Technical review of coal gasifiers for production of synthetic natural gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Geun Woo; Shin, Yong Seung

2012-01-01

Because of the increasing cost of oil and natural gas, energy production technologies using coal, including synthetic natural gas (SNG) and integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC), have attracted attention because of the relatively low cost of coal. During the early stage of a project, the developer or project owner has many options with regard to the selection of a gasifier. In particular, from the viewpoint of feasibility, the gasifier is a key factor in the economic evaluation. This study compares the technical aspects of gasifiers for a real SNG production project in an early stage. A fixed bed slagging gasifier, wet type entrained gasifier, and dry type entrained gasifier, all of which have specific advantages, can be used for the SNG production project. Base on a comparison of the process descriptions and performances of each gasifier, this study presents a selection guideline for a gasifier for an SNG production project that will be beneficial to project developers and EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction) contractors

Entrained Flow Gasification of Biomass

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Qin, Ke

The present Ph. D. thesis describes experimental and modeling investigations on entrained flow gasification of biomass and an experimental investigation on entrained flow cogasification of biomass and coal. A review of the current knowledge of biomass entrained flow gasification is presented....... Biomass gasification experiments were performed in a laboratory-scale atmospheric pressure entrained flow reactor with the aim to investigate the effects of operating parameters and biomass types on syngas products. A wide range of operating parameters was involved: reactor temperature, steam/carbon ratio......, excess air ratio, oxygen concentration, feeder gas flow, and residence time. Wood, straw, and lignin were used as biomass fuels. In general, the carbon conversion was higher than 90 % in the biomass gasification experiments conducted at high temperatures (> 1200 °C). The biomass carbon...

Entrainment in vertical annular two-phase flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sawant, Pravin; Ishii, Mamoru; Mori, Michitsugu

2009-01-01

Prediction of amount of entrained droplets or entrainment fraction in annular two-phase flow is essential for the estimation of dryout condition and analysis of post dryout heat transfer in light water nuclear reactors and steam boilers. In this study, air-water and organic fluid (Freon-113) annular flow entrainment experiments have been carried out in 9.4 and 10.2 mm diameter test sections, respectively. Both the experiments covered three distinct pressure conditions and wide range of liquid and gas flow conditions. The organic fluid experiments simulated high pressure steam-water annular flow conditions. In each of the experiments, measurements of entrainment fraction, droplet entrainment rate and droplet deposition rate have been performed by using a liquid film extraction method. A simple, explicit and non-dimensional correlation developed by Sawant et al. (2008a) for the prediction of entrainment fraction is further improved in this study in order to account for the existence of critical gas and liquid flow rates below which no entrainment is possible. Additionally, a new correlation is proposed for the estimation of minimum liquid film flow rate at the maximum entrainment fraction condition. The improved correlation successfully predicted the newly collected air-water and Freon-113 entrainment fraction data. Furthermore, the correlations satisfactorily compared with the air-water, helium-water and air-genklene experimental data measured by Willetts (1987). (author)

Numerical simulations for the coal/oxidant distribution effects between two-stages for multi opposite burners (MOB) gasifier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Unar, Imran Nazir; Wang, Lijun; Pathan, Abdul Ghani; Mahar, Rasool Bux; Li, Rundong; Uqaili, M. Aslam

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We simulated a double stage 3D entrained flow coal gasifier with multi-opposite burners. • The various reaction mechanisms have evaluated with experimental results. • The effects of coal and oxygen distribution between two stages on the performance of gasifier have investigated. • The local coal to oxygen ratio is affecting the overall efficiency of gasifier. - Abstract: A 3D CFD model for two-stage entrained flow dry feed coal gasifier with multi opposite burners (MOB) has been developed in this paper. At each stage two opposite nozzles are impinging whereas the two other opposite nozzles are slightly tangential. Various numerical simulations were carried out in standard CFD software to investigate the impacts of coal and oxidant distributions between the two stages of the gasifier. Chemical process was described by Finite Rate/Eddy Dissipation model. Heterogeneous and homogeneous reactions were defined using the published kinetic data and realizable k–ε turbulent model was used to solve the turbulence equations. Gas–solid interaction was defined by Euler–Lagrangian frame work. Different reaction mechanism were investigated first for the validation of the model from published experimental results. Then further investigations were made through the validated model for important parameters like species concentrations in syngas, char conversion, maximum inside temperature and syngas exit temperature. The analysis of the results from various simulated cases shows that coal/oxidant distribution between the stages has great influence on the overall performance of gasifier. The maximum char conversion was found 99.79% with coal 60% and oxygen 50% of upper level of injection. The minimum char conversion was observed 95.45% at 30% coal with 40% oxygen at same level. In general with oxygen and coal above or equal to 50% of total at upper injection level has shown an optimized performance

Entrained-flow gasification at elevated pressure: Volume 1: Final technical report, March 1, 1985-April 30,1987

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hedman, P.O.; Smoot, L.D.; Smith, P.J.; Blackham, A.U.

1987-10-15

The general purpose of this research program was to develop a basic understanding of the physical and chemical processes in entrained coal gasification and to use the results to improve and evaluate an entrained gasification computer model. The first task included the collection and analysis of in-situ gasifier data at elevated pressures with three coal types (North Dakota lignite, Wyoming subbituminous and Illinois bituminous), the design, construction, and testing of new coal/oxygen/steam injectors with a fourth coal type (Utah bituminous), the collection of supporting turbulent fluid dynamic (LDV) data from cold-flow studies, and the investigation of the feasibility of using laser-based (CARS) daignostic instruments to make measurements in coal flames. The second task included improvements to the two-dimensional gasifier submodels, tabulation and evaluation of new coal devolatilization and char oxidation data for predictions, fundamental studies of turbulent particle dispersion, the development of improved numerical methods, and validation of the comprehensive model through comparison of predictions with experimental results. The third task was to transfer technical advances to industry and to METC through technical seminars, production of a detailed data book, code placement, and publication of results. Research results for these three tasks are summarized briefly here and presented in detail in the body of the report and in supporting references. 202 refs., 73 figs., 23 tabs.

