Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Pretoria, Main Campus, Corner Lynwood Rd and Roper St., Hatfield, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, 2360 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
Saayman, J., Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Pretoria, Main Campus, Corner Lynwood Rd and Roper St., Hatfield, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa; Ellis, N., Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia, 2360 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; Nicol, W., Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Pretoria, Main Campus, Corner Lynwood Rd and Roper St., Hatfield, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
The effect of fines on the hydrodynamics of a gas-solid fluidized bed and ozone decomposition reaction was investigated using high-density iron-silicon (FeSi) particles with a particle density of 6690kg/m3. The addition of fines decreased the bubble size, dense phase voidage and reactor performance. The bubble size decrease is in accordance with reported literature; while, increase in dense phase voidage and reactor performance was found in the literature on less dense catalyst. The reactor performance was quantified using an apparent overall mass transfer parameter derived from fitting a two-phase model to the experimental data. The method allowed for reactor performance comparison despite the fluctuation in FeSi particle activity. Model fitting results suggest that smaller bubbles should improve mass transfer in addition to reactor performance. However, the decreased dense phase voidage with addition of fines counteracted the effects of smaller bubbles. Higher entrainment rate of the bed with fines was noted. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.
Entrainment rates; Experimental datum; Fines; Gas-solid fluidized bed; Mass transfer parameters; Ozone decomposition reactions; Reactor performance; Voidage; Fluidized beds; Mass transfer; Ozone; Fluidization; ozone; article; chemical reaction; decomposition; density; environmental temperature; flowmeter; fluidization; fluidized bed reactor; hydrodynamics; oxidation; particle size; performance; porosity; viscosity