Bauxite washing for the removal of clay

Clay impurities associated with bauxite negatively affect the Bayer process for alumina production. These impurities should be removed as far as possible by a beneficiation technique before the ore is used as feed for the Bayer process. In this current investigation, bauxite washing was conducted in the laboratory. Bauxite washing is a physical process that causes the disintegration and deagglomeration of the clay matrix, and bauxite is liberated from the clay（mainly rich in silica）. Subsequently, separation occurs with the assistance of wet screening at a predetermined cut size. Three techniques were investigated in the laboratory： drum washing, water-jet washing, and ultrasonic washing. Various operating parameters were investigated for drum washing and water-jet washing, including materials retention time, drum rotation speed, solid concentration, water-jet spray duration, pressure, and height. We concluded that the retention time of bauxite inside the drum at a solid concentration of 55wt% and a drum rotation speed of 31 r/min is the dominant parameter for the removal of clay from the bauxite surface.

Reactive gas-solids flows in large volumes—3D modeling of industrial circulating fluidized bed combustors

A model is presented for the simulation of reactive gas-solids flows in large industrial reactors. Circulating fluidized bed （CFB） combustors with several thousands of cubic meters reaction volume are probably the largest reactors of this type. A semi-empirical modeling approach has been chosen to model the three-dimensional concentration distributions of gas and solids components and temperatures inside the combustion chamber of such boilers. Two industrial CFB boilers are investigated in detail： the 105 MWe Duisburg combustor in Germany and the 235 MWe Turow combustor in Poland. The semi-empirical model approach is described first. Then the model is used to show how the three-dimensional concentration and temperature fields are formed by the interaction of several local phenomena. Good agreement between simulation and measurements has been achieved.

CFD-simulation of a circulating fluidized bed riser

In the current work, a model of the fluid mechanics in the riser of a circulating fluidized bed （CFB） has been implemented using computational fluid dynamics （CFD）. The model developed shall be used in future as the basis of 3D-reactor model for the simulation of large scale CFB combustors. The two-fluid model （TFM） approach is used to represent the fluid mechanics involved in the flow. The computational implementation is accomplished by the commercial software FLUENT. Different closure formulations are tested on a simplified geometry. Two different turbulence formulations, namely the swirl modified RNG k-e model and the Realizable k-e model, are tested in combination with two different approaches to solid phase turbulence, namely the dispersion and per phase approach. One focus of the current work is put on the study of different drag correlations. Besides the drag correlations by Syamlal et al. [Syamlal, M., Rogers, W., ＆ O＇Brien, T. J. （1993）. MFIX documentation theory guide. Technical Report DOE/METC-9411004, U.S. Department of Energy （DOE）. Morgantown Energy Technology Center： Morgantown, WV] and Gidaspow [Gidaspow, D. （1994）. Multiphaseflow andfluidization. New York： Academic Press] the EMMS model has been used to determine the momentum exchange between the two phases. The resulting formulation is then used to simulate a 1-m × 0.3-m cold CFB setup and is validated by experimental results [Schlichtharle, P. （2000）. Fluid dynamics and mixing of solids and gas in the bottom zone of circulating fluidized beds. Unoublished doctoral dissertation, Technische Universitaet Hamburg-Harburg, Shaker Verlag： Aachen].

Simulation of spray coating in a spouted bed using recurrence CFD

Although numerical models such as the computational fluid dynamics–discrete element method (CFD–DEM) have enabled the accurate simulation of laboratory-scale apparatuses, the application of these methods to large-scale apparatuses with many particles and time scales ranging from minutes to hours remains a challenge. The recently developed recurrence CFD (rCFD) method seeks to overcome these issues in pseudo-periodic processes by extrapolating globally recurring patterns in a physically meaningful way and describing the transport and interaction of passive scalars using Lagrangian tracers. Spouted beds represent an interesting target because of the associated variety of flow regimes. They can be effectively described by CFD–DEM on the time scale of tens of seconds, whereas industrially relevant processes typically take hours. In this contribution, we established the validity of applying the Lagrangian rCFD method to spouted beds by demonstrating the accurate reproduction of the particle residence time distribution in a fictitious spray zone. The deposition of spray droplets onto tracer particles was simulated for 1 h, and the particle surface coverage distribution was estimated using a statistical approach for both an unstabilized prismatic spouted bed and one stabilized by draft plates.