Biomass Gasifier for Computer Simulation; Biomassa foergasare foer Computer Simulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hansson, Jens; Leveau, Andreas; Hulteberg, Christian [Nordlight AB, Limhamn (Sweden)

2011-08-15

This report is an effort to summarize the existing data on biomass gasifiers as the authors have taken part in various projects aiming at computer simulations of systems that include biomass gasification. Reliable input data is paramount for any computer simulation, but so far there is no easy-accessible biomass gasifier database available for this purpose. This study aims at benchmarking current and past gasifier systems in order to create a comprehensive database for computer simulation purposes. The result of the investigation is presented in a Microsoft Excel sheet, so that the user easily can implement the data in their specific model. In addition to provide simulation data, the technology is described briefly for every studied gasifier system. The primary pieces of information that are sought for are temperatures, pressures, stream compositions and energy consumption. At present the resulting database contains 17 gasifiers, with one or more gasifier within the different gasification technology types normally discussed in this context: 1. Fixed bed 2. Fluidised bed 3. Entrained flow. It also contains gasifiers in the range from 100 kW to 120 MW, with several gasifiers in between these two values. Finally, there are gasifiers representing both direct and indirect heating. This allows for a more qualified and better available choice of starting data sets for simulations. In addition to this, with multiple data sets available for several of the operating modes, sensitivity analysis of various inputs will improve simulations performed. However, there have been fewer answers to the survey than expected/hoped for, which could have improved the database further. However, the use of online sources and other public information has to some extent counterbalanced the low response frequency of the survey. In addition to that, the database is preferred to be a living document, continuously updated with new gasifiers and improved information on existing gasifiers.

Multiphysics Simulations of Entrained Flow Gasification. Part I: Validating the Nonreacting Flow Solver and the Particle Turbulent Dispersion Model

KAUST Repository

Kumar, Mayank

2012-01-19

In this two-part paper, we describe the construction, validation, and application of a multiscale model of entrained flow gasification. The accuracy of the model is demonstrated by (1) rigorously constructing and validating the key constituent submodels against relevant canonical test cases from the literature and (2) validating the integrated model against experimental data from laboratory scale and commercial scale gasifiers. In part I, the flow solver and particle turbulent dispersion models are validated against experimental data from nonswirling flow and swirling flow test cases in an axisymmetric sudden expansion geometry and a two-phase flow test case in a cylindrical bluff body geometry. Results show that while the large eddy simulation (LES) performs best among all tested models in predicting both swirling and nonswirling flows, the shear stress transport (SST) k-ω model is the best choice among the commonly used Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) models. The particle turbulent dispersion model is accurate enough in predicting particle trajectories in complex turbulent flows when the underlying turbulent flow is well predicted. Moreover, a commonly used modeling constant in the particle dispersion model is optimized on the basis of comparisons with particle-phase experimental data for the two-phase flow bluff body case. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

Enhanced model for integrated simulation of an entrained bed gasifier implemented as Aspen Hysys extension

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perez-Fortes, M; Bojarski, A; Ferrer-Nadal, S; Kopanos, G; Mitta, N; Pinilla, C A; Nougues, J M; Velo, E; Puigjaner, L [Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Barcelona (Spain). Dept. of Chemical Engineering-CEPIMA

2007-07-01

In this work an enhanced mathematical model of an entrained bed gasifier has been developed for improved synthesis gas production. The gasification model considers five stages: pyrolysis, volatiles combustion, char combustion, gasification and a final gas equilibrium zone. Mathematical simulations are carried out to help finding out feasible operating conditions of the process to achieve improved process performance. Visual Basic (VB) is tested as tool for modelling, by using the Aspen Hysys Extension (AHE) interface standards. This standard provides a suitable environment for this purpose, since it allows the creation of completely custom modules which are easy to plug and use thus facilitating the handling of complex models ready to interact with commercial simulation platforms. In this work, integration of different models is accomplished in Aspen Hysys (AH), which provides the basic connectivity within models components, and the thermodynamic framework needed. The integrated modules simulation environment platform uses data from ELCOGAS for validation purposes with excellent preliminary results. 9 refs., 2 figs.

Coal waste slurries as a fuel for integrated gasification combined cycle plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lutynski Marcin A.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The article summarizes recent development in integrated gasification combined cycle technology and lists existing and planned IGCC plants. A brief outlook on the IGCC gasification technology is given with focus on entrained-flow gasifiers where the low-quality coal waste slurry fuel can be used. Desired properties of coal and ash for entrained-flow gasifiers are listed. The coal waste slurries, which were deposited at impoundments in Upper Silesian Coal Basin, were considered as a direct feed for such gasifiers. The average ash content, moisture content and lower heating value were analysed and presented as an average values. Entrained-flow commercial gasifiers can be considered as suitable for the coal slurry feed, however the ash content of coal slurries deposited in impoundments is too high for the direct use as the feed for the gasifiers. The moisture content of slurries calculated on as received basis meets the requirements of entrained-flow slurry feed gasifiers. The content of fines is relatively high which allow to use the slurries in entrained-flow gasifiers.

A droplet entrainment model for horizontal segregated flows

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Höhne, Thomas, E-mail: T.Hoehne@hzdr.de [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) – Institute of Fluid Dynamics, P.O. Box 510119, D-01314 Dresden (Germany); Hänsch, Susann [Imperial College, Department of Mechanical Engineering, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom)

2015-05-15

Highlights: • We further developed the flow morphology detection model AIAD. • An advanced droplet entrainment model was introduced. • The new approach is applied against HAWAC experiments. - Abstract: One limitation in simulating horizontal segregated flows is that there is no treatment of droplet formation mechanisms at wavy surfaces. For self-generating waves and slugs, the interfacial momentum exchange and the turbulence parameters have to be modeled correctly. Furthermore, understanding the mechanism of droplet entrainment for heat and mass transfer processes is of great importance in the chemical and nuclear industry. The development of general computational fluid dynamics models is an essential precondition for the application of CFD codes to the modeling of flow related phenomena. The new formulation for the interfacial drag at the free surface and turbulence parameters within the algebraic interfacial area density model (AIAD) represents one step toward a more physical description of free surface flows including less empiricism. The AIAD approach allows the use of different physical models depending on the local fluid morphology inside a macro-scale multi-fluid framework. A further step of improving the modeling of free interfaces lies within the consideration of droplet entrainment mechanisms. In this paper a new sub-grid entrainment model is proposed, which assumes that due to liquid turbulence the interface gets rough and wavy leading to the formation of droplets. Therefore, the droplet entrainment model requires the consideration of an additional droplet phase, which is described with an own set of balance equations in the spirit of the particle model. Two local key factors determine the rate of droplet entrainment: the liquid turbulent kinetic energy as well as the outward velocity gradient of the liquid relative to the interface motion. The new droplet entrainment approach is included into CFD simulations for attempting to reproduce existing

Modeling of flow conditions in down draft gasifiers using tin film models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Torben Kvist; Gøbel, Benny; Henriksen, Ulrik Birk

2003-01-01

In order to examine how an inhomogeneous char bed affects the gas flow through the bed, a dynamic model have been developed to describe the flow distribution in a down draft gasifier. The gas flow distribution through the bed was determined using a thin film model approach. The temperatures...

