Numerical Simulation of Flow and Heat Transfer in Structured Packed Beds with Smooth or Dimpled Spheres at Low Channel to Particle Diameter Ratio

Shiyang Li, Lang Zhou, Jian Yang and Qiuwang Wang
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Shiyang Li: Key Laboratory of Thermo-Fluid Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Lang Zhou: Key Laboratory of Thermo-Fluid Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Jian Yang: Key Laboratory of Thermo-Fluid Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Qiuwang Wang: Key Laboratory of Thermo-Fluid Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 4, 1-15

Abstract: Packed beds are widely used in catalytic reactors or nuclear reactors. Reducing the pressure drop and improving the heat transfer performance of a packed bed is a common research aim. The dimpled structure has a complex influence on the flow and heat transfer characteristics. In the present study, the flow and heat transfer characteristics in structured packed beds with smooth or dimpled spheres are numerically investigated, where two different low channel to particle diameter ratios ( N = 1.00 and N = 1.15) are considered. The pressure drop and the Nusselt number are obtained. The results show that, for N = 1.00, compared with the structured packed bed with smooth spheres, the structured packed bed with dimpled spheres has a lower pressure drop and little higher Nusselt number at 1500 < Re H < 14,000, exhibiting an improved overall heat transfer performance. However, for N = 1.15, the structured packed bed with dimpled spheres shows a much higher pressure drop, which dominantly affects the overall heat transfer performance, causing it to be weaker. Comparing the different channel to particle diameter ratios, we find that different configurations can result in: (i) completely different drag reduction effect; and (ii) relatively less influence on heat transfer enhancement.

Keywords: dimpled sphere; structured packed bed; low channel to particle diameter ratio; numerical simulation; pressure drop; Nusselt number (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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