Fondrémy Inc., in collaboration with LAEMPE REICH, used Arena-flow to improve casting quality and reduce tooling costs for a complex water pump housing. By simulating sand core shooting and gassing, the team minimized prototyping, accelerated production, and transitioned to a high-yield, vertically poured molding process.
This paper presents validation and application of Arena-flow for sand core blowing and curing processes.
In this paper by Dale M. Snider, granular flow of three granular flow experiments is predicted by a CPFD numerical scheme in three dimension using the true particle size distribution.
This article examines the current trends in fluidization that have come about due to the newfound focus on sustainable applications, and how the role of computation tools used by those pursuing the applications is changing as well.
In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to investigate the performance of glycerol steam reforming in a fluidized bed system.
In this paper, intrinsic rate equations were derived for the steam reforming of methane, accompanied by water-gas shift on a Ni/MgAl2O4 catalyst. A large number of detailed reaction mechanisms were considered
A phenomenological model was developed for predicting the performance of a traditional reactor (TR) versus a membrane reactor (MR) for hydrogen production via glycerol steam reforming (GSR), which was validated against experimental data. The results were evaluated in terms of glycerol conversion and products yield and selectivity, and for the MR the hydrogen recovery was also accounted.
Learn how solid feed gasification enables the large-scale conversion of biomass and municipal solid waste into renewable fuels and chemicals, supporting decarbonization goals.
A reactive multiphase particle-in-cell approach is adopted to numerically investigate the physical and thermochemical characteristics of glycerol steam reforming process in a three-dimensional bubbling fluidized bed.
A mathematical model taking into account multicomponent (six species) mass balances, overall mass balance, Ergun relation for the pressure drop, energy balance for the bed-volume element including the heat transfer to the column wall, and nonlinear adsorption equilibrium isotherm coupled with three main reactions was derived to model SESMR.
The rate constant of the CaO–CO2 reaction was studied for two sorbents using an atmospheric thermogravimetric analyzer (ATGA) and a pressurized thermogravimetric analyzer (PTGA). A grain model was used to determine the rate-controlling steps.
This paper uses Barracuda Virtual Reactor to create a model of a fluidized bed reactor with carbon nanotube particles, which describes hydrodynamic behaviors such as bed expansion and solid holdup distribution.
This paper, which uses Barracuda Virtual Reactor simulation results, demonstrates that solar-driven biomass gasification, using solar-heated particles as a heat carrier and a fluidized bed reactor, enhances green H2-enriched syngas production by improving heat transfer and gasification kinetics, thereby enabling continuous and stable operation despite fluctuating solar flux.
This work investigates the dry reforming of CH4 as an important process for the conversion of greenhouse gases to synthesis gas. The paper is an attempt to numerically analyse by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) the coking and gasification mechanisms in the lab-scale membrane module with a fixed-bed supported nickel catalyst (Ni/Al2O3).
This work combines a catalytic reaction, a separation and the catalyst regeneration in a single reactor. To this end, a two zone fluidized bed reactor with hydrogen selective membranes has been employed.
The dry reforming of CH4 in a fixed-bed catalytic reactor for the production of hydrogen at different temperatures over supported Ni catalyst is studied in this paper.
Despite more than 100 years of commercialization of wide-ranging fluidized bed reactors, scale-up tools and methods have remained quite similar. To exploit the benefits of fluidized beds for the time-critical sustainability challenges, scale-up has to be implemented quicker and better.
Despite more than 100 years of commercialization of wide-ranging fluidized bed reactors, scale-up tools and methods have remained quite similar. To exploit the benefits of fluidized beds for the time-critical sustainability challenges, scale-up has to be implemented quicker and better.
When reactive particles which might agglomerate have to be withdrawn quickly from a fluidized bed reactor, intermittent powder discharge reduces the risk of agglomeration by ensuring high turbulence and low residence time in the discharge line
In the present study, a numerical simulation is performed to analyse hydrodynamic and heat transfer of a fluidized bed in a vertical channel.
The erosion of internals is a major problem in fluidized beds. This review collects, discusses, and compares key experimental and numerical results on erosion of internals immersed in fluidized bed with Geldart B (sometimes near D) particles, comparing the different models and experimental data available in the literature.
This article illustrates that methane pyrolysis is an important emerging technology that presents an economically attractive hydrogen production process with zero CO2 emissions.
This paper investigates adding silicon carbide and adjusting the crude oil–to–chemicals process in a multizone fluidized bed reactor to improve the performance in terms of morphology of hydrodynamics and thermal conductivity
This paper presents a method used to analyze local solids residence time distribution (RTD) and explore impact of gas-solids fluidization regime on RTD.
This publication summarizes studies available in the open literature on fluidized bed strippers as applied to the FCC and fluid coker unit operations.
In this paper, the simulation of the SE-SMR process in a DFB reactor is done in Barracuda Virtual Reactor, and the effects of bed inventory, superficial velocity and steam to methane ratio on hydrogen purity and methane conversion are discussed
Standpipes are an essential component to circulating fluidized bed systems. They are one of the only components of a circulating fluidized bed system that build pressure and adjust their height and pressure build automatically to balance the pressure drop along the rest of the circulating loop.
This PSRI Research Brief (RB 238) describes a new method developed at PSRI for sorting textile fibers
In this study, the gas and solid behaviors in a pilot-scale circulating fluidized bed combustor were investigated by using Barracuda numerical simulations under oxy-fuel combustion conditions.
Authors: Federico Monterosso, Micaela Olivetti Omiq Abstract: Le raffinerie ed altre industrie downstream stanno rapidamente adottando tecnologie e strategie digitali. La trasformazione smart coinvolge numerosi comparti industrial l’oil&gas non è…
This publication summarizes studies available in the open literature on fluidized bed strippers as applied to the FCC and fluid coker unit operations.
