Simulation of Coal and Biomass Cofiring with Different Particle Density and Diameter in Bubbling Fluidized Bed under O2/CO2 Atmospheres

A 2D dynamic model for a bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) combustor has been developed for simulating the coal and biomass cofiring process under 21% O2/79% CO2 atmosphere in a 6 kWth bubbling fluidized bed, coupled with the Euler-Euler two-phase flow model. The kinetic theory of binary granular mixtures is employed for the solid phase in order to map the effect of particle size and density. The distribution of temperature, volume fraction, velocity, gas species concentration, and reaction rates are studied with numerical calculations. The simulated temperature distribution along the height of the combustor and outlet gas concentrations show good agreement with experimental data, validating the accuracy and reliability of the developed cofiring simulation model. As indicated in the results, there are two high temperature zones in the combustor, which separately exist at the fuel inlet and dilute phase. The reaction rates are related to the species concentration and temperature. The higher concentration and temperature lead to the larger reaction rates. It can be seen that all of the homogeneous reaction rates are larger at the fuel inlet region because of rich O2 and volatiles. High mass fraction of volatile gas is found at the fuel inlet, and the main reburning gas at the dilute phase is CH4. The mass fraction distribution of CO is related to the volume fraction of fuel which is due to the fact that the source of CO is not only from the devolatilization but also from the gasification. On the basis of this theoretical study, a better understanding of flow and combustion characteristics in biomass and coal cofiring under oxy-fuel atmospheres could be achieved.