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Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of Iron Ore Reduction in Industrial‐Scale Fluidized Beds
Author(s) -
Schneiderbauer Simon,
Kinaci Mustafa Efe,
Hauzenberger Franz
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
steel research international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.603
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1869-344X
pISSN - 1611-3683
DOI - 10.1002/srin.202000232
Subject(s) - fluidized bed , reduction (mathematics) , materials science , mechanics , scale (ratio) , process (computing) , particle (ecology) , fluidization , computational fluid dynamics , range (aeronautics) , grid , process engineering , computer science , thermodynamics , geology , physics , engineering , composite material , mathematics , geometry , oceanography , geodesy , quantum mechanics , operating system
Detailed simulations of industrial‐scale fluidized beds such as the FINEX process are still unfeasible due to the wide range of spatial scales. Due to the computational limitations it is common to apply coarse grids, which do not resolve all relevant structures. In our previous study (Schneiderbauer, AIChE J . 2017 , 63 , 3562), we have presented subgrid models, which enable the coarse grid simulation of dense large‐scale gas–solid flows. Herein, these corrections are applied to a parcel‐based the dense discrete phase model (DDPM), allowing to study the hydrodynamics of the FINEX process. Furthermore, the parcel approach is augmented by an unreacted shrinking core model (USCM) to account for the direct reduction of the iron ore particles by the reducing agents of H 2 and CO. This DDPM model is tested first for a cold pilot‐scale fluidized bed, and second, the USCM approach is validated for the direct reduction in a lab‐scale fluidized bed. Finally, the model is applied to the FINEX process. The results show fairly good agreement with measurements of the average bed voidage and with experimentally determined particle size distributions. The results further indicate that fines are immediately reduced, whereas the reduction of the largest ore grains takes considerably longer.