This paper discusses how the landscape of fluidization technology has evolved over the last century.
Barracuda Virtual Reactor simulations and experiments were used to study the gasification of Erdos bituminous coal char with Fe2O3/Al2O3 under the pressure of 0.1-0.5 MPa
For a better understanding of this process, biomass steam gasification using ilmenite as an oxygen carrier is numerically investigated in this work using Barracuda Virtual Reactor, which is a modified Euler–Lagrange approach.
This study reports a novel hybrid model using Barracuda Virtual Reactor and AI for the prediction of six critical process variables of importance in an industrial-scale FCC
In this paper, the applicability of the MP-PIC method to model a biomass injector is investigated, and the effects on a system’s hydrodynamics of changing model inputs are discussed
In this publication, a model for a high pressure fluidized bed was created using Barracuda Virtual Reactor® and validated against previously obtained experimental data
This thesis contains the experimental results for a cold flow model for bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) and a pilot scale BFB gasifier.
This paper explores how advances in GPU and multi-GPU computing have impacted 3D, transient simulations of fluidized bed conversion processes, resulting in simulations running up to 400x faster using GPUs in a single workstation compared with CPU-only performance.
The advantages of the MP-PIC method can be seen in this paper, where researchers use it to analyze the full hydrodynamics and thermochemistry of a fluidized bed reactor for a sorption enhanced steam methane reforming process.
Researchers at Brigham Young University completed this 5-year research program with the main objective to build and test a 100 kWth pressurized dry-feed oxy-coal combustor
In order to analyze the effects that maldistribution of gas can have on FCC regenerator performance, researchers from China University of Petroleum conducted simulations using Barracuda Virtual Reactor.
In this study the multiphase particle-in-cell (MP-PIC) method is used for the simulation of two pilot-scale circulating fluidized beds (CFBs) with quartz sand belonging to Geldart’s group B as bed material
Sinoma International Engineering uses Barracuda Virtual Reactor to analyze the different ways of reducing the resistance in cyclones
This paper discusses how impurities can effect chemical reactions in fluidized beds, and in doing so highlights Barracuda Virtual Reactor’s ability to accurately model multiphase chemistry.
This study outlines how Barracuda Virtual Reactor can be utilized to optimize models of fluidized bed reactors by manipulating simulation parameters and simulation geometry.
This paper shows how Barracuda Virtual Reactor can be used to validate mathematical analysis and verify expected relationships between parameters and results.
In this paper, researchers use Barracuda Virtual Reactor to extend existing isothermal research work and now model the thermal profile of an industrial fluidized bed reactor
In this paper, researchers use Barracuda Virtual Reactor to help determine preliminary parameters and dimensions for an industrial scale fluidized bed reactor
This paper demonstrates how Barracuda Virtual Reactor can be used to research yet unexplored applications of fluidization technology, such as industrial scale chlorination of aluminum oxide via a fluidized bed reactor,
This paper by researchers at Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha and Universidad Carlos III de Madrid demonstrates Barracuda Virtual Reactor’s ability to accurately model bubbling behavior in fluidized beds by comparing simulations to experimental data
This paper shows how Barracuda Virtual reactor can be used to effectively model, validate, and optimize Entrained Flow (EF) gasification Reactors
In this paper, Barracuda Virtual Reactor is used to verify the results of a continuous FBCVD (fluidized bed chemical vapour deposition) process
This paper shows how Barracuda Virtual Reactor can be used to facilitate the design of a kaolin calciner
In order to analyze the effects that maldistribution of gas can have on FCC regenerator performance, researchers from China University of Petroleum conducted simulations using Barracuda Virtual Reactor.
This paper illustrates the advantages of using Barracuda Virtual Reactor, which is based on an MP-PIC method, over two-fluid models in simulating heat transfer mechanics
In order to analyze the effects that maldistribution of gas can have on FCC regenerator performance, researchers from China University of Petroleum conducted simulations using Barracuda Virtual Reactor.
In this paper, researchers use Barracuda Virtual Reactor to study the gas-solid flow of Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) Units at variable load
In this paper, CFD modeling using Barracuda Virtual Reactor is employed to diagnose the causes of afterburn in an RFCC unit.
Researchers use Barracuda Virtual Reactor to validate experimental findings of fluidized beds with Geldart A particles
Numerical simulations in Barracuda Virtual Reactor is used to verify evaporation efficiency and ensure that wastewater from flue gas desulfurization is properly treated
In this study, machine learning was employed to elucidate the kinetics of olefins production from the direct cracking of crude oil feedstock in a dual-downer high severity fluidized bed system.
This paper analyzes and summarizes the fundamentals of CFD simulations of fluid-particle systems, specifically of fluidized beds.
Numerical granular-fluid simulations of high loaded cyclones with a concentric and with an eccentric vortex finder are performed using Barracuda Virtual Reactor to better understand their hydrodynamics.
This paper illustrates Barracuda Virtual Reactor’s ability to simulate a cold-flow model of a dual-fluidized bed (DFB).
This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of the numerical method used by Barracuda Virtual Reactor – the multiphase particle-in-cell (MP-PIC) method, which allows a detailed simulation of even large-scale units with affordable computational efforts.
This thesis by Christopher McIntyre from the University of Ottawa explores the use of CPFD modeling related to pressurized chemical looping combustion.
In this paper, researchers demonstrate Barracuda Virtual Reactor’s ability to accurately model the relationship between particle size distributions and the hydrodynamics of pneumatic conveying systems by comparing simulation results to experimental data.
