Eulerian computational fluidisation modelling using OpenFOAM applied to a semi-industrial fluidised bed reactor and pilot plant application

Simulations of a fluidised bed reactor for gasification of municipal solid refuse-derived fuel were performed using OpenFOAM software. Firstly, evaluation was made of a simplified gas-solid two-phase model, considering sand and air as the components, according to a transient Eulerian-Eulerian approach. A scale-up study was also performed to obtain thermal-fluid dynamic parameters. Then, a real dimensions non-reacting model was developed, based on the experimental information from a semi-industrial gasification plant with capacity for processing 7.1 t day⁻¹ of municipal refuse-derived fuel, producing 16.9 t day⁻¹ of syngas. The fluidising regime was mapped for different inlet conditions, at 1,123 K, with air velocities ranging from 0.01 to 1.25 m s⁻¹, and the continuous operation of the reactor was analysed, where in the solid particles packing remained at approximately 88% from maximum, with bed height of 2.05 m. The results were in good agreement with data available in the scientific literature, and the computational model was able to provide consistent results when compared to the experimental information for the semi-industrial reactor. The authors’ major remark was the hability of this computational model in obtaining consistent results from simulations of the semi-industrial scale reactor, with good prediction of the internal fluid dynamics characteristics.