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– The purpose of this paper is to report a novel formulation of convective heat transfer source term for the case of flow through porous medium.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report a novel formulation of convective heat transfer source term for the case of flow through porous medium.
Design/methodology/approach
The novel formulation is obtained by analytical solution of an idealized dual problem. Computations are performed by dedicated tool for fixed bed combustion named GRATECAL and developed by the authors. However, the proposed method can also be applied to other porous media flow problems.
Findings
The new source term formulation is unconditionally stable and it respects exponential decay of temperature difference between the fluid and porous solid medium.
Practical/implications
The results of this work are applicable in the simulation of convective heat transfer between the fluid and porous medium. Applications include e.g. fixed bed combustion, catalytic reactors and lime kilns.
Originality/value
The reported solution is believed to be original. It will be useful to all involved in numerical simulations of fluid flow in porous media with convective heat transfer.
Details
Keywords
Stefano Cordiner, Alessandro Manni, Vincenzo Mulone and Vittorio Rocco
In the recent years the interest toward the use of biomass as a fuel for energy conversion, along with the continuous tightening of regulations, has driven the improvement of…
Abstract
Purpose
In the recent years the interest toward the use of biomass as a fuel for energy conversion, along with the continuous tightening of regulations, has driven the improvement of accurate design techniques which are required to optimize the combustion process and simultaneously control pollutant emissions. In this paper the use of a 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics approach is analyzed to that aim by means of an application to an existing 50 MW biomass fixed-bed combustion furnace fueled by grape marc. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The studied furnace is an interesting example of biomass utilization as it may integrate biomass with organic residual by an industrial process. The numerical model has been implemented into an OpenFOAM solver, with an Eulerian-Lagrangian approach. In particular, the fully 3D approach here presented, directly solves for the gas and solid evolution in both the combustion bed and the freeboard. Special care has also been devoted to the treatment of radiating fluxes, having a remarkable influence, again, on the bed evolution.
Findings
Results have been compared to experimental data in terms of temperature showing a good agreement. Further comparisons have been done with literature available data for a similar power size biomass furnace showing reasonable similarities.
Originality/value
Emission formation processes in a biomass furnace are dealt with in this paper. The innovation lies in the use of a fully 3D numerical approach, that is validated with regard to temperature measurements gathered in a multi-MW experimental furnace.
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Adrian Chun Hin Lai and Adrian Wing-Keung Law
Incineration has become increasingly important in many large cities around the world because of fast urbanization and population growth. The benefits of energy production and…
Abstract
Purpose
Incineration has become increasingly important in many large cities around the world because of fast urbanization and population growth. The benefits of energy production and large reduction in the waste volume to landfills also contribute to its growing adaptation for solid waste management for these cities. At the same time, the environmental impact of the pollutant gases emitted from the incineration process is a common concern for various stakeholders which must be properly addressed. To minimize the pollutant gas emission levels, as well as maximize the energy efficiency, it is critically important to optimize the combustion performance of an incinerator freeboard which would require the development of reliable approaches based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling. A critical task in the CFD modeling of an incinerator furnace requires the specification of waste characteristics along the moving grate as boundary conditions, which is not available in standard CFD packages at present. This study aims to address this gap by developing a numerical incinerator waste bed model.
Design/methodology/approach
A one-dimensional Lagrangian model for the incineration waste bed has been developed, which can be coupled to the furnace CFD model. The changes in bed mass due to drying, pyrolysis, devolatilization and char oxidation are all included in the model. The mass and concentration of gases produced in these processes through reactions are also predicted. The one-dimensional unsteady energy equations of solid and gas phases, which account for the furnace radiation, conduction, convection and heat of reactions, are solved by the control volume method.
Findings
The Lagrangian model is validated by comparing its prediction with the experimental data in the literature. The predicted waste bed height reduction, temperature profile and gas concentration are in reasonable agreement with the observations.
Originality/value
The simplicity and efficiency of the model makes it ideally suitable to be used for coupling with the computational furnace model to be developed in future (so as to optimize incinerator designs).
Details
Keywords
Michela Costa, Vanessa Indrizzi, Nicola Massarotti and Alessandro Mauro
The purpose of this paper is to optimize the performance of an incinerator plant in terms of NO emissions and temperature of particles 2 s after the last air injection, which must…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to optimize the performance of an incinerator plant in terms of NO emissions and temperature of particles 2 s after the last air injection, which must be above 850°C as established from the Directive 2000/76/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council – December 4, 2000 on dioxins formation in waste incineration plants.