This joint paper by the China University of Petroleum and SINOPEC is part two in a two part series on the effects of internals on FCC regenerator performance.
This paper demonstrates Barracuda Virtual Reactor’s capability to model irradiated fluidized beds using a P-1 radiation model
For this study, researchers used CFD methods to perform a multivariable analysis of a dual fluidized bed
This joint paper by the China University of Petroleum, SINOPEC, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is part one in a two part series on the effects of internals on FCC regenerator performance.
In this paper, Barracuda is used to analyze how different particle species behave in a fully integrated regenerative calcium looping (FICaL) system
NO emissions from two in–line cement calciners operating with petcoke and coal, respectively, are predicted through CPFD simulation and compared with operational data.
This study by Cesar Medina-Pedraza and Hugo de Lasa of the University of Western Ontario reports a numerical hybrid cluster CPFD simulation of a downer reactor unit.
This article by engineers at TechnipFMC Process Technology and Suncor Energy, discusses an FCC regenerator revamp at the Suncor Edmonton refinery, aimed to incorporate advanced design features to mitigate operational challenges and improve reliability.
Virtual Reactor simulations were used to evaluate the re-design and reconfiguration of a dual-fluidized bed (DFB) gasification system into a recirculating pyrolysis reactor, by researchers at NREL, UCSD, and West Biofuels, LLC.
This paper focuses on the simulation of an entrained flow gasification reactor in Barracuda Virtual Reactor
This paper introduces and investigates the Fluidization Based Particle Thermal Energy Storage (FP-TES) technology
In this paper, researchers use Barracuda Virtual Reactor to help develop advanced regenerator technology
The present paper describes the basic idea behind the key technology and the design methodology of a test rig in semi-industrial scale. In addition the results of selected preliminary experimental and numerical investigations are presented and discussed.
This paper presents a new model for agglomeration which provides improved predictions for particle collision outcomes
Experiments were performed in a pilot-scale bubbling fluidized bed gasification reactor, and a kinetics-based model was developed simulated using Barracuda Virtual Reactor.
This paper by Raj Singh, Paul Marchant, and Steve Shimoda at Technip Energies discusses how to use Barracuda Virtual Reactor to improve gas solid distribution in fluidized beds
This paper by Raj Singh, Paul Marchant, and Steve Shimoda at TechnipFMC discusses how to use Barracuda Virtual Reactor to improve spent catalyst distribution in FCC regenerators.
To grasp the diffusion law of the unloading dust and reduce the amount of dust discharged, the Barracuda Virtual Reactor and similarity experiments were used to study the dust generation and diffusion principle under different unloading conditions
Researchers use Barracuda Virtual Reactor to predict particle flow behaviors under different operating conditions
This simulation study the University of Western Ontario demonstrates the scalability of chemical looping combustion (CLC) to achieve efficient capture of biomass-derived CO2.
Application of a newly designed spent catalyst distributor improves spent catalyst distribution, coke combustion and bed temperatures in the FCC in this article by Raj Singh, Paul Marchant and Steve Shimoda of TechnipFMC Process Technology.
This publication by SABIC provides insights into improving fluidization behavior by way of a systematic approach to determine the underlying root causes of issues in a commercial dehydrogenation reactor.
Surprises are not always a good thing, especially during plant turnarounds. This article, from the September 2019 issue of Hydrocarbon Engineering, discusses how simulations can be a critical turnaround risk reduction tool.
Experiment on the air gasification of biomass in a bubbling fluidized bed reactor was performed in a pilot-scale reactor located at the University of South-Eastern Norway (USN).
In this paper, researchers used Barracuda Virtual Reactor to optimize the coal feed locations for a dual circulating fluidized bed reactor for chemical looping combustion.
Nakhaei, Wu, Grévain, Jensen, Glarborg, and Dam–Johansen present CPFD simulations for petcoke and solid recovered fuel (SRF) co–firing in a full–scale cement calciner.
The article, featured in the April 2019 issue of Hydrocarbon Engineering, examines the role of simulation in the digital transformation of modern refineries.
Two-phase, gas-solid processes are extremely difficult to operate. During the past two decades, various tools and techniques have been developed to assist in minimizing startup and operating problems in plants that react and/or transport solids.
This paper from the University of Western Ontario includes Barracuda Virtual Reactor simulation of the catalytic propane oxidative dehydrogenation (PODH) process in a circulating fluidized bed downer reactor.
The ability to massively reduce the runtime of Barracuda Virtual Reactor simulations through the use of a GPU is highlighted in this paper regarding the modelling of a Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) looping process.
Researchers from BYU utilized CPFD to present a novel analysis of woody biomass and coal particle mixing inside a classifier.
Researchers from NETL use Barracuda simulation and ECVT data to explore suitability of different modeling techniques to capture effects of a perforated distributor plate.
This paper from ENEA, includes Virtual Reactor simulation of the bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) upstream gasifier of the ZECOMIX EU research project.
With recent advancements in CFD modeling tools, chemical looping simulations can be more accurate and efficient than what was possible just a few years ago, in large part due to increases in model calculation rates afforded by improved computing hardware and improved parallelization of CFD software. In this work, the impact of these improvements is assessed using a chemical looping reactor model as a benchmark.
This article, coauthored by engineers Viva Energy Australia and CPFD Software, outlines how Barracuda Virtual Reactor simulations were used to address a problem that impacted overall refinery economics by tens of thousands of dollars per day.
This paper is focused on how simulation is used as a tool for knowledge management of lessons learned from current and historical FCCU operations.
In this paper, researchers in Poland used CFD software, including Barracuda Virtual Reactor, to predict syngas composition when carbon dioxide is added to the gasifying agent.
