Novel fluid grid and voidage calculation techniques for a discrete element model of a 3D cylindrical fluidized bed

A discrete element model (DEM) combined with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was developed to model particle and fluid behaviour in 3D cylindrical fluidized beds. Novel techniques were developed to (1) keep fluid cells, defined in cylindrical coordinates, at a constant volume in order to ensure the conditions for validity of the volume-averaged fluid equations were satisfied and (2) smoothly and accurately measure voidage in arbitrarily shaped fluid cells. The new technique for calculating voidage was more stable than traditional techniques, also examined in the paper, whilst remaining computationally-effective. The model was validated by quantitative comparison with experimental results from the magnetic resonance imaging of a fluidised bed analysed to give time-averaged particle velocities. Comparisons were also made between theoretical determinations of slug rise velocity in a tall bed. It was concluded that the DEM-CFD model is able to investigate aspects of the underlying physics of fluidisation not readily investigated by experiment. © 2014 The Authors.

Synthesis of biodiesel from waste cooking oil using immobilized lipase in fixed bed reactor

Waste cooking oil (WCO) is the residue from the kitchen, restaurants, food factories and even human and animal waste which not only harm people's health but also causes environmental pollution. The production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil to partially substitute petroleum diesel is one of the measures for solving the twin problems of environment pollution and energy shortage. In this project, synthesis of biodiesel was catalyzed by immobilized Candida lipase in a three-step fixed bed reactor. The reaction solution was a mixture of WCO, water, methanol and solvent (hexane). The main product was biodiesel consisted of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), of which methyl oleate was the main component. Effects of lipase, solvent, water, and temperature and flow of the reaction mixture on the synthesis of biodiesel were analyzed. The results indicate that a 91.08% of FAME can be achieved in the end product under optimal conditions. Most of the chemical and physical characters of the biodiesel were superior to the standards for 0(#)diesel (GB/T 19147) and biodiesel (DIN V51606 and ASTM D-6751).

The design and operation of a new clapboard-type internal circulating fluidized-bed gasifier

The design and operation of a new clapboard-type internal circulating fluidized-bed gasifier is proposed in this article. By arranging the clapboard in the bed, the gasifier is thus divided into two regions, which are characterized by different fluidization velocities. The bed structure is designed so that it can guide the circulating flow passing through the two regions, and therefore the feedstock particles entrained in the flow experience longer residence time. The experimental results based on the present new design, operating in the temperature range of 790 degrees C-850 degrees C, indicate that the gas yield is from 1.6-1.9 Nm(3)/kg feedstock, the gas enthalpies are 5,345 kJ/Nm(3) for wood chip and 4,875 kJ/m(3) for rice husk, and a gasification efficiency up to 75% can be obtained.

Lipase-catalyzed synthesis of biodiesel from acid oil in fixed bed reactor

Acid oil, which is a by-product in vegetable oil refining, mainly contains free fatty acids (FFAs) and acylglycerols and is a feedstock for production of biodiesel fuel now. The transesterification of acid oil and methanol to biodiesel was catalyzed by immobilized Candida lipase in fixed bed reactors. The reactant solution was a mixture of acid oil, water, methanol and solvent (hexane) and the main product was biodiesel composed of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) of which the main component was methyl oleate. The effects of lipase content, solvent content, water content temperature and flow velocity of the reactant on the reaction were analyzed. The experimental results indicate that a maximum FAME content of 90.18% can be obtained in the end product under optimum conditions. Most of the chemical and physical properties of the biodiesel were superior to the standards for 0(#) diesel (GB/T 19147) and biodiesel (DIN V51606 and ASTM D6751).