Design/methodology/approach
Investigation is made by coupling proper models developed within three commercial software environments: FLUENT, to reproduce the thermodynamic field inside the combustion chamber of the incinerator plant taken into account, MATLAB, to evaluate the position and temperatures of the particles 2 s after the last air injection, MODEFRONTIER, to change both the secondary air mass flow rate and the equivalent heat transfer coefficient of the refractory walls to fulfill the conflicting objectives of reducing the NO formation and increasing the mean gases temperature as required by the Directive.
Findings
The investigations suggest that it is possible to create the conditions allowing the reduction of NO emissions and the fulfilment of the European limits. In particular, the obtained results suggest that increasing the overall mass flow rate of the secondary air and using a different refractory material on the walls, the environmental performance of the incinerator plant can be improved.
Research limitations/implications
Many other parameters could be optimized and, at the same time, more detailed models could be used for the Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations. Moreover, also the energy generated at the plant would need a better investigation in order to understand if optimal conditions can be really achieved.
Originality/value
The work covers new aspects of Waste-to-Energy (WtE) systems, since it deals with an optimization study of plant design and operating parameters. This kind of investigation allows not only to improve already existing technologies for WtE systems, but also to develop new ones.
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Mehmet Ozkaymak, Mehmet Ali Ceylan, Hasancan Okutan, Hüsnü Atakul, Engin Berrin, Tuba Coşkun and Özgür Inanç
In Turkey, dependence on foreign countries for energy is a problem which upsets all economic balances. Turkey’s biggest fossil energy source is lignite coal. Therefore, energy…
Abstract
Purpose
In Turkey, dependence on foreign countries for energy is a problem which upsets all economic balances. Turkey’s biggest fossil energy source is lignite coal. Therefore, energy conversion of lignite in thermal plants, causing minimum environmental effect is extremely important. The basic problem in terms of the combustion technology is to improve the combustion technology that can burn the low-qualified fuels that do not have standard fuel features (lignite, peat, schist). The most suitable technology today for the efficient and clean combustion of nonstandard low-qualified fuels is the combustion at fluidized-bed technology. In this study, CO2 emission that occurs during the combustion of Orhaneli coal that is one of our native low-qualified lignite, has been investigated according to the experimental study.
Design/methodology/approach
For this combustion experiment, laboratory-scaled circulating fluidized-bed (CFB) process that exists at TÜBITAK-MAM Energy Institute which has been designed and used before has been used. The effect of excess-air coefficient, combustion type and bed temperature to the greenhouse gas formation and CO2 emission has been investigated experimentally. In terms of flue gas emissions, it has been detected that the decrease of the amount of CO2 that has occurred has no positive effects on combustion efficiency, water vapor, SO2, NOx, CO and other gases which occur during deficient combustion must be thought as a whole and each reaction affects each other similar to complex reactions.
Findings
As a consequence of measuring CO2 emissions over 10 minute periods, CO2 emissions are 12.43 percent average, CO2 decreases at different air coefficient values; Often form undesirable side reactions such as CO, NOx with back and forth reactions.
Originality/value
The importance of aerodynamic structure of the system, and the losses and leakages forming in the system has been observed experimental and affected parameters are evaluated.
Details
Keywords
Manuel Schwabl, Markus Schwarz, Franz Figl, Lara Carvalho, Martin Staudinger, Wolfgang Kalb, Christoph Schmidl and Walter Haslinger
Decreasing energy demand due to improved building standards requires the development of new biomass combustion technologies to be able to provide individual biomass heating…
Abstract
Purpose
Decreasing energy demand due to improved building standards requires the development of new biomass combustion technologies to be able to provide individual biomass heating solutions. The purpose of this paper is, therefore, the development of a pellet water heating stove with minimal emission at high thermal efficiency.
Design/methodology/approach
The single components of a 10 kW water heating pellet stove are analysed and partly redesigned considering the latest scientific findings and experimental know‐how in combustion engineering. The outcome of this development is a 12 kW prototype which is subsequently down‐scaled to a 6 kW prototype. Finally, the results of the development are evaluated by testing of an accredited institute.
Findings
Based on an existing pellet water heating stove, the total excess air ratio was reduced, a strict air staging was implemented and the fuel supply was homogenized. All three measures improved the operating performance regarding emissions and thermal efficiency. The evaluation of the development process showed that the CO emissions are reduced by over 90 per cent during full load and by 30‐60 per cent during minimum load conditions. Emissions of particulate matter are reduced by 70 per cent and the thermal efficiency increased to 95 per cent.
Originality/value
The result represents a new state of technology in this sector for minimal emissions and maximal thermal efficiency, which surpasses the directives of the Eco label “UZ37” in Austria and “Blauer Engel” in Germany, which are amongst the most stringent performance requirements in the European Union. Hence this design possesses a high potential as heating solution for low and passive energy houses.