The study presents profile measurements and Barracuda simulations of gas emissions, temperature and pressure in a CFBC test rig firing two different bituminous coals.
Researchers in Korea use the MP-PIC method to analyze the effect of various operating parameters on the yield distribution of fast pyrolysis in a bubbling fluidized bed reactor.
In this study by Barracuda Virtual Reactor distributor Adlan Omer alongside Martin Weng, the effect of air distribution from a nozzle grid on the combustion of a CFBC riser is assessed.
In this paper, Barracuda Virtual Reactor is used alongside a chemical process optimization software to analyze a biomass gasification process
CPFD and PSRI co-authored this presentation from the 2017 AIChE Annual Meeting, which highlights Barracuda Virtual Reactor simulation results of a large cold-flow FCC stripper experiment.
This paper presents a CPFD model for solid waste and biomass particle combustion in a circulating fluidized bed.
This paper compares the results of a two-fluid model (TFM) of a fluidized bed to other CFD methods, including Barracuda Virtual Reactor.
In this paper, a model developed using Barracuda Virtual Reactor is used to quantify the relationship between the flow hydrodynamics and the chemical reactions in multiphase flow-reaction systems.
Virtual Reactor simulation of a biomass pyrolysis reactor, by Kokourine and Adham at Hatch, verifies that plug-flow with internal-recirculation (PFIR) can be achieved under reasonable operating conditions.
The simulation results in this paper show the numerous modeling capabilities of the MP-PIC approach to identify possible performance and reliability issues of an industrial Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) regenerator..
A cold flow model of an 8 MW dual fluidized bed (DFB) system is simulated using Barracuda Virtual Reactor, and then the effect of the chosen drag law on the hydrodynamics is analyzed.
In this paper, Barracuda Virtua Reactor was used to help disprove the notion that probes do not affect the data collected in circulating fluidized bed risers and prove that intrusive probe measurements consistently mispredict the behavior of the system.
Computational particle-fluid dynamics (CPFD) simulation was carried out to examine the influence of air versus O2/CO2 as the fluidizing gas on the hydrodynamics of gas-solid flow in a cold-mode circulating fluidized bed.
Although extensive CFB riser studies have been conducted, most of the reported data are for risers operating at relatively low gas velocities. There is a lack of hydrodynamics data for conditions similar or close to those of commercial FCC risers.
The MP-PIC method upon which Barracuda Virtual Reactor is based is used to simulate riser hydrodynamics of an FCC process
CPFD Software researches how to make FCC processes more economically efficient, using Barracuda Virtual Reactor to identify and diagnose issues with emissions and with afterburn.
Kodam, Freireich, Pretz, and Stears from Dow discuss how Barracuda Virtual Reactor has been used to investigate riser termination device performance for separating catalyst particles from the gas phase.
This paper examines how CPFD simulation is used to improve overall FCCU economics.
The bed-to-wall heat transfer of a bubbling fluidized bed is simulated and analyzed using Barracuda Virtual Reactor.
Barracuda Virtual Reactor is used to simulate a scaled-up down flow reactor and to analyze the effects of changing gas velocity and solid mass flux on the cluster behavior.
This study by researchers at the University College of Southeast Norway and Tel-Tek investigates the applicability of the multiphase particle-in-cell (MP-PIC) method for predicting pneumatic conveying characteristics.
In this study by Bioenergy 2020+ and the Technical University of Vienna, an industrial-sized dual fluidized bed biomass gasification system was simulated with Barracuda Virtual Reactor and compared with plant data.
Fluidized bed design and scale-up depends strongly on particle characteristics such as size and shape. Preliminary work on particle shear in a packed and fluidized beds, suggest that particle clustering can be measured and may provide a quantifiable metric for the level of particle clustering.
Barracuda Virtual Reactor is used in conjunction with a coke combustion kinetic model to evaluate and optimize regenerator hydrodynamics in order to increase product yield.
In this paper, researchers from Inaeris and CPFD Software validated results from Barracuda Virtual Reactor simulations using cold-flow experiments of Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis (CFP) fluidized beds.
In this work by Liu, Cattolica, and Seiser from UCSD, a three-dimensional model was established to simulate the hydrodynamics of a dual fluidized-bed gasification system.
This publication provides an analysis of annulus flow behavior of Geldart Group B particles in a CFB riser
In this paper, results from a CFD study of an FCC regenerator are used to recommend hardware and operational modifications, which are subsequently modeled using CFD to quantify their benefits.
This paper looks at how a team including Peccatiello Engineering, Emtrol-Buell Technologies, and CPFD came together to solve an exceptionally challenging case of FCC regenerator maldistribution.
This paper, first presented at the 2016 AFPM Annual Meeting, provides an overview of general and localized afterburn, and discusses techniques for effective troubleshooting.
In this study by the University of Utah, Barracuda simulations for a chemical looping with oxygen uncoupling system compared well with literature and data.
In this work researchers from SABIC and CPFD investigate the dynamic behavior of a commercial fluidized bed LLDPE reactor and compare with plant data.
Researchers at KiOR LLC working with CPFD Software staff use Barracuda Virtual Reactor to develop a Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis (CFP) technology that emulates the FCC process.
A model using the MP-PIC method was developed to simulate a pilot-scale dual fluidized-bed biomass gasification system and was validated by experimental results; it was then used to investigate the impact of various changes on the producer gas composition.
In this paper, a hybrid model of a gas-solid fluidized bed unit is developed using Barracuda Virtual Reactor and then is validated by experimental data.
Particle attrition can be a major issue in using catalyst particles in fluidized beds and circulating fluidized beds. Particles tend to break down via two mechanisms – abrasion and fragmentation.