Influence of liquid layers on energy absorption during particle impact

The influence of the thickness of a covering liquid layer and its viscosity as well as the impact velocity on energy loss during the normal impact on a flat steel wall of spherical granules with a liquid layer was studied. Free-fall experiments were performed to obtain the restitution coefficient of elastic-plastic γ- Al2O3 granules by impact on the liquid layer, using aqueous solutions of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose with different concentrations for variation of viscosity （1-300 mPa s）, In the presence of a liquid layer, increase of liquid viscosity decreases the restitution coefficient and the minimum thickness of the liquid layer at which the granule sticks to the wall. The measured restitution coefficients were compared with experiments performed without liquid layer. In contrast to the dry restitution coefficient, due to viscous losses at lower impact velocity, higher energy dissipation was obtained, A rational explanation for the effects obtained was given by results of numerically solved force and energy balances for a granule impact on a liquid layer on the wall. The model takes into account forces acting on the granule including viscous, surface tension, capillary, contact, drag, buoyancy and gravitational forces. Good agreement between simulations and experiments has been achieved.

MP-PIC simulation of circulating fluidized beds using an EMMS based drag model for Geldart B particles

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.The simulations were performed using a homogeneous drag model as well as a structure dependent drag model based on the energy minimization multi-scale method(EMMS).The results are compared with experimental data from literature as well as experiments.The simulations with the EMMS based drag model show a good agreement of the time-averaged axial solids concentration,circulation rate and riser pressure drop.Furthermore,a lower grid sensitivity is observed compared to the homogeneous drag model.In contrast to the conventional drag model a dense bottom zone is predicted by the EMMS based drag model.An overprediction of the solid concentration in the dense bottom zone is presumably due to an overprediction of the cluster diameter that is calculated using an empirical cluster diameter correlation.This shows the necessity for a new meso-scale cluster correlation for the simulation of Geldart B particles.Furthermore,the results of the time-averaged radial solids concentration differ from the expectations of a core-annulus flow indicating that a mesh refinement at the walls is necessary.Finally,the importance of using a realistic particle size distribution is identified.

Novel technique for measurement of coating layer thickness of fine and porous particles using focused ion beam

A novel technique for the measurement of the coating layer thickness of fine particles was developed in this work based on cross-sectioning of micrometre-sized single coated particles using focused ion beam (FIB) milling. This technique was tested on two batches of aerogel particles coated with thin coatings in a spouted bed. The FIB milling procedure consisted of two steps. First, the desired part of the coated particle was removed using a high ion beam current. The resulting cross-sectioned area was then polished using a lower ion beam current to make the cross-section clearly visible. The FIB milling process was controlled with simultaneous scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Afterwards, the coating layer thickness was evaluated using the SEM images. The coating layer was successfully applied on the porous aerogel microparticles in the spouted bed. The coating uniformity of the highly porous particles increased with increasing sprayed coating solution amount, with up to 91% of the particle pores being covered. The FIB-cross-sectioning technique using an ion beam of 2.50 nA for the first milling and 0.43 nA for polishing of the surface resulted in successful generation of cross-sections of representative particles with a visible particle core and coating layer. A coating layer thickness of approximately 700 nm was achieved on particles with sizes of below 45 μm.

Product design based on discrete particle modeling of a fluidized bed granulator

Fluidized bed agglomeration is a process commonly used to construct powdered food or pharmaceuti cal products to improve their instant properties. This works analyzes the influence of a wide range of operating parameters （i.e., fluidization air flow rate, temperature, and liquid injection rate） on growth rate, process stability, and product particle structure. Different granulator configurations （i.e., top spray, Wurster coater, spouted bed） are compared using identical process parameters. The impacts of both pro cess variables and granulator geometry on the fluidization regime, the particle and collision dynamics, and the resulting product structure and corresponding properties are studied in detailed simulations using a discrete particle model （DPM） and labscale agglomeration experiments with amorphous dextrose syrup （DE21）. The combination of numerical and experimental results allows to correlate the kinetics of micro scale particle interactions and the final product properties （i.e., agglomerate structure and strength）. In conclusion, detailed DPM simulations are proven as a valuable tool for knowledgebased product design.

