CFD studies on the separation performance of a new combined gas–solid separator used in TMSR-SF

In order to comply with discharge standards, a gas–solid separator is used to remove solid particles from the thorium molten salt reactor-solid fuel (TMSR-SF) system. As a key component, it directly determines system energy efficiency. However, current gas–solid separators, based on activated carbon adsorption technology, result in high pressure drops and increased maintenance costs. In the present study, a new combined gas–solid separator was developed for the TMSR-SF. Based on a simplified computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model, the gas–solid twophase flow and the motion trajectory of solid particles were simulated for this new separator using commercial ANSYS 16.0 software. The flow and separation mechanism for this structure were also been discussed in terms of their velocity effects and pressure field distributions, and then the structure was optimized based on the influence of key structural parameters on pressure and separation efficiency. The results showed that the standard k–ε model could be achieved and accurately simulated the new combined separator. In this new combined gas–solid separator, coarse particles are separated in the first stage using rotating centrifugal motion, and then fine particles are filtered in the second stage, giving a separation efficiency of up to 96.11%. The optimum blade inclination angle and numbers were calculated to be 45° and four, respectively. It implicated that the combined separator could be of great significance in a wide variety of applications.

Solids Acceleration Length in a Cold Dense Transport Bed

The solids acceleration length was investigated in a cold dense transport bed （0.10 m-IDx17 m-height） with three kinds of Silica sand. The solids circulation rate （Gs） was up to 954 kg/（m2s）. The effects of operating conditions, particle properties, and riser structures on the solids acceleration length were investigated under high Gs conditions, with the effect of riser height non-negligible. The solids acceleration length increased with the increase of the riser height. Based on the experimental data, an empirical correlation was proposed to predict the solids acceleration length. Predictions of the correlation were in good agreement with the experimental data in this work and those from the literature over a wide range of Gs （18~954 kg/（m2s））.

Numerical Investigation of Coupling Effect in Muitipipe Ceramic Filter Vessel

The Reynolds stress transport model and the Eulerian two-fluid model provided by the FLUENT code were applied to evaluate the gas-particle two-phase flow in the ceramic filter vessel. The ceramic filter vessel contains six candle filters, which are arranged in the form of equilateral hexagon. The variation of the areal density of the filter cake during the filtration and the back-pulse process were analyzed. The coupling effect between filters, gas and solid, filtration and pulse cleaning process were investigated, respectively. The numerical results show a good approach to predict the particle distribution in the vessel and the particle deposition on the filter element. This study provides the base for the intensive study on the analysis of the gas-particle flow in the filter vessel.

Research on Performance of U Separator in Sand and Dust Test System

Sand/dust test is one of the key projects to examine the environmental adaptability of ordnance equipment.In order to decrease the abrasion of test facility caused by the sand/dust particles,the particles contained in the airflowneed to be reclaimed effectively.Amathematical model of Useparator is established.The flowfield and the trajectories of particles inside the separator are obtained using a numerical simulation method,and the separation efficiency and pressure drop of separator with different rows of separate components are also obtained at various flowvelocities.The simulation results indicate that the efficiency of U inertia separator is affected by the flowvelocity evidently,and a reasonably designed separator can meet the requirement of the separation efficiency in particular situation.The results can be use as reference for the design and test of sand/dust separate systems.