In this research the solids flux measurements showed the risers having different shapes of radial profiles. The net solids flow direction at all radial locations was found to be upward for the conditions used in this study.
This publication demonstrates that pressure fluctuations and local bubble void fraction can diagnose gas bypassing
The hydrodynamics of FCC particles in a bubbling fluidized bed are predicted by both Barracuda Virtual Reactor and by a CFD model, and their results were compared.
In this paper, three cases of Barracuda Virtual Reactor models were established to validate three speculations on wear mechanisms; the simulated locations with the highest wear magnitudes are agreeable with the wear accidents reported in industry.
In this publication, Transport Disengaging Height correlations are evaluated across Geldart Groups, polydispersity and velocities.
A comprehensive experimental database for travelling fluidized bed model testing is extended
This paper demonstrates that Barracuda Virtual Reactor’s MP-PIC method is a reliable tool for modelling bubbling fluidized bed behavior of non-cohesive particles.
Multiphase flow simulations created using Barracuda Virtual Reactor are used to compare with experimental data for determining minimum fluidization velocity for four different sizes of particles.
Fluidized beds are susceptible to such problems as bed slugging, loss of fines, and gas bypassing. This article explains how to avoid these pitfalls.
This paper presents a constitutive equation for the thermal heat transfer associated by mass transfer, applicable to both Eulerian–Eulerian and Eulerian–Lagrangian multiphase computational fluid dynamic models.
Fluidized beds offer excellent heat transfer, and have the unique ability to move a wide range of solid particles in a fluid-like fashion.
This study by researchers from the Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Coal Gasification investigated the applicability of the CPFD) numerical scheme for simulating flows in a 3-D hopper.
Bigda, from the Institute for Chemical Processing of Coal (IChPW), Poland, presents CPFD numerical studies of the hydrodynamics of gas-solid flow and the drying process using Barracuda Virtual Reactor.
In this paper a CPFD model for dry flue gas desulfurization (DFGD) systems was developed, validated against lab-scale data, and applied to an industrial-scale unit.
In this paper presented at CFB-11, a team from Babcok & Wilcox Power Generation Group report on Barracuda simulations of a large capacity, pantleg CFB boiler.
To demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of Barracuda Virtual Reactor, a model of a pseudo-2D fluidized bed created using it is compared to a two-fluid model (TFM).
A novel solids separator for a chemical looping reactor was designed at NETL using Barracuda Virtual Reactor, and the final as-built separator performed well.
A novel Eulerian–Lagrangian approach based on the multi-phase particle-in-cell (MP-PIC) methodology was applied in the simulation of the hydrodynamic behavior of pressurized high-flux circulating fluidized beds (DHFCFBs), and the sensitivities of key models and modeling parameters on the predictions were tested systematically.
This paper demonstrates that Barracuda Virtual Reactor is well suited for simulating dense particle laden fluids present in steam gasification systems due to its numerical solving methods for both the particles and the fluid.
O’Rourke and Snider present a new contact force model where individual particle accelerations are a blend between the particle acceleration of the original MP-PIC method, appropriate for rapid granular flows, and an average particle acceleration that applies to closely packed granular flows.
In this paper a CPFD model is combined with ECT measurements to investigate the hydrodynamic behavior in a CFB boiler with six cyclones.
In this study by Loha, Chattopadhyay, and Chatterjee, simulated gas compositions are found to be in good agreement with experimental data for a bubbling fluidized bed biomass gasifier.
Dr. James Parker of CPFD Software demonstrates how Barracuda Virtual Reactor can be used to develop a full three-dimensional model of a chemical looping combustion system and simulate the particle–fluid hydrodynamics, thermal characteristics, and reaction efficiency.
Minimum fluidization and bubbling densities and velocities are widely used in fluidized bed design and modeling. The methods presently used for measuring these parameters are, however, time consuming and labor intensive.
Four models created using Barracuda Virtual Rector are compared with results from an Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography (ECVT) sensor and from high speed pressure measurements.
Barracuda Virtual Reactor was used to simulate the gas solid flow characteristics in a circulating fluidized bed with a loop seal, and the influences of operating parameters, including loop seal aeration rate (Ql), fluidized air velocity in the riser (Ur) and total bed inventory (Mp) on the solid circulation characteristics were investigated.
Barracuda Virtual Reactor was used to simulate the gas solid flow characteristics in a circulating fluidized bed with a loop seal, and the influences of operating parameters, including loop seal aeration rate (Ql), fluidized air velocity in the riser (Ur) and total bed inventory (Mp) on the solid circulation characteristics were investigated.
In this paper researchers from the National Energy Technology Laboratory report Barracuda Virtual Reactor simulation results for adsorber performance for a dry-sorbent carbon-capture process.
This paper illustrates that a bubble-based energy-minimization multiscale (EMMS) model can be applicable to a wide variety of flow regimes, ranging from bubbling, turbulent to fast fluidization.
The full set of scaling law derived by Glicksman allows the hydrodynamic scale-up of fluidized bed reactors, but a new scale-up approach is proposed and tested that helps to avoid the dilemma in the case of catalytic reactors, where changing the catalyst particle diameter during scale-up may have consequences for the catalyst activity, selectivity and deactivation behavior.
This paper illustrates how using CFD such as Barracuda Virtual Reactor in the development phase of fluidized beds can help avoid costly mistakes, reduce time requirements, and increase the quality of the resulting process.
Engineers from CPFD and MPC report on the use of Barracuda to perform virtual testing on potential redesigns of FCC reactor internals at MPC’s Catlettsburg Refinery.