Dryout-type critical heat flux in vertical upward annular flow: effects of entrainment rate, initial entrained fraction and diameter

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Zan; Wadekar, Vishwas; Wang, Chenglong; Sunden, Bengt

2018-01-01

This study aims to reveal the effects of liquid entrainment, initial entrained fraction and tube diameter on liquid film dryout in vertical upward annular flow for flow boiling. Entrainment and deposition rates of droplets were included in mass conservation equations to estimate the local liquid film mass flux in annular flow, and the critical vapor quality at dryout conditions. Different entrainment rate correlations were evaluated using flow boiling data of water and organic liquids including n-pentane, iso-octane and R134a. Effect of the initial entrained fraction (IEF) at the churn-to-annular flow transition was also investigated. A transitional Boiling number was proposed to separate the IEF-sensitive region at high Boiling numbers and the IEF-insensitive region at low Boiling numbers. Besides, the diameter effect on dryout vapor quality was studied. The dryout vapor quality increases with decreasing tube diameter. It needs to be pointed out that the dryout characteristics of submillimeter channels might be different because of different mechanisms of dryout, i.e., drying of liquid film underneath long vapor slugs and flow boiling instabilities.

Effects of Temperature, Oxygen Partial Pressure, and Materials Selection on Slag Infiltration into Porous Refractories for Entrained-Flow Gasifiers

Science.gov (United States)

Kaneko, Tetsuya Kenneth

The penetration rate of molten mineral contents (slag) from spent carbonaceous feedstock into porous ceramic-oxide refractory linings is a critical parameter in determining the lifecycle of integrated gasification combined cycle energy production plants. Refractory linings that withstand longer operation without interruption are desirable because they can mitigate consumable and maintenance costs. Although refractory degradation has been extensively studied for many other high-temperature industrial processes, this work focuses on the mechanisms that are unique to entrained-flow gasification systems. The use of unique feedstock mixtures, temperatures from 1450 °C to 1600 °C, and oxygen partial pressures from 10-7 atm to 10-9 atm pose engineering challenges in designing an optimal refractory material. Experimentation, characterization, and modeling show that gasifier slag infiltration into porous refractory is determined by interactions between the slag and the refractory that either form a physical barrier that impedes fluid flow or induce an increased fluid viscosity that decelerates the velocity of the fluid body. The viscosity of the slag is modified by the thermal profile of the refractory along the penetration direction as well as reactions between the slag and refractory that alter the chemistry, and thereby the thermo-physical properties of the fluid. Infiltration experiments reveal that the temperature gradient inherently present along the refractory lining limits penetration. A refractory in near-isothermal conditions demonstrates deeper slag penetration as compared to one that experiences a steeper thermal profile. The decrease in the local temperatures of the slag as it travels deeper into the refractory increases the viscosity of the fluid, which in turn slows the infiltration velocity of fluid body into the pores of the refractory microstructure. With feedstock mixtures that exhibit high iron-oxide concentrations, a transition-metal-oxide, the oxygen

Elementary theory of bed-sediment entrainment by debris flows and avalanches

Science.gov (United States)

Iverson, Richard M.

2012-01-01

Analyses of mass and momentum exchange between a debris flow or avalanche and an underlying sediment layer aid interpretations and predictions of bed-sediment entrainment rates. A preliminary analysis assesses the behavior of a Coulomb slide block that entrains bed material as it descends a uniform slope. The analysis demonstrates that the block's momentum can grow unstably, even in the presence of limited entrainment efficiency. A more-detailed, depth-integrated continuum analysis of interacting, deformable bodies identifies mechanical controls on entrainment efficiency, and shows that entrainment rates satisfy a jump condition that involves shear-traction and velocity discontinuities at the flow-bed boundary. Explicit predictions of the entrainment rateEresult from making reasonable assumptions about flow velocity profiles and boundary shear tractions. For Coulomb-friction tractions, predicted entrainment rates are sensitive to pore fluid pressures that develop in bed sediment as it is overridden. In the simplest scenario the bed sediment liquefies completely, and the entrainment-rate equation reduces toE = 2μ1gh1 cos θ(1 − λ1)/ , where θ is the slope angle, μ1 is the flow's Coulomb friction coefficient, h1 is its thickness, λ1 is its degree of liquefaction, and is its depth-averaged velocity. For values ofλ1ranging from 0.5 to 0.8, this equation predicts entrainment rates consistent with rates of 0.05 to 0.1 m/s measured in large-scale debris-flow experiments in which wet sediment beds liquefied almost completely. The propensity for bed liquefaction depends on several factors, including sediment porosity, permeability, and thickness, and rates of compression and shear deformation that occur when beds are overridden.

Review Article: Advances in modeling of bed particle entrainment sheared by turbulent flow

Science.gov (United States)

Dey, Subhasish; Ali, Sk Zeeshan

2018-06-01

Bed particle entrainment by turbulent wall-shear flow is a key topic of interest in hydrodynamics because it plays a major role to govern the planetary morphodynamics. In this paper, the state-of-the-art review of the essential mechanisms governing the bed particle entrainment by turbulent wall-shear flow and their mathematical modeling is presented. The paper starts with the appraisal of the earlier multifaceted ideas in modeling the particle entrainment highlighting the rolling, sliding, and lifting modes of entrainment. Then, various modeling approaches of bed particle entrainment, such as deterministic, stochastic, and spatiotemporal approaches, are critically analyzed. The modeling criteria of particle entrainment are distinguished for hydraulically smooth, transitional, and rough flow regimes. In this context, the responses of particle size, particle exposure, and packing condition to the near-bed turbulent flow that shears the particles to entrain are discussed. From the modern experimental outcomes, the conceptual mechanism of particle entrainment from the viewpoint of near-bed turbulent coherent structures is delineated. As the latest advancement of the subject, the paper sheds light on the origin of the primitive empirical formulations of bed particle entrainment deriving the scaling laws of threshold flow velocity of bed particle motion from the perspective of the phenomenological theory of turbulence. Besides, a model framework that provides a new look on the bed particle entrainment phenomenon stemming from the stochastic-cum-spatiotemporal approach is introduced. Finally, the future scope of research is articulated with open questions.

De-entrainment on vertical elements in air droplet cross flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dallman, J.C.; Kirchner, W.L.

1980-01-01

De-entrainment phenomena on vertical elements in air-water droplet cross flow are generated using a horizontal array of water spray nozzles and a draft-induced wind tunnel. These conditions are used to obtain experimental values of the de-entrainment efficiency of isolated elements (25.4-, 63.5-, and 101.6-mm-diam cylinders and a 76.2-mm-square tube), and of an array of 101.6-mm-diam cylinders. A flow model is developed that extrapolates the de-entrainment efficiency of isolated elements through the use of a correlation for the interference effect to predict the efficiency of large arrays of similar elements. This simple model is shown to provide a good prediction of the de-entrainment efficiency of arrays in terms of the efficiency of an isolated element

Experimental investigation on an entrained flow type biomass gasification system using coconut coir dust as powdery biomass feedstock.

