CFD-DEM Modeling and Experimental Verification of Heat Transfer Behaviors of Cylindrical Biomass Particles with Super-Ellipsoid Model

Yuhao Hu, Likuan Chen, Zihan Liu, Huaqing Ma, Lianyong Zhou () and Yongzhi Zhao ()
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Yuhao Hu: Institute of Process Equipment, College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
Likuan Chen: Institute of Process Equipment, College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
Zihan Liu: Institute of Process Equipment, College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
Huaqing Ma: School of Qilu Transportation, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
Lianyong Zhou: Institute of Process Equipment, College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
Yongzhi Zhao: Institute of Process Equipment, College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 6, 1-20

Abstract: The heat transfer (HT) characteristics of cylindrical biomass particles (CBPs) in fluidized beds (FBs) are important for their drying, direct combustion, and thermochemical transformation. To provide a deeper insight into the complex mechanisms behind the HT behaviors involving CBPs, this study developed a cylindrical particle HT model within the framework of computational fluid dynamics coupled with the discrete element method (CFD-DEM) in which the CBPs were characterized by the super-ellipsoid model, which has the unique merit of striking a balance between computational accuracy and efficiency. The newly developed heat transfer model considers particle–particle (P-P), particle–wall (P-W), and fluid–particle (F-P). Its accuracy was verified by comparing the numerical results with the experimental infrared thermography measurements in terms of the temperature evolution of the cylindrical particles. The effects of the gas velocity, inlet temperature, and thermal conductivity of particles on the HT behaviors of the CBPs were investigated comprehensively. The results demonstrated the following: (1) Gas velocity can improve the uniformity of bed temperature distribution and shorten the fluctuation process of bed temperature uniformity. (2) A 26.8% increase in inlet temperature leads to a 13.4% increase in the proportion of particles with an orientation in the range of 60–90°. (3) The thermal conductivity of particles has no obvious influence on the bed temperature, convective HT rate, or orientation of particles.

Keywords: CFD-DEM; heat transfer; CBP; super-ellipsoid model; infrared thermography (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: 2025
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