In this paper, CPFD modeling is used to demonstrate the causes of back-mixing in circulating fluidized bed risers.
In this paper studying water-fluidized beds, Barracuda Virtual Reactor is used to simulate concentration profiles and is found to reasonably agree with experimental data.
In this paper by researchers in Korea, a CPFD model simulation was carried out to analyze flow patterns in order to understand the mechanism of deposit formation on the cyclone duct during the residue fluidized catalytic cracking (RFCC) process.
This publication discusses the application of high speed particle imaging velocimetry technology to study the real-time behavior of gas-particle flow fields in circulating fluidized bed (CFB) risers
This paper illustrates the advantages of Barracuda Virtual Reactor in modeling a low temperature post-combustion carbon capture reactor when compared to Eulerian-Lagrangian (DDPM) methods or to Eulerian-Eulerian methods.
In this paper, Clark, Snider, and Spenik compare cold-flow experimental results with Barracuda simulation for a full-loop CFB experimental carbon capture unit constructed at the US DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).
This paper describes the development and implementation of Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography (ECVT), which can provide more detailed understanding of multiphase flow behavior inside a Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) by offering a 3-D technique capable of visualizing the flow field in real-time.
Differential pressure fluctuations are routinely measured in fluidized beds to delineate fluidization regimes, provide hydrodynamics data, and/or assess fluidization quality.
This paper discusses how Barracuda Virtual Reactor was used to gain insights into potentially unexpected fluidization behaviors.
Researchers from China University of Petroleum use CPFD modeling to create a three-dimensional model for gas-solid flow in a circulating fluidized bed (CFB).
Authors: Jong, J.F. de, T.Y.N. Dang, M. van Sint Annaland, and J.A.M. Kuipers. Source: This paper was published in Powder Technology. Abstract: Fluidized bed membrane reactors gain worldwide increasing interest…
In a FLUID COKING unit, reactor cyclone fouling by coke deposits can set the run length of the unit. It was found that the CFD model could quantitatively predict coke distributions in the freeboard region of a FLUID COKING reactor experimental rig, while providing insight into the flow dynamics.
Standpipes provide the pressure balance in a circulating fluidized bed and thereby dictate the solid flux into the riser. This research explains the role of aeration ins standpipe flow.
Researchers in Canada use an early version of Barracuda Virtual Reactor to predict local solid densification and asymmetric “wavy flows” in downer reactors.
This study by researchers at the Hamburg University of Technology and Tsinghua University investigated the applicability of CPFD for simulating flows in CFB risers for Geldart group A and B particles for low and high solids fluxes.
Experimental operation of three fluidized bed processors is compared with CFD simulation results by Parker, Williams, and Thibault, CPFD Software, and LaMarche, Chen, and Stamato, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.
In this paper, a comprehensive three-dimensional numerical model has been developed to simulate the coal gasification in a fluidized bed gasifier using a multiphase particle-in-cell (MP-PIC) method, and the formation of flow patterns, profiles of particle species and gas compositions, distributions of reaction rates and consumption of carbon mass were investigated under different operating conditions.
This paper demonstrates the advantages of the energy-minimization multiscale (EMMS) model compared to a conventional model for a full-loop industrial-scaled CFB boiler, including successfully predicting the pressure profile of the furnace.
This paper, by authors at CPFD Software and Biomasse Italia, describes the optimization of a CFB boiler in order to minimize erosion considering overall performance.
Researchers in China and in England developed a comprehensive three-dimensional numerical model is developed to simulate forestry residues gasification in a fluidized bed reactor using a Eulerian–Lagrangian approach; the model is in good agreement with experimental data.
Quantitative and qualitative predictions of layer inversion and binary component segregation at different liquid velocities and of chaotic circulation patterns for a glass bead-water fluidized bed were carried out by Barracuda Virtual Reactor and were shown to be in reasonable agreement with experimental observations.
O’Rourke and Snider document a new method for including collisional return-to-isotropy in particle velocity distributions calculated by the MP-PIC method for numerical simulation of particle/fluid flows.
The objective of this paper is to show and discuss the applicability of optical probes to measure the bubble size and bubble rise velocity in fluidized beds.
This study describes the potential intrusive effects of CREC-GS-Optiprobes on the flow pattern in gas–solid downflow units by calculating granular flows and their interactions with the CREC-GS-Optiprobes using a CPFD (Computational Particle Fluid Dynamic) numerical scheme in three dimensions.
This paper by Kuochen Tsai, Ernesto Rafael Fonseca, Sujatha Degaleesan, and Ed Lake from Shell shows advances in the numerical simulation of proppant transport in hydraulically stimulated fractures for oil and gas production.
Experiments involving monodisperse Geldart Group B particles were carried out in a pilot-scale riser of a circulating fluidized bed, and several combinations of superficial gas velocity, solid flux, average particle diameter, and particle material density were investigated
Gas–solids circulating fluidized bed (CFB) experiments have been carried out, with a focus on understanding the impact of polydispersity on cluster characteristics in a dilute riser.
This paper investigates the capability of the Multiphase Particle in Cell (MP-PIC) approach for modeling a bubbling fluidized bed of Geldart A particles.
Experiments with a focus on the impact of polydispersity on clustering characteristics (namely, appearance probability, duration, and frequency) of Geldart Group B particles in a circulating fluidized bed riser have been performed.
Experiments in a circulating fluidized bed (CFB) riser with Geldart Group B particles have been carried out with an emphasis on cluster characterization.
In order to create fast fluidized beds designed to maximize coal gasification yields and designed to provide an optimum syngas composition with minimum operational upsets, a comprehensive model for steam gasification is created using CPFD methods.