Science.gov (United States)

Senapati, P K; Behera, S

2012-08-01

Based on an entrained flow concept, a prototype atmospheric gasification system has been designed and developed in the laboratory for gasification of powdery biomass feedstock such as rice husks, coconut coir dust, saw dust etc. The reactor was developed by adopting L/D (height to diameter) ratio of 10, residence time of about 2s and a turn down ratio (TDR) of 1.5. The experimental investigation was carried out using coconut coir dust as biomass feedstock with a mean operating feed rate of 40 kg/h The effects of equivalence ratio in the range of 0.21-0.3, steam feed at a fixed flow rate of 12 kg/h, preheat on reactor temperature, product gas yield and tar content were investigated. The gasifier could able to attain high temperatures in the range of 976-1100 °C with gas lower heating value (LHV) and peak cold gas efficiency (CGE) of 7.86 MJ/Nm3 and 87.6% respectively. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mixing and entrainment in hydraulically driven stratified sill flows

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Morten Holtegaard; Pratt, Larry; Helfrich, Karl

2004-01-01

The investigation involves the hydraulic behaviour of a dense layer of fluid flowing over an obstacle and subject to entrainment of mass and momentum from a dynamically inactive (but possibly moving) overlying fluid. An approach based on the use of reduced gravity, shallow-water theory with a cross......-interface entrainment velocity is compared with numerical simulations based on a model with continuously varying stratification and velocity. The locations of critical flow (hydraulic control) in the continuous model are estimated by observing the direction of propagation of small-amplitude long-wave disturbances...... that the reduced gravity model systematically underestimates inertia and overestimates buoyancy. These differences are quantified by shape coefficients that measure the vertical non-uniformities of the density and horizontal velocity that arise, in part, by incomplete mixing of entrained mass and momentum over...

Design, development and testing of small downdraft gasifiers for domestic cookstoves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sutar, Kailasnath B.; Kohli, Sangeeta; Ravi, M.R.

2017-01-01

The design methodology available in the literature for downdraft gasifiers of large capacity (∼40–600 kW_t_h) is not directly applicable to very small sized gasifiers. In the present work, design and development of small downdraft gasifiers of 4 kW_t_h and 2.5 kW_t_h nominal capacities, for domestic cookstove application, have been carried out by non-linear extrapolation of data in literature for large gasifiers. The prototypes thus developed were found to give maximum gasification efficiency close to 80%. Extensive experimentation was conducted in the laboratory to study the effect of two operating parameters, viz., gasification air flow rate and the fuel particle size, on the performance of these gasifiers. The performance parameters studied included calorific value of the gas, gasification efficiency, air-biomass ratio and the hearth load. Through detailed analysis of the results, it has been shown that the two operating parameters affect the gasifier performance primarily through their impact on reactor temperature and the total particle surface area available for the reactions. This explains the observation of an optimal gasification air flow rate for best gasification efficiency. It is also shown that the producer gas flow rate varies linearly with gasification air flow rate for a wide range of operating conditions on different sizes of gasifiers. It is also seen that different sizes of the gasifiers can have a different hearth load corresponding to best efficiency. - Highlights: • Developed a design methodology for small downdraft gasifiers by adapting guidelines meant for larger gasifiers. • Developed two prototypes of gasifiers: 4 kW_t_h and 2.5 kW_t_h with gasification efficiency ∼80%. • Reactor temperature and total particle surface area available for reactions affect the gasifier performance. • The optimal gasification air flow rate and particle size for best gasification efficiency are explained using the above. • Producer gas versus

Entrainment at a sediment concentration interface in turbulent channel flow

Science.gov (United States)

Salinas, Jorge; Shringarpure, Mrugesh; Cantero, Mariano; Balachandar, S.

2016-11-01

In this work we address the role of turbulence on entrainment at a sediment concentration interface. This process can be conceived as the entrainment of sediment-free fluid into the bottom sediment-laden flow, or alternatively, as the entrainment of sediment into the top sediment-free flow. We have performed direct numerical simulations for fixed Reynolds and Schmidt numbers while varying the values of Richardson number and particle settling velocity. The analysis performed shows that the ability of the flow to pick up a given sediment size decreases with the distance from the bottom, and thus only fine enough sediment particles are entrained across the sediment concentration interface. For these cases, the concentration profiles evolve to a final steady state in good agreement with the well-known Rouse profile. The approach towards the Rouse profile happens through a transient self-similar state. Detailed analysis of the three dimensional structure of the sediment concentration interface shows the mechanisms by which sediment particles are lifted up by tongues of sediment-laden fluid with positive correlation between vertical velocity and sediment concentration. Finally, the mixing ability of the flow is addressed by monitoring the center of mass of the sediment-laden layer. With the support of ExxonMobil, NSF, ANPCyT, CONICET.

Slagging Behavior of Straw and Corn Stover and the Fate of Potassium under Entrained-Flow Gasification Conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leiser, S.; Cieplik, M.K.; Smit, R. [Energy research Centre of the Netherlands ECN, Post Office Box 1, 1755 ZG Petten (Netherlands)

2013-07-01

The behavior of straw and corn stover (non-food agricultural residues potentially available for power generation) was studied in a lab-scale reactor under entrained-flow gasification conditions typical for existing integrated gasification combined cycle power systems. This experimental work was assisted by a range of ash-specific analyses and thermodynamic modeling to gain insights into both the physics and chemistry of ash formation and melting behavior. It was observed that, although the major part of the primarily siliceous native ash promptly forms a molten slag, much of the alkalis are evaporated into the syngas. These gas-borne alkalis can potentially cause aerosol formation in the gasifier, gas quench, syngas cooler, and quench systems, resulting in both operating problems (fouling) and emission issues. To minimize the alkali release from straw and corn stover, the addition of an additive (clay) has been proven to be a highly promising method without the negative effects for the melting behavior of the slag.

Entrainment and deposition rates of droplets in annular two-phase flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kataoka, I.; Ishii, M.

