Fluid Dynamics Study on a Cold Model of Fixed-Bed Fire-Tube Heating Pyrolysis Reactor for Ejection of Solid Char

Abstract

To innovate an easy and economic way for removal of solid char product from a fixed-bed fire-tube heating pyrolysis reactor the fluid dynamics studies on its cold model are essential. Thus, two types of fluid dynamics experiments have been carried out on a cold model of the pyrolysis reactor: (i) to determine the ejection pressure of the solid char from the reactor, which was carried out with the help of an air compressor and artificial solid char and (ii) to investigate the flow pattern inside the reactor chamber during ejection of char that was conducted by laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) measurement and flow visualization test. The experimental results show that variation of char ejection pressure with respect to superficial air velocity always follows a polynomial of second-degree. The normalized pressure should be reached to a value about 1.7 with a corresponding normalized superficial air velocity nearly to 1.0, to be started the char product blown out from the reactor model properly. The LDV measurements and visualization test ensure that the spiral char exit port is not able to create a rotary motion inside the reactor chamber during the removal of solid char.

Keywords

• fluid dynamics study
• cold model
• fire-tube heating reactor
• ldv