(686b) Particle Population Model for Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustor

A two-dimensional particle population model has been developed to predict the particle size distribution in a circulating fluidized bed combustor (CFBC) based on the analysis of particle properties and the core-annulus hydrodynamic model. The model incorporates grids in the dense and the dilute regions of the CFBC to consider fuel particle fragmentation, char combustion and particle attrition. The interaction and movement of particles between different grids has also been considered. The simultaneous mass balances in different grids will provide the particle population distribution in the CFBC. The influence of operating conditions and breakage functions on the population distribution of the CFBC has been studied using the model and the process behavior has been analyzed. Optimum feed intervals of the fuel and the bed material have been obtained for the given operating conditions. Also, the influence of kinetic parameters such as rate constant and reaction order has been studied. This information can be used for the deign and control of the industrial circulating fluidized bed combustor.