1986-01-01

The droplet entrainment from a liquid film is important to the mass, momentum, and energy transfer process in annular two-phase flow. For example, the amount of entrainment as well as the rate of entrainment significantly affect the occurrences of the dryout, whereas the post-CHF heat transfer depends strongly on the entrainment and droplet sizes. Despite the importance of the entrainment rate, there have been no satisfactory correlations available in the literature. In view of these, correlations for entrainment rate covering both entrance region and equilibrium region were developed from a simple model in collaboration with data. Results show that the entrainment rate varies considerably in the entrainment-development region. However, at a certain distance from an inlet it attains an equilibrium value. A simple approximate correlation was obtained for the equilibrium state where entrainment rate and deposition rate becomes equal. The result indicates that the equilibrium entrainment rate is proportional to Weber number based on the hydraulic diameter of a tube. 34 references, 14 figures

Droplet behavior analysis in consideration of droplet entrainment from liquid film in annular dispersed flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuura, Keizo; Otake, Hiroshi; Kataoka, Isao; Serizawa, Akimi

2000-01-01

A method of droplet behavior simulation in an annular dispersed flow has been developed. In this method, both droplet deposition and entrainment from liquid film are considered. The Lagrangian method and stochastic model are used to analyze droplet diffusion and deposition behavior in a turbulent flow, and droplet entrainment from liquid film is calculated by an entrainment correlation. For the verification of this method, Gill's experiment is analyzed, in which the transition from annular flow with no entrainment to equilibrium annular dispersed flow was observed. Analysis results can also show the similar transition tendency. The experimental results of radial distribution of droplet mass flux are compared with analysis results. The agreement is good for low liquid flow rate, but entrainment rate must be adjusted for high liquid flow rate, in which gas turbulence is thought to be modified by high droplet density. In future work the effect of high droplet density on turbulence should be considered. (author)

Modelling, simulation, and optimisation of a downflow entrained flow reactor for black liquor gasification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marklund, Magnus [ETC Energitekniskt Centrum, Piteaa (Sweden)

2003-12-01

Black liquor, a by-product of the chemical pulping process, is an important liquid fuel in the pulp and paper industry. A potential technology for improving the recovery cycle of energy and chemicals contained in the liquid fuel is pressurised gasification of black liquor (PGLG). However, uncertainties about the reliability and robustness of the technology are preventing a large-scale market introduction. One important step towards a greater trust in the process reliability is the development of simulation tools that can provide a better understanding of the process and improve performance through optimisation. In the beginning of 2001 a project was initiated in order to develop a simulation tool for an entrained-flow gasifier in PBLG based on CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). The aim has been to provide an advanced tool for a better understanding of process performance, to help with trouble shooting in the development plant, and for use in optimisation of a full-scale commercial gasifier. Furthermore, the project will also provide quantitative information on burner functionality through advanced laser-optical measurements by use of a Phase Doppler Anemometer (PDA). To this point in current project, three different concept models have been developed. The work has been comprised in a thesis 'Modelling and Simulation of Pressurised Black Liquor Gasification at High Temperature' and presented at Luleaa Univ. of Technology in Oct 2003. The construction of an atmospheric burner test rig has also been initiated. The main objective with the rig will be to quantify the atomisation performance of suitable burner nozzles for a PBLG gasifier that can be used as input for the CFD model. The main conclusions from the modelling work done this far can be condensed to the following points: From the first modelling results it was concluded that a wide spray pattern is preferable with respect to demand for long residence times for black liquor droplets and a low amount

Methanol production via pressurized entrained flow biomass gasification – Techno-economic comparison of integrated vs. stand-alone production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, Jim; Lundgren, Joakim; Marklund, Magnus

2014-01-01

The main objective with this work was to investigate techno-economically the opportunity for integrated gasification-based biomass-to-methanol production in an existing chemical pulp and paper mill. Three different system configurations using the pressurized entrained flow biomass gasification (PEBG) technology were studied, one stand-alone plant, one where the bark boiler in the mill was replaced by a PEBG unit and one with a co-integration of a black liquor gasifier operated in parallel with a PEBG unit. The cases were analysed in terms of overall energy efficiency (calculated as electricity-equivalents) and process economics. The economics was assessed under the current as well as possible future energy market conditions. An economic policy support was found to be necessary to make the methanol production competitive under all market scenarios. In a future energy market, integrating a PEBG unit to replace the bark boiler was the most beneficial case from an economic point of view. In this case the methanol production cost was reduced in the range of 11–18 Euro per MWh compared to the stand-alone case. The overall plant efficiency increased approximately 7%-units compared to the original operation of the mill and the non-integrated stand-alone case. In the case with co-integration of the two parallel gasifiers, an equal increase of the system efficiency was achieved, but the economic benefit was not as apparent. Under similar conditions as the current market and when methanol was sold to replace fossil gasoline, co-integration of the two parallel gasifiers was the best alternative based on received IRR. - Highlights: • Techno-economic results regarding integration of methanol synthesis processes in a pulp and paper mill are presented. • The overall energy efficiency increases in integrated methanol production systems compared to stand-alone production units. • The economics of the integrated system improves compared to stand-alone alternatives. • Tax

De-entrainment phenomena on vertical tubes in droplet cross flow. Informal report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dallman, J.C.; Kirchner, W.L.

1980-04-01

In this study, flow conditions in the upper plenum of a PWR during the reflood stage of a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) are simulated using water sprays and a draft-induced wind tunnel. The de-entrainment efficiencies of isolated structures are presented for a variety of air-water droplet cross flow conditions. Since droplet splashing and/or bouncing from the draining liquid film is not accounted for in classical inertial impaction theory, there is substantial disagreement between measurement and the theory. The de-entrainment efficiencies of isolated tubes are extrapolated to those of tubes in a multiple tube array, and a predictive relation is presented for the overall de-entrainment eficiency of multiple tube arrays

Laboratory simulations of cumulus cloud flows explain the entrainment anomaly

Science.gov (United States)

Narasimha, Roddam; Diwan, Sourabh S.; Subrahmanyam, Duvvuri; Sreenivas, K. R.; Bhat, G. S.

2010-11-01

In the present laboratory experiments, cumulus cloud flows are simulated by starting plumes and jets subjected to off-source heat addition in amounts that are dynamically similar to latent heat release due to condensation in real clouds. The setup permits incorporation of features like atmospheric inversion layers and the active control of off-source heat addition. Herein we report, for the first time, simulation of five different cumulus cloud types (and many shapes), including three genera and three species (WMO Atlas 1987), which show striking resemblance to real clouds. It is known that the rate of entrainment in cumulus cloud flows is much less than that in classical plumes - the main reason for the failure of early entrainment models. Some of the previous studies on steady-state jets and plumes (done in a similar setup) have attributed this anomaly to the disruption of the large-scale turbulent structures upon the addition of off-source heat. We present estimates of entrainment coefficients from these measurements which show a qualitatively consistent variation with height. We propose that this explains the observed entrainment anomaly in cumulus clouds; further experiments are planned to address this question in the context of starting jets and plumes.