Coefficient of restitution for particles impacting on wet surfaces： An improved experimental approach

The coefficient of restitution is widely used to characterize the energy dissipation rate in numerical simulations involving particle collisions. The challenge in measuring the coefficient of restitution is the strong scatter seen in experimental data that results from varying particle properties, i.e. shape and surface roughness, and from imperfections in the experimental technique. To minimize this scattering, a novel experimental setup was developed based on two synchronized high-speed cameras capturing the collision behaviour of a particle in three dimensions. To measure the wet restitution coefficient, which describes particle impact in the presence of a liquid layer in the contact region, additional accuracy can be achieved by measuring the liquid layer thickness by a high-precision optical confocal sensor. The coefficient of restitution was measured for glass particles with two different diameters, at different relative velocities and liquid layer thicknesses, with a focus on small collision velocities and thin liquid layers, using both the improved （three dimensional） and the conventional （two dimensional） approaches to quantify the improvement of the new method＇s accuracy.

The ultimate goal of modeling—Simulation of system and plant performance

Modern production processes in chemical, pharmaceutical and biological industries are characterized by complex process structures, which consist of different apparatuses and process steps. Modeling the entire process requires simulating all units altogether, while taking into account interconnections between them, Nevertheless, in the area of solids processing, there is nowadays an unfilled gap from the side of computer support of process modeling in allowing effective optimization and prediction of the behavior of the whole plant, This paper presents a tool for flowsheet simulation which allows the simulation of the stationary behavior of complex processes dealing with solids and its extension towards dynamic modeling, Also, a new simulation concept is proposed on the basis of the multiscale approach. On the macroscale, fiowsheet simulation is performed with the help of the SolidSim system. Parameters for the macromodels in Solid-Sim are predicted by microscale simulation. The models for the two scales are then coupled by inter-scale communication laws. Application of the proposed modeling concept is shown by an example of fluidized bed granulation.

Production of composites with high relative permittivity using the spouted bed technique

This contribution presents a new application of the spouted bed technique. The developed production process involves coating fine copper particles with a polymer in a spouted bed plant and then hot pressing the produced granules to form a compact consisting of a copper–polymer composite with a high filling degree. The fabricated composites possess high relative permittivity, which is advantageous for the production of effective capacitors. With increasing filling degree of copper, the relative permittivity of the composites increased, with a maximum relative permittivity of 214 obtained for the composite containing 78.1 vol% copper. Such a high filling degree can be achieved with conductive particles without obtaining a conductive composite by using the spouted bed technology in the production process. The high relative permittivity results from the high filling degree of particles isolated by a polymer coating.

A novel method of quantifying the coating progress in a three-dimensional prismatic spouted bed

An optical method of experimentally quantifying the coating progress in a laboratory prismatic spouted bed is presented. Microcrystalline cellulose particles with size dp = 0.57 mm are used as core material. Waterborne coating suspensions with methylene blue as a dye are used and sprayed via a two-fluid nozzle in bottom-spray configuration. A high-speed camera with a color filter is positioned in front of the observation window of the three-dimensional plant and records the flow pattern in the process chamber with a certain frequency. With increasing surface coverage, the particles become bluer and darker. The change in brightness is detected by digital image analysis. In the implemented algorithm, the spherical particles are detected, cut from the background and normalized regarding their lighting and area. The detection of coated pixels on the single particles allows the calculation of the coating fraction and coating uniformity after a Kalman filter has been applied to reduce noise. It is shown that the method can be used to determine the time needed to reach the maximum blue value indicating a complete coating of the particle bed. Besides the minimum coating duration, information on the spraying performance (e.g., the time point of a possibly occurring blockage of the nozzle) can be obtained from the data. Two exemplary experiments are presented, showing a connection of the slope of the coating fraction and the uniformity of the coating of the particles in the apparatus that results in the recommendation of a slow liquid injection for obtaining consistent coating layers as desired in many applications.