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In the first part of the paper, which outlines the laboratory and field investigations on corrosion by flue gases from solid fuel combustion carried out by the British Coal…
Abstract
In the first part of the paper, which outlines the laboratory and field investigations on corrosion by flue gases from solid fuel combustion carried out by the British Coal Utilisation Research Association, the effects of different flue gas constituents on corrosion phenomena are discussed. Laboratory studies of the effects of fuel type and method of combustion on the sulphuric acid content of combustion gases are described. The second part presents the results of measurements of the condensation characteristics of flue gases from water‐tube boilers in power stations and from various industrial boilers and furnaces; investigations into the use of additives are described briefly. The final section is concerned with some theoretical considerations of effects of fuel type, burning rate, etc., on the amounts of sulphuric acid likely to be present in the combustion products from domestic appliances.
Johnny Chung‐Yin Tsai, Hong G. Im, Taig‐Young Kim and Jaeho Kim
The purpose of this paper is to present a three‐dimensional CFD model that simulates the pyrolysis, combustion and heat transfer phenomena in a refuse‐derived fuel (RDF) gasifier…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a three‐dimensional CFD model that simulates the pyrolysis, combustion and heat transfer phenomena in a refuse‐derived fuel (RDF) gasifier. Correlations between different operation conditions and the waste stack morphology are also investigated. Parametric studies are conducted to optimize operating conditions to achieve an even stack surface minimal the local oxidation in the waste stack.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper proposes a Lagrangian pyrolysis submodel which can be applied to determine the local pyrolysis rate and porosity field by introducing the local characteristic diameter of the waste solid sphere. The flow field is described by a single‐phase porous flow model using the SIMPLE algorithm with momentum extrapolation. A one‐step global reaction was adapted for the chemical reactions inside the gasifier.
Findings
Computational results produced three‐dimensional distribution of the flow field, temperature, species concentration, porosity and the morphology of the waste stack under different operation conditions. Some parametric studies were conducted to assess the effects of the inlet temperature and the feeding rate on the waste stack shape. The results demonstrated that the model can properly capture the essential physical and chemical processes in the gasifier and thus can be used as a predictive simulation tool.
Research limitations/implications
Due to the lack of accurate reaction rate information, the computational results have not been directly compared against experimental data. Additional refinement and subsequent validation against prototype gasifier experiment will be reported in future work.
Originality/value
A full three‐dimensional computational model is developed for the complex two‐phase flow based on porous medium representation of the solid stack. A Lagrangian pyrolysis model based on the characteristic diameter of the solid waste material was proposed to describe the pyrolysis rate history. The developed model reproduces correct physical and chemical behavior inside gasifier with adequate computational efficiency and accuracy.
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Keywords
THE problem of the dissipation and transfer of heat is one that is becoming of increasing importance in aircraft with the introduction of gas‐turbines and jet propulsion as well…
Abstract
THE problem of the dissipation and transfer of heat is one that is becoming of increasing importance in aircraft with the introduction of gas‐turbines and jet propulsion as well as in view of the prospects of flight at high altitudes. We are therefore printing below summaries of all the papers read at the recent Anglo‐American conference on the subject, although some of them are not directly concerned with aeronautical applications.
Lucilla Coelho de Almeida, Joao Americo Aguirre Oliveira Junior and Jian Su
This paper aims to present a novel approach for computing particle temperatures in simulations coupling computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and discrete element method (DEM) to…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present a novel approach for computing particle temperatures in simulations coupling computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and discrete element method (DEM) to predict flow and heat transfer in fluidized beds of thermally thick spherical particles.
Design/methodology/approach
An improved lumped formulation based on Hermite-type approximations for integrals to relate surface temperature to average temperature and surface heat flux is used to overcome the limitations of classical lumped models. The model is validated through comparisons with analytical solutions for a convectively cooled sphere and experimental data for a fixed particle bed. The coupled CFD-DEM model is then applied to simulate a Geldart D bubbling fluidized bed, comparing the results to those obtained using the classical lumped model.
Findings
The validation cases demonstrate that ignoring internal thermal resistance can significantly impact the temperature in cases where the Biot number is greater than 0.1. The results for the fixed bed case clearly demonstrate that the proposed method yields significantly improved outcomes compared to the classical model. The fluidized bed results show that surface temperature can deviate considerably from the average temperature, underscoring the importance of accurately accounting for surface temperature in convective heat transfer predictions and surface processes.
Originality/value
The proposed approach offers a physically more consistent simulation without imposing a significant increase in computational cost. The improved lumped formulation can be easily and inexpensively integrated into a typical DEM solver workflow to predict heat transfer for spherical particles, with important implications for various industrial applications.
Details