In this research experiments directed at understanding local mass flux behavior of Geldart Group B materials in the riser of a gas-solids circulating fluidized bed (CFB) have been carried out.
This article presents a Barracuda Virtual Reactor simulation of combusting gas and particle flow within the Duisburg 250 MW CFBC chamber.
Experiments involving a gas–solid, pilot-scale circulating fluidized bed (CFB) have been carried out, with a focus on species segregation measurements in a riser.
In this paper, an early version of Barracuda Virtual Reactor was used to validate experimental data for an acrylonitrile fluidized bed reactor.
This paper by Sam Clark of CPFD Software illustrates a multiphase simulation of a commercial-scale fluidized catalytic cracking unit with complex internal geometries and how the computational model can be used to predict wear on internal structures.
Standpipes are often the bottleneck in a circulating fluidized bed processes. Understanding the pressure build and dissipation in a standpipe is critical in designing and operating a standpipe that can meet production needs.
The main objective of this study is to shed light on the mechanism by which this erosion takes place, and how different design and operating parameters affect the erosion.
This work shows the development of a three-optical fiber probe to study the behavior of the bubble in bubbling fluidized gas-solid beds.
In this work, James Parker presents a CPFD model compared with JPL data for the deposition rate, silicon fines production, and temperature distribution within a silane deposition reactor.
In this CPFD Software whitepaper by James Parker, a reactor using solid MGS particles fluidized by hydrogen chloride gas which reacts to form primarily TCS and hydrogen gas is discussed.
Snider, Clark and O’Rourke present an extension of the CPFD methodology to include an enthalpy equation that describes energy transport for fluid, and provides for transfer of sensible and chemical energy between phases and within the fluid mixture, with application to a fluidized bed coal gasifier.
O’Rourke and Snider present several improvements to a numerical model introduced by O’Rourke et al. (2009) for collisional exchange and damping in dense particle flows.
Based on fluidized bed experiments at varying fines concentration, bed heights and bed internals location, the dominant mechanism for clusters in the freeboard appears to be cluster formation in the bed.
This paper by Ray Cocco, S. B. Reddy Karri, Yeook Arrington, Roy Hays, John G. Findlay, and Ted Knowlton of PSRI discusses the simulation-informed development of a conical jet cup device that allows all of the sample particles to experience similar solids stresses.
This paper by Particulate Solid Research, Inc (PSRI) discusses jet cup attrition testing, and how CFD such as Barracuda Virtual Reactor can be used to improve jet cup design.
Cyclone diplegs play a major role in the functioning of fluidized beds. Previous studies. This report discusses tests conducted to demonstrate that cyclone diplegs can flood when discharging into a bed with gas bypassing.
Clustering of particles in granular-fluid systems has been known to exist for some time. Wilhelm and Kwauk were among the first to show evidence of particle clustering in fluidized beds with others following suit with similar experiments.
Tests were conducted in 0.6-m and 0.9-m-diameter units to determine the effect of imposed solids flux and system pressure on gas bypassing in deep beds of FCC catalyst particles.
In this paper, computational modeling of fluidized beds is used to predict the operation of biomass gasifiers after extensive validation with experimental data, and hydrodynamic results from the simulations were compared with X-ray flow visualization computed tomography studies of a similar bed.
This paper presents new capabilities and proof-testing of a collisional model previously presented in O’Rourke, Zhao, and Snider (2009) applied to liquid injection into a dense-phase fluidized bed.
Researchers from CPFD and Cristal Global present a solution of ozone decomposition in a bubbling bed using the CPFD numerical scheme. Results compared well with the experimental data reported by Fryer and Potter (1976).
This work presents a new methodology, based on the maximum entropy method, to obtain bubble characteristics in fluidized beds.
A new model is presented by O’Rourke, Zhao, and Snider for numerical simulations of collisional transfer of mass, momentum and energy in gas/liquid/solid fluidized beds.
Most investigations of fluidization parameters take place at ambi- ent temperature and pressure. Yet, nearly all processes operate at elevated temperature, and many at elevated pressure.
The gas distributor (also called a grid) in a fluidized bed reactor is intended to induce a uniform and stable fluidization across the entire bed
cross-section, operate for long periods (years) without plugging or breaking, minimize weepage of solids into the plenum beneath the grid, minimize attrition of the bed material, and support the weight of the bed material during start-up and shut-down.
Eulerian granular multiphase model with a drag coefficient correction based on the energy-minimization multi-scale (EMMS) model was used to simulate a semi-industry scale circulating fluidized bed (CFB).
Particle attrition is usually a detriment to product quality and process cost. This paper discusses the development of a jet cup device that allows all of the sample particles to experience similar amounts of solids stresses.
Various types of internals have traditionally been used to improve fluidization quality. Some recent studies have shown that under some conditions there can be severe gas mal-distribution of gas in deep fluidized beds of Geldart group A materials.
Non-mechanical valves, especially the L-valves, have been used extensively in fluidized beds and circulating fluidized beds for solids recycling or to serve as a pressure seal. This paper presents a set of L-valve equations which relate the solids flow rate to the L-valve design, aeration rate, and pressure drop across the L-valve.
This paper reports the first quantitative comparison of magnetic resonance (MR) and electrical capacitance volume tomography (ECVT) on a 50 mm diameter gas-fluidized bed of silica−alumina catalyst support particles.
Snider, O’Rourke, and Zhao present a unified model for collisional exchange of mass, momentum, and energy between particles in gas/liquid/solid fluidized beds.
Commercial circulating fluidized bed (CFB) units require efficient operation of the riser and the solids return leg. The objective of this work was to study how horizontal baffles can be used to reduce or eliminate gas bypassing in deep beds.