Development and Testing of Prototype Commercial Gasifier Sensor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zelepouga, Serguei [Gas Technology Inst., Des Plaines, IL (United States); Moery, Nathan [Gas Technology Inst., Des Plaines, IL (United States); Wu, Mengbai [Gas Technology Inst., Des Plaines, IL (United States); Saveliev, Alexei [Gas Technology Inst., Des Plaines, IL (United States)

2015-01-31

This report presents the results of the sensor development and testing at the Wabash River gasifier. The project work was initiated with modification of the sensor software (Task 2) to enable real time temperature data acquisition, and to process and provide the obtained gasifier temperature information to the gasifier operators. The software modifications were conducted by the North Carolina State University (NCSU) researchers. The modified software was tested at the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) combustion laboratory to assess the temperature recognition algorithm accuracy and repeatability. Task 3 was focused on the sensor hardware modifications needed to improve reliability of the sensor system. NCSU conducted numerical modeling of the sensor probe’s purging flow. Based on the modeling results the probe purging system was redesigned to prevent carbon particulates deposition on the probe’s sapphire window. The modified design was evaluated and approved by the Wabash representative. The modified gasifier sensor was built and installed at the Wabash River gasifier on May 1 2014. (Task 4) The sensor was tested from the startup of the gasifier on May 5, 2015 until the planned autumn gasifier outage starting in the beginning of October, 2015. (Task 5) The project team successfully demonstrated the Gasifier Sensor system’s ability to monitor gasifier temperature while maintaining unobstructed optical access for six months without any maintenance. The sensor examination upon completion of the trial revealed that the system did not sustain any damage.

A review of recent developments on turbulent entrainment in stratified flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cotel, Aline J

2010-01-01

Stratified interfaces are present in many geophysical flow situations, and transport across such an interface is an essential factor for correctly evaluating the physical processes taking place at many spatial and temporal scales in such flows. In order to accurately evaluate vertical and lateral transport occurring when a turbulent flow impinges on a stratified interface, the turbulent entrainment and vorticity generation mechanisms near the interface must be understood and quantified. Laboratory experiments were performed for three flow configurations: a vertical thermal, a sloping gravity current and a vertical turbulent jet with various tilt angles and precession speeds. All three flows impinged on an interface separating a two-layer stably stratified environment. The entrainment rate is quantified for each flow using laser-induced fluorescence and compared to predictions of Cotel and Breidenthal (1997 Appl. Sci. Res. 57 349-66). The possible applications of transport across stratified interfaces include the contribution of hydrothermal plumes to the global ocean energy budget, turbidity currents on the ocean floor, the design of lake de-stratification systems, modeling gas leaks from storage reservoirs, weather forecasting and global climate change.

Characterization of Residual Particulates from Biomass Entrained Flow Gasification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Qin, Ke; Lin, Weigang; Fæster, Søren

2013-01-01

Biomass gasification experiments were carried out in a bench scale entrained flow reactor, and the produced solid particles were collected by a cyclone and a metal filter for subsequent characterization. During wood gasification, the major part of the solid material collected in the filter is soot...

Mercury adsorption characteristics of HBr-modified fly ash in an entrained-flow reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yongsheng; Zhao, Lilin; Guo, Ruitao; Song, Na; Wang, Jiawei; Cao, Yan; Orndorff, William; Pan, Wei-ping

2015-07-01

In this study, the mercury adsorption characteristics of HBr-modified fly ash in an entrained-flow reactor were investigated through thermal decomposition methods. The results show that the mercury adsorption performance of the HBr-modified fly ash was enhanced significantly. The mercury species adsorbed by unmodified fly ash were HgCl2, HgS and HgO. The mercury adsorbed by HBr-modified fly ash, in the entrained-flow reactor, existed in two forms, HgBr2 and HgO, and the HBr was the dominant factor promoting oxidation of elemental mercury in the entrained-flow reactor. In the current study, the concentration of HgBr2 and HgO in ash from the fine ash vessel was 4.6 times greater than for ash from the coarse ash vessel. The fine ash had better mercury adsorption performance than coarse ash, which is most likely due to the higher specific surface area and longer residence time. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Influence of bed material entrainment and non-Newtonian rheology on turbulent geophysical flows dynamics. Numerical study

Science.gov (United States)

Eglit, M. E.; Yakubenko, A. E.; Yakubenko, T. A.

2017-10-01

This paper deals with the mathematical and numerical modeling of the propagation stage of geophysical gravity-driven flows, such as snow avalanches, mudflows, and rapid landslides. New mathematical models are presented which are based on full, not-depth-averaged equations of mechanics of continuous media. The models account for three important issues: non-Newtonian rheology of the moving material, entrainment of the bed material by the flow, and turbulence. The main objective is to investigate the effect of these three factors on the flow dynamics and on the value of the entrainment rate. To exclude the influence of many other factors, e.g., the complicated slope topography, only the motion down a long uniform slope with a constant inclination angle is studied numerically. Moreover, the entire flow from the front to the rear area was not modeled, but only its middle part where the flow is approximately uniform in length. One of the qualitative results is that in motion along homogeneous slope the mass entrainment increases the flow velocity and depth while the entrainment rate at large time tends to become constant which depends on the physical properties of the flow and the underlying material but not on the current values of the flow velocity and depth.

Entrained Flow Reactor Test of Potassium Capture by Kaolin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Guoliang; Jensen, Peter Arendt; Wu, Hao

2015-01-01

In the present study a method to simulate the reaction between gaseous KCl and kaolin at suspension fired condition was developed using a pilot-scale entrained flow reactor (EFR). Kaolin was injected into the EFR for primary test of this method. By adding kaolin, KCl can effectively be captured...

Electrification of particulate entrained fluid flows-Mechanisms, applications, and numerical methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Wei; Gu, Zhaolin

2015-10-01

Particulates in natural and industrial flows have two basic forms: liquid (droplet) and solid (particle). Droplets would be charged in the presence of the applied electric field (e.g. electrospray). Similar to the droplet charging, particles can also be charged under the external electric field (e.g. electrostatic precipitator), while in the absence of external electric field, tribo-electrostatic charging is almost unavoidable in gas-solid two-phase flows due to the consecutive particle contacts (e.g. electrostatic in fluidized bed or wind-blown sand). The particle charging may be beneficial, or detrimental. Although electrostatics in particulate entrained fluid flow systems have been so widely used and concerned, the mechanisms of particulate charging are still lack of a thorough understanding. The motivation of this review is to explore a clear understanding of particulate charging and movement of charged particulate in two-phase flows, by summarizing the electrification mechanisms, physical models of particulate charging, and methods of charging/charged particulate entrained fluid flow simulations. Two effective methods can make droplets charged in industrial applications: corona charging and induction charging. The droplet charge to mass ratio by corona charging is more than induction discharge. The particle charging through collisions could be attributed to electron transfer, ion transfer, material transfer, and/or aqueous ion shift on particle surfaces. The charges on charged particulate surface can be measured, nevertheless, the charging process in nature or industry is difficult to monitor. The simulation method might build a bridge of investigating from the charging process to finally charged state on particulate surface in particulate entrained fluid flows. The methodology combining the interface tracking under the action of the applied electric with the fluid flow governing equations is applicable to the study of electrohydrodynamics problems. The charge

Cladding motion and entrainment during loss of flow in the LMFBR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scale, T.J.; Eggen, D.T.

