Journal of Thermal Science and Technology (Apr 2022)

Hydrogen production by solar fluidized bed reactor using ceria: Euler-Lagrange modelling of gas-solid flow to optimize the internally circulating fluidized bed

  • Selvan BELLAN,
  • Tatsuya KODAMA,
  • Hyun SEOK CHO,
  • Jin-Soo KIM

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1299/jtst.22-00076
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 17, no. 2
pp. 22-00076 – 22-00076

Abstract

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To perform solar thermochemical conversion, by utilizing high-temperature solar heat as an energy source and redox metal oxide particles as a chemical source, fluidized bed reactor has been developed to produce clean fuels. In this study, an Euler-Lagrange model has been developed for the simulation of particulate and gas flows in fluidized bed reactor for hydrogen production, by two-step water splitting cycles, using solar beam down concentrating system. The solid phase is modelled by Discrete Element Method (DEM) using soft-sphere approach and the gas phase is modelled as continuum by Navier-Stokes equations. The flow behavior of newly developed fine ceria particles has been analyzed for various conditions using the 30 kWth fluidized bed reactor prototype. The effect of particle size on the flow-dynamics at the spout, fountain periphery and annulus of the internally circulating fluidized bed has been examined. The results indicate that the particle size distribution should be minimized as much as possible to avoid the segregation behavior of different size particles.

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