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Numerical simulation of combustion in a biomass briquette chain boiler

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Abstract

A bed and furnace integrated model of biomass briquette chain boilers was built on basis of theories of computational fluid mechanics, heat transfer, thermodynamics, and chemical reaction kinetics. The combustion in the biomass briquette chain boilers was characterized under five working parameters (air-preheating temperature, fuel bed thickness, grate advancing speed, particle diameter, air supply mode) through experimental design, numerical simulation, and mathematical programming. Finally, these parameters were optimized with the ant colony algorithm. It was found that the combustion efficiency and economic benefits were both optimized at the air-preheating temperature of 553.22 K, fuel bed thickness of 0.16 m, particle diameter of 0.02 m, and uniform centered air supply. This study offers some theoretical basis and method for the optimized design and operation of biomass briquette chain boilers.

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Abbreviations

A :

Exponential factor mol/(m2 · s · Pa)

\( {\overline{C}}_{p,s} \) :

Solid average specific heat capacity, J/(kg · K)

\( {\overline{C}}_{p,g} \) :

Gas average specific heat capacity, J/(kg · K)

C w, s :

Solid surface water vapor density, kg/m3

C w, g :

Water vapor density in the gas phase, kg/m3

C fuel :

Fuel concentration, %

C ox :

Oxygen concentration, %

d :

Particle diameter, m

D s :

Fuel particle diameter, m

D m :

Particle surface mass transfer coefficient, m/s

D g :

Volatile matter diffusion coefficient, m2/s

E :

Activation energy, kJ/mol

F g :

Air supply mode

GC:

Gas chromatograph

G w :

Fuel surface gas input irradiation, W/m2

h s :

Solid heat transfer coefficient, W/(m2 · K)

h s, g :

Gas-solid two-phase flow heat transfer coefficient, W/(m2 · K)

H s :

Material bed thickness, m

ΔH k :

Reaction heat, J

H evp :

Latent heat of water evaporation, J/kg

k r :

Heat transfer reaction rate, kg/s

k m :

Mass transfer reaction rate, kg/s

M char :

Coke molar mass, kg/mol

\( {M}_{O_2} \) :

Oxygen molar mass, kg/mol

q conv :

Gas convection heat flux, W

q rad :

Gas radiant heat flux, W

Q :

Particles absorbed heat, J

R min :

Volatile combustion rate, kg/s

R i :

Formation rate of component i, mol/(m3 · s)

R water :

Rate of water evaporation, kg/s

R char :

Coke combustion rate, kg/s

R :

Universal gas constant, kJ/mol

s. t.:

Subject to

S :

Source term, W/m3

S a :

Solid source term, W/m3

S i :

Source term of component i, W/m3

S ϕ :

Source term of ϕ, W/m3

\( {\overline{t}}^{{\prime\prime} } \) :

Mass outlet temperature, K

t max :

Maximum mass outlet temperature, K

T A3 :

Air-preheating temperature, K

TPS:

Thermoelectric power stations

T s :

Gas temperature, K

T g :

Solid temperature, K

T n :

Combustion particles surface temperature, K

T w :

Fuel surface temperature, K

u s :

Solid phase apparent velocity, m/s

u g :

Gas phase apparent velocity, m/s

u j :

Velocity in j direction, m/s

u :

X-axis direction speed, m/s

v :

Y-axis direction speed, m/s

V c :

Grate advancing speed, m/s

Y i :

Mass fraction of component i

\( {Y}_{O_2} \) :

Mass fraction of oxygen

ρ :

Density, kg/m3

ρ s :

Solid density, kg/m3

ρ g :

Gas density, kg/m3

α :

Excess air ratio

λ s, eff :

Solid effective thermal conductivity, W/(m · K)

λ g, eff :

Gas effective thermal conductivity, W/(m · K)

ϕ :

Universal variable

Φ :

Selection operator

ε :

Particle porosity, %

ξ w :

Fuel surface blackness

σ :

Stefan-Boltzmann constant, W/(m2 · K4)

\( {\overline{\vartheta}}^{{\prime\prime} } \) :

Final waste-gas temperature, K

ϑ max :

Allowed maximum waste-gas temperature, K

η :

Thermal efficiency, %

η e :

Exergy efficiency, %

Ω fule :

Fuel equivalent coefficient

Ω ox :

Oxidant equivalent coefficient

Γ :

Diffusion rate, mol/(m2 · s)

Γ i :

Mass transfer coefficient of component i, mol/(m3 · s)

Γ ϕ :

Diffusion rate of ϕ, mol/(m2 · s)

\( \overline{\psi} \) :

Transport fluxes, mol/(m2 · s)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, China

    R. Chen, H. H. Yue, R. Yue, Y. Ai & J. X. Zheng

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  1. R. Chen
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  2. H. H. Yue
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Chen, R., Yue, H.H., Yue, R. et al. Numerical simulation of combustion in a biomass briquette chain boiler. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 11, 1521–1536 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-019-00569-0

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