1978-01-01

The study that has been undertaken here is to characterize the loss of flow with appropriate dimensionless numbers such as Re, sup(p)vap/Psteel, sup(Dh/L), and to suggest a minimum Re, necessary for entrainment of simulant cladding material under transient melting. In particular, we are interested in the downward flow of vapor over an intact rod undergoing a loss of flow or loss of heat sink. (author)

Performance evaluation of open core gasifier on multi-fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhoi, P.R.; Singh, R.N.; Sharma, A.M.; Patel, S.R. [Thermo Chemical Conversion Division, Sardar Patel Renewable Energy Research Institute (SPRERI), Vallabh Vidyanagar 388 120, Gujarat (India)

2006-06-15

Sardar Patel renewable energy research institute (SPRERI) has designed and developed open core, throat-less, down draft gasifier and installed it at the institute. The gasifier was designed for loose agricultural residues like groundnut shells. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the gasifier on multi-fuels such as babul wood (Prosopis juliflora), groundnut shell briquettes, groundnut shell, mixture of wood (Prosopis juliflora) and groundnut shell in the ratio of 1:1 and cashew nut shell. The gasifier performance was evaluated in terms of fuel consumption rate, calorific value of producer gas and gasification efficiency. Gasification efficiency of babul wood (Prosopis juliflora), groundnut shell briquettes, groundnut shell, mixture of Prosopis juliflora and groundnut shell in the ratio of 1:1 and cashew nut shell were 72%, 66%, 70%, 64%, 70%, respectively. Study revealed that babul wood (Prosopis juliflora), groundnut shell briquettes, groundnut shell, mixture of wood (Prosopis juliflora) and groundnut shell in the ratio of 1:1 and cashew nut shell were satisfactorily gasified in open core down draft gasifier. The study also showed that there was flow problem with groundnut shell. (author)

Free-surface entrainment into a rimming flow containing surfactants

Science.gov (United States)

Thoroddsen, S. T.; Tan, Y.-K.

2004-02-01

We study experimentally the free-surface entrainment of tubes into a steady rimming flow formed inside a partially filled horizontally rotating cylinder. The liquid consists of a glycerin-water mixture containing surfactants (fatty acids). The phenomenon does not occur without the surfactants and the details are sensitive to their concentration. The entrainment of numerous closely spaced air tubes and/or surfactant columns can start intermittently along a two-dimensional stagnation line, but is usually associated with the appearance of an axially periodic vortex structure, the so-called shark teeth, which fixes the spanwise location of these tubes. The number of tubes is governed by the three-dimensional shape of the free surface, reducing from more than 10 to only two in each trough, as the rotation rate is increased. The tubes vary in diameter from 10-30 μm and can extend hundreds of diameters into the liquid layer before breaking up into a continuous stream of bubbles and/or drops. The tubes are driven through the stagnation line by the strong viscous shear and are stretched in the downstream direction. The entrainment starts when the Capillary number Ca=μωR/σ≃0.4.

REFRACTORY FOR BLACK LIQUOR GASIFIERS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William L. Headrick Jr.; Alireza Rezaie

2003-12-01

surfaces in-situ; are functionally-graded to give the best combination of thermal, mechanical, and physical properties and chemical stability; or are relatively inexpensive, reliable repair materials. Material development will be divided into 2 tasks: Task 1, Development and property determinations of improved and existing refractory systems for black liquor containment. Refractory systems of interest include magnesia aluminate and baria aluminate spinels for binder materials, both dry and hydratable, and materials with high alumina contents, 85-95 wt%, aluminum oxide, 5.0-15.0 wt%, and BaO, SrO, CaO, ZrO and SiC. Task 2, Finite element analysis of heat flow and thermal stress/strain in the refractory lining and steel shell of existing and proposed vessel designs. Stress and strain due to thermal and chemical expansion has been observed to be detrimental to the lifespan of existing black liquor gasifiers. The thermal and chemical strain as well as corrosion rates must be accounted for in order to predict the lifetime of the gasifier containment materials.

Refractory for Black Liquor Gasifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William L. Headrick Jr; Alireza Rezaie

2003-12-01

surfaces in-situ; are functionally-graded to give the best combination of thermal, mechanical, and physical properties and chemical stability; or are relatively inexpensive, reliable repair materials. Material development will be divided into 2 tasks: Task 1, Development and property determinations of improved and existing refractory systems for black liquor containment. Refractory systems of interest include magnesia aluminate and baria aluminate spinels for binder materials, both dry and hydratable, and materials with high alumina contents, 85-95 wt%, aluminum oxide, 5.0-15.0 wt%, and BaO, SrO, CaO, ZrO and SiC. Task 2, Finite element analysis of heat flow and thermal stress/strain in the refractory lining and steel shell of existing and proposed vessel designs. Stress and strain due to thermal and chemical expansion has been observed to be detrimental to the lifespan of existing black liquor gasifiers. The thermal and chemical strain as well as corrosion rates must be accounted for in order to predict the lifetime of the gasifier containment materials.

Refractory for Black Liquor Gasifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William L. Headrick Jr; Alireza Rezaie; Xiaoting Liang; Musa Karakus; Jun Wei

2005-12-01

-situ; and were functionally-graded to give the best combination of thermal, mechanical and physical properties and chemical stability; and are relatively inexpensive, reliable repair materials. Material development was divided into 2 tasks: Task 1 was development and property determinations of improved and existing refractory systems for black liquor containment. Refractory systems of interest include magnesium aluminate and barium aluminate for binder materials, both dry and hydratable, and materials with high alumina contents, 85-95 wt%, aluminum oxide, 5.0-15.0 wt%, and BaO, SrO, CaO, ZrO2 and SiC. Task 2 was finite element analysis of heat flow and thermal stress/strain in the refractory lining and steel shell of existing and proposed vessel designs. Stress and strain due to thermal and chemical expansion has been observed to be detrimental to the lifespan of existing black liquor gasifiers. The thermal and chemical strain as well as corrosion rates must be accounted for in order to predict the lifetime of the gasifier containment materials.

Refractory for Black Liquor Gasifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William L. Headrick Jr; Musa Karakus; Xiaoting Liang

2005-10-01

-situ; and were functionally-graded to give the best combination of thermal, mechanical, and physical properties and chemical stability; or are relatively inexpensive, reliable repair materials. Material development were divided into 2 tasks: Task 1, Development and property determinations of improved and existing refractory systems for black liquor containment. Refractory systems of interest include magnesium aluminate and barium aluminate for binder materials, both dry and hydratable, and materials with high alumina contents, 85-95 wt%, aluminum oxide, 5.0-15.0 wt%, and BaO, SrO, CaO, ZrO{sub 2} and SiC. Task 2, Finite element analysis of heat flow and thermal stress/strain in the refractory lining and steel shell of existing and proposed vessel designs. Stress and strain due to thermal and chemical expansion has been observed to be detrimental to the lifespan of existing black liquor gasifiers. The thermal and chemical strain as well as corrosion rates must be accounted for in order to predict the lifetime of the gasifier containment materials.

