass powders in circulating fluidized beds reactors, BP.DD

Abstract

Biomass residues are generated in huge amounts in processing and are often used as a feedstock in industrial-scale energy cogeneration processes. In spite of that, a common problem in the operation of thermoelectric reactors is to ensure a stable, efficient and low-cost feeding of the particulate materials into the reactor. The solids feeding can be particularly limiting when using biomass particles, as these powders have unusual characteristics in terms of size distribution, composition and shape when compared to the conventional materials. The operability of feeding devices is also affected by the feeder's configuration and geometry, resulting in a complex interaction of factors to be simultaneously evaluated. The influence of this whole set of variables on the flow has not been clearly assessed so far. The aims of this internship project are: to perform Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations aimed at describing two-phase flow of biomass powders in Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) reactors using the spouted bed and L-valve feeding devices; to investigate the flow patterns in the valves, standpipe and riser; to analyze scale-up features of the feeding devices and to perform a model verification by comparing the simulations with experimental data, acquired in the Drying Center of the Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil (FAPESP grant 2016/25946-2). Specifically, the influence of the mean diameter, moisture content of spent coffee ground powders, as well as aeration velocities and riser diameter on feeders' operability will be verified. (AU)

Scientific publications

(5)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SOUSA, L. MASSARO; FERREIRA, M. C.. Analysis of the performance of an L-valve feeding spent coffee ground powders into a circulating fluidized bed. Powder Technology, v. 362, p. 759-769, FEB 15 2020. (16/25946-2, 18/11031-8)

MASSARO SOUSA, L.; FERREIRA, M. C.; HOU, Q. F.; YU, A. B.. Feeding spent coffee ground powders with a non-mechanical L-valve: Experimental analysis and TFM simulation. Powder Technology, v. 360, p. 1055-1066, JAN 15 2020. (18/11031-8, 16/25946-2)

SOUSA, L. MASSARO; SCHULZ, C. G.; CONDOTTA, R.; FERREIRA, M. C.. On the design of conical hoppers for spent coffee grounds: Moisture content and particle-size effects. Journal of Food Engineering, v. 300, JUL 2021. (18/11031-8, 16/25946-2)

SOUSA, LUCAS MASSARO; FERREIRA, MARIA C.; HOU, QINFU F.; YU, AIBING B.. Feeding spent coffee grounds into reactors: TFM simulation of a non-mechanical spouted bed type feeder. WASTE MANAGEMENT, v. 109, p. 161-170, MAY 15 2020. (18/11031-8, 16/25946-2)

MASSARO SOUSA, L.; FERREIRA, M. C.. On the performance of a spouted bed type device for feeding spent coffee grounds to a circulating fluidized bed reactor. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING RESEARCH & DESIGN, v. 160, p. 31-38, AUG 2020. (16/25946-2, 18/11031-8)