Attritor-milling of poly(amide imide) suspensions

The milling behavior of poly(amide imide),which serves as a prototypical hydrophilic high-performance polymer with a high glass transition temperature,was investigated.Various milling conditions(milling times up to 7h,stirrer tip speeds of 3.4-4.9 m/s,and mass concentrations of 5-20%) were tested,and particle sizes as low as d50,33μm were obtained.The milling was performed at 11℃ in an attritor.Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis were performed before and after milling to investigate the effect of milling on the glass transition temperature and on the decomposition behavior of the polymer.The suspension obtained after milling was observed to be stable without the addition of stabilizers or the adjustment of the pH value,and no negative effect of milling on the polymer properties was observed.The attritor technique proved to be an adequate and efficient milling tool for the production of micrometer-sized high-performance polymer suspensions.

Particle formulation of hydroalcoholic rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) extracts using a spouted bed

In this study,spouted bed technology was applied to the protection and functionalization of polyphenolic rosemary extracts.First,solid-liquid extraction was performed at 25℃with ethanol-water.The ethanol-water ratio was chosen to obtain high phenolic acid and diterpene concentrations in the extract.The selected solvent composition gave liquid extracts that could be directly added to a coating mixture for feeding into a spouted bed apparatus.Thus,no preliminary solvent exchange or evaporation of the extraction solvent to dryness was required.Food grade Paselli MD 6 maltodextrin and HiCap 100 modified starch were used as inert core and shell materials in the spouted bed encapsulation process under mild operating conditions.The antioxidant activity of the fresh extract was retained during processing,which indicated that the active constituents were preserved and quantitatively transferred into the encapsulated formulations,which were readily soluble in water.The obtained powders were composed of nearly spherical particles.Their compositions,water solubilities,and particle morphologies make them a strong candidate for food and beverage applications as natural antioxidants,preservatives,or functional ingredients.

From micro-scale to technical dimension—Challenges in the simulation ofdense gas-particle flows

Supported by the Sino-German Center for Research Promotion, an organization jointly founded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China （NSFC） and the German Research Foundation （DFG）, a joint Sino-German workshop on particle fluid systems was held for the fourth time on May 19-20, 2008 in Hamburg. Previous workshops were held on August 30-31, 1999 in Ham- burg,

Modeling of aggregation kernels for fluidized beds using discrete particle model simulations

Aggregation is one of the many important processes in chemical and process engineering. Several researchers have attempted to understand this complex process in fluidized beds using the macro-model of population balance equations （PBEs）. The aggregation kernel is an effective parameter in PBEs, and is defined as the product of the aggregation efficiency and collision frequency functions. Attempts to derive this kernel have taken different approaches, including theoretical, experimental, and empirical techniques. The present paper calculates the aggregation kernel using micro-model computer simulations, i.e., a discrete particle model. We simulate the micro-model without aggregation for various initial conditions, and observe that the collision frequency function is in good agreement with the shear kernel. We then simulate the micro-model with aggregation and calculate the aggregation efficiency rate.

Simulation-supported measurements in large circulating fluidized bed combustors

The concept of simulation-supported measurement is suggested for the elucidation of processes occurring in the combustion chambers of large-scale circulating fluidized bed combustors where the desired information cannot be obtained by direct measurements. The concept is illustrated with the example of secondary air injection where the way the air is released, the penetration depth and the evenness of air distribution over the cross-sectional area of the combustion chamber are of interest. The measured information consists of lateral profiles of oxygen concentrations measured with gas sampling probes at two ports which were located 5 and 9 m, respectively, above the level of secondary air injection. The simulation is carried out on the basis of a 3D semi-empirical fluid-mechanical model of the circulating fluidized bed which is combined with models of gas and solids mixing, fuel distribution, devolatilization and combustion of char and volatiles. The combination of the simulation with the measurements yields a clear picture of the mechanism of secondary air injection, its penetration into the combustion chamber and its effect on the local combustion processes. The results confirm the usefulness of the concept of simulation-supported measurement for this application.