Three cases are presented on the entrainment of various materials from fluidized beds in which agglomerated clumps of particles affected the measured entrainment rates. Evidence suggests that fine particles in many materials may be clumping together – resulting in a reduced entrainment rate.
Gas streaming is the severe bypassing of gas that can occur in deep, bubbling fluidized beds. Gas bypassing consists of a large jet that precesses around the walls of the fluidized bed. Details of possible mechanisms and possible techniques for detecting gas-bypassing are presented in this report.
The development of the multi-phase flow algorithm MIPSA (Multi-InterPhase Slip-Algorithm) within a two-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code called CASCADE is summarized with its application to the modeling of lean phase circulating fluidized beds
In this publication, typical commercial stripper operating problems are pointed out, and methods to diagnose the problems are identified.
This paper documents the development of electrical capacitance volume tomography.
Extensive lattice-Boltzmann simulations were performed to obtain the drag force for random arrays of monodisperse and bidisperse spheres.
Cyclones have been in operation for over one hundred years. Arena-Flow simulations were preformed to understand the gas hydrodynamics in a commercial scale cyclone and its implication towards both gas distribution and residence time.
This paper demonstrates a correlation between in-bed pressure fluctuations and information about bubble size distribution for Geldart A and B powders.
The kinetic model in this paper is based on a molecular approach and is proposed to represent the cracking reactions of industrial feedstocks on a commercial equilibrium catalyst; given that it shows the importance of the condensation and hydrogen transfer reactions for coke formation and gasoline quality, it therefore can be used for modeling a commercial FCC riser.
This paper documents how the Eulerian-Lagrangian approach can be used to simulate simultaneous evaporation and cracking reactions occurring in FCC riser reactors.
The scale-up of fluidized beds is not an exact science. Deep fluidized beds of Group A materials can cause significant gas bypassing leading to poor gas-solids contacting.
The simulation results in this paper support the idea that the average drag coefficient is an important factor for the two-fluid model and suggest that the EMMS approach could be used as a kind of multiscale closure law for drag coefficient in areas where the Wen Yu-Ergun hybrid is insufficient.
This paper by researchers at Arena-Flow LLC and Sandia National Labs demonstrate early successes in the Eulerian-Lagrangian, MP-PIC method used by Barracuda Virtual Reactor in modeling three-dimensional flow in a gas-solid riser.
This paper demonstrates a way to validate the hydrodynamics of a system with image analysis techniques.
A 3-dimensional image reconstruction technique based on neural network multi-criterion optimization (NN-MOIRT) for electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) is developed for the first time.
This paper summarizes the effects airborne particles can have on erosion.
This paper uses digital image analysis of two-dimensional fluidized beds to establish a relationship between gas velocity and both bubble shape factor distribution and bubble aspect ratio distribution.
Examples showing the application of ‘Labasys® instruments’ in R&D and production monitoring are provided for illustration in this article.
This paper reviews existing image reconstruction algorithms for ECT, including linear back-projection, singular value decomposition, Tikhonov regularization, Newton–Raphson, iterative Tikhonov, the steepest descent method, Landweber iteration, the conjugate gradient method, algebraic reconstruction techniques, simultaneous iterative reconstruction techniques and model-based reconstruction.
In this paper, Dale Snider presents the MP-PIC method, the Eulerian-Lagrangian method upon which Barracuda Virtual Reactor is based, for dense particle flow.
Explicit equations are developed for the drag coefficient and for the terminal velocity of falling spherical and non-spherical particles.
Inclined, intermittent jets can be used to feed solids into fluidized beds. In this report the injection system was successfully modeled.
Non-mechanical valves, especially the L-valves, have been used extensively in fluidized beds and circulating fluidized beds for solids recycling or to serve as a pressure seal. This paper presents a set of L-valve equations which relate the solids flow rate to the L-valve design, aeration rate, and pressure drop across the L-valve.
Accurate predictions of both the flux and size distribution of the solids entrained above the transport disengaging height of a fluidized bed are necessary. A new correlation was developed to calculate size distribution and flux of entrained particles.
In this paper, to investigate the effects of particle properties on these meso-scale structures, for all particle types, two-fluid modeling with and without consideration of meso-scale structures were performed and compared.
Gas/particle flow behavior in the riser section of a circulating fluidized bed (CFB) was simulated using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) package by Fluent. Gas and particle flow profiles were obtained for velocity, volume fraction, pressure, and turbulence parameters for each phase.
In this work, a selection of widely used correlations have been critically evaluated for estimating the drag coefficient of non-spherical particles in incompressible viscous fluids.
The flow of gas—particle mixtures in a circulating fluidized bed has been studied, probing the flow behavior under both stable and unstable operating conditions.
Chemical Reaction Engineering, Third Edition, by Octave Levenspiel, helps students learn how to answer reactor design questions reliably and effectively.
Although chemistry is the initial driving force for the development of chemical processes, in many instances the key to successful process operation is how well the solids transport systems have been designed. This is especially true in circulating fluidized bed (CFB) processes, because these processes are dependent upon rapid and reliable circulation of solids.
This paper by Dimitri Gidaspow is useful as a reference for engineers in industry and as an advanced level text for graduate engineering students.
Fluidization Engineering, Second Edition, by Kunii and Levenspiel, expands on its original scope to encompass these new areas and introduces reactor models specifically for these contacting regimes.
This report from Los Alamos National Lab (LANL) documents the KIVA-II computer program for the numerical calculation of transient, two- and three-dimensional, chemically reactive fluid flows with sprays.
This paper by Smagorinsky establishes some of the foundational equations for understanding particle-fluid physics.