Impact of tube-to-particle-diameter ratio on pressure drop in packed beds

AIChE Journal ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 1084-1088 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Winterberg ◽  
E. Tsotsas
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Particle Diameter ◽  
Diameter Ratio ◽  
Packed Beds

The Effect of Turbulence on Momentum and Heat Transport in Packed Beds with Low Tube to Particle Diameter Ratio

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
F. I. Molina-Herrera ◽  
C. O. Castillo-Araiza ◽  
H. Jiménez-Islas ◽  
F. López-Isunza
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Heat Transport ◽  
Mass Flux ◽  
Flow Model ◽  
Particle Diameter ◽  
Packed Bed ◽  
Diameter Ratio ◽  
Packed Beds ◽  
Measured Temperature ◽  
Orthogonal Collocation

Abstract This is a theoretical study about the influence of turbulence on momentum and heat transport in a packed-bed with low tube to particle diameter ratio. The hydrodynamics is given here by the time-averaged Navier-Stokes equations including Darcy and Forchheimer terms, plus a κ-ε two-equation model to describe a 2D pseudo-homogeneous medium. For comparison, an equivalent conventional flow model has also been tested. Both models are coupled to a heat transport equation and they are solved using spatial discretization with orthogonal collocation, while the time derivative is discretized by an implicit Euler scheme. We compared the prediction of radial and axial temperature observations from a packed-bed at particle Reynolds numbers (Rep) of 630, 767, and 1000. The conventional flow model uses effective heat transport parameters: wall heat transfer coefficient (hw) and thermal conductivity (keff), whereas the turbulent flow model includes a turbulent thermal conductivity (kt), estimating hw via least-squares with Levenberg-Marquardt method. Although predictions of axial and radial measured temperature profiles with both models show small differences, the calculated radial profiles of the axial velocity component are very different. We demonstrate that the model that includes turbulence compares well with mass flux measurements at the packed-bed inlet, yielding an error of 0.77 % in mass flux balance at Rep = 630. We suggest that this approach can be used efficiently for the hydrodynamics characterization and design and scale-up of packed beds with low tube to particle diameter ratio in several industrial applications.

Hydrodynamic Models for Packed Beds with Low Tube-to-Particle Diameter Ratio

2008 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos O. Castillo-Araiza ◽  
Felipe Lopez-Isunza
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Effective Viscosity ◽  
Particle Diameter ◽  
Packed Bed ◽  
Diameter Ratio ◽  
Packed Beds ◽  
Hydrodynamic Models ◽  
Viscous Term ◽  
Measured Velocity ◽  
Viscosity Parameter

In the last decade it has been a special interest to incorporate the hydrodynamics in packed bed reactor models. This seems to be important in the case of highly exothermic partial oxidation reactions normally performed in packed beds with low tube/particle diameter ratio (dt/dp< 5) because of the large void distributions in the radial and axial directions, which have a direct impact on the magnitude of radial, angular and axial profiles of the velocity field, and consequently on both, the temperature and concentration profiles in the catalytic reactor. A successful reactor model needs an adequate hydrodynamic description of the packed bed, and for this reason several models additionally incorporate empirical expressions to describe radial voidage profiles, and use viscous (Darcy) and inertial (Forchheimer) terms to account for gas-solid interactions, via Ergun's pressure drop equation. In several cases an effective viscosity parameter has also been used with the Brinkman's viscous term. The use of these various approaches introduce some uncertainty in the predicted results, as to which extent the use of a particular radial voidage expression, or the use of an effective viscosity parameter, yield reliable predictions of measured velocity profiles.In this work the predictions of radial velocity profiles in a packed bed with low tube to particle diameter ratio from six hydrodynamic models, derived from a general one, are compared. The calculations show that the use of an effective viscosity parameter to predict experimental data can be avoided, if the magnitude of the two parameters in Ergun's equation, related to viscous and inertial energy losses, are re-estimated from velocity measurements, for this particular packed bed. The predictions using both approaches adequately fit the experimental data, although the results are analyzed and discussed.

scholarly journals Numerical Simulation of Flow and Heat Transfer in Structured Packed Beds with Smooth or Dimpled Spheres at Low Channel to Particle Diameter Ratio

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 937 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiyang Li ◽  
Lang Zhou ◽  
Jian Yang ◽  
Qiuwang Wang
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Nusselt Number ◽  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Heat Transfer Performance ◽  
Particle Diameter ◽  
Packed Bed ◽  
Packed Beds ◽  
Transfer Performance ◽  
Heat Transfer Characteristics ◽  
Flow And Heat Transfer

Packed beds are widely used in catalytic reactors or nuclear reactors. Reducing the pressure drop and improving the heat transfer performance of a packed bed is a common research aim. The dimpled structure has a complex influence on the flow and heat transfer characteristics. In the present study, the flow and heat transfer characteristics in structured packed beds with smooth or dimpled spheres are numerically investigated, where two different low channel to particle diameter ratios (N = 1.00 and N = 1.15) are considered. The pressure drop and the Nusselt number are obtained. The results show that, for N = 1.00, compared with the structured packed bed with smooth spheres, the structured packed bed with dimpled spheres has a lower pressure drop and little higher Nusselt number at 1500 < ReH < 14,000, exhibiting an improved overall heat transfer performance. However, for N = 1.15, the structured packed bed with dimpled spheres shows a much higher pressure drop, which dominantly affects the overall heat transfer performance, causing it to be weaker. Comparing the different channel to particle diameter ratios, we find that different configurations can result in: (i) completely different drag reduction effect; and (ii) relatively less influence on heat transfer enhancement.

Fluid-phase radial transport in packed beds of low tube-to-particle diameter ratio

1984 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 1701-1713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony G. Dixon ◽  
Michael A. DiCostanzo ◽  
Brian A. Soucy
Keyword(s):  
Particle Diameter ◽  
Fluid Phase ◽  
Diameter Ratio ◽  
Packed Beds ◽  
Radial Transport
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document