Refractory for Black Liquor Gasifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William L. Headrick; Musa Karakus; Alireza Rezaie

2004-03-30

surfaces in-situ; are functionally-graded to give the best combination of thermal, mechanical, and physical properties and chemical stability; or are relatively inexpensive, reliable repair materials. Material development will be divided into 2 tasks: Task 1, Development and property determinations of improved and existing refractory systems for black liquor containment. Refractory systems of interest include magnesium aluminate and barium aluminate for binder materials, both dry and hydratable, and materials with high alumina contents, 85-95 wt%, aluminum oxide, 5.0-15.0 wt%, and BaO, SrO, CaO, ZrO2 and SiC. Task 2, Finite element analysis of heat flow and thermal stress/strain in the refractory lining and steel shell of existing and proposed vessel designs. Stress and strain due to thermal and chemical expansion has been observed to be detrimental to the lifespan of existing black liquor gasifiers. The thermal and chemical strain as well as corrosion rates must be accounted for in order to predict the lifetime of the gasifier containment materials.

REFRACTORY FOR BLACK LIQUOR GASIFIERS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William L. Headrick Jr; Musa Karakus; Xiaoting Liang; Alireza Rezaie

2004-07-01

surfaces in-situ; are functionally-graded to give the best combination of thermal, mechanical, and physical properties and chemical stability; or are relatively inexpensive, reliable repair materials. Material development will be divided into 2 tasks: Task 1, Development and property determinations of improved and existing refractory systems for black liquor containment. Refractory systems of interest include magnesium aluminate and barium aluminate for binder materials, both dry and hydratable, and materials with high alumina contents, 85-95 wt%, aluminum oxide, 5.0-15.0 wt%, and BaO, SrO, CaO, ZrO{sub 2} and SiC. Task 2, Finite element analysis of heat flow and thermal stress/strain in the refractory lining and steel shell of existing and proposed vessel designs. Stress and strain due to thermal and chemical expansion has been observed to be detrimental to the lifespan of existing black liquor gasifiers. The thermal and chemical strain as well as corrosion rates must be accounted for in order to predict the lifetime of the gasifier containment materials.

REFRACTORY FOR BLACK LIQUOR GASIFIERS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William L. Headrick Jr; Musa Karakus; Xiaoting Liang; Alireza Rezaie

2004-10-01

surfaces in-situ; are functionally-graded to give the best combination of thermal, mechanical, and physical properties and chemical stability; or are relatively inexpensive, reliable repair materials. Material development will be divided into 2 tasks: Task 1, Development and property determinations of improved and existing refractory systems for black liquor containment. Refractory systems of interest include magnesium aluminate and barium aluminate for binder materials, both dry and hydratable, and materials with high alumina contents, 85-95 wt%, aluminum oxide, 5.0-15.0 wt%, and BaO, SrO, CaO, ZrO{sub 2} and SiC. Task 2, Finite element analysis of heat flow and thermal stress/strain in the refractory lining and steel shell of existing and proposed vessel designs. Stress and strain due to thermal and chemical expansion has been observed to be detrimental to the lifespan of existing black liquor gasifiers. The thermal and chemical strain as well as corrosion rates must be accounted for in order to predict the lifetime of the gasifier containment materials.

REFRACTORY FOR BLACK LIQUOR GASIFIERS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William L. Headrick Jr; Musa Karakus; Xiaoting Liang; Jun Wei

2005-01-01

surfaces in-situ; are functionally-graded to give the best combination of thermal, mechanical, and physical properties and chemical stability; or are relatively inexpensive, reliable repair materials. Material development will be divided into 2 tasks: Task 1, Development and property determinations of improved and existing refractory systems for black liquor containment. Refractory systems of interest include magnesium aluminate and barium aluminate for binder materials, both dry and hydratable, and materials with high alumina contents, 85-95 wt%, aluminum oxide, 5.0-15.0 wt%, and BaO, SrO, CaO, ZrO{sub 2} and SiC. Task 2, Finite element analysis of heat flow and thermal stress/strain in the refractory lining and steel shell of existing and proposed vessel designs. Stress and strain due to thermal and chemical expansion has been observed to be detrimental to the lifespan of existing black liquor gasifiers. The thermal and chemical strain as well as corrosion rates must be accounted for in order to predict the lifetime of the gasifier containment materials.

REFRACTORY FOR BLACK LIQUOR GASIFIERS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William L. Headrick Jr; Musa Karakus; Xiaoting Liang; Jun Wei

2005-04-01

surfaces in-situ; are functionally-graded to give the best combination of thermal, mechanical, and physical properties and chemical stability; or are relatively inexpensive, reliable repair materials. Material development will be divided into 2 tasks: Task 1, Development and property determinations of improved and existing refractory systems for black liquor containment. Refractory systems of interest include magnesium aluminate and barium aluminate for binder materials, both dry and hydratable, and materials with high alumina contents, 85-95 wt%, aluminum oxide, 5.0-15.0 wt%, and BaO, SrO, CaO, ZrO{sub 2} and SiC. Task 2, Finite element analysis of heat flow and thermal stress/strain in the refractory lining and steel shell of existing and proposed vessel designs. Stress and strain due to thermal and chemical expansion has been observed to be detrimental to the lifespan of existing black liquor gasifiers. The thermal and chemical strain as well as corrosion rates must be accounted for in order to predict the lifetime of the gasifier containment materials.

REFRACTORY FOR BLACK LIQUOR GASIFIERS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William L. Headrick Jr; Musa Karakus; Xiaoting Liang

2005-07-01

surfaces in-situ; are functionally-graded to give the best combination of thermal, mechanical, and physical properties and chemical stability; or are relatively inexpensive, reliable repair materials. Material development will be divided into 2 tasks: Task 1, Development and property determinations of improved and existing refractory systems for black liquor containment. Refractory systems of interest include magnesium aluminate and barium aluminate for binder materials, both dry and hydratable, and materials with high alumina contents, 85-95 wt%, aluminum oxide, 5.0-15.0 wt%, and BaO, SrO, CaO, ZrO{sub 2} and SiC. Task 2, Finite element analysis of heat flow and thermal stress/strain in the refractory lining and steel shell of existing and proposed vessel designs. Stress and strain due to thermal and chemical expansion has been observed to be detrimental to the lifespan of existing black liquor gasifiers. The thermal and chemical strain as well as corrosion rates must be accounted for in order to predict the lifetime of the gasifier containment materials.

REFRACTORY FOR BLACK LIQUOR GASIFIERS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William L. Headrick Jr.; Alireza Rezaie

2004-04-01

surfaces in-situ; are functionally-graded to give the best combination of thermal, mechanical, and physical properties and chemical stability; or are relatively inexpensive, reliable repair materials. Material development will be divided into 2 tasks: Task 1, Development and property determinations of improved and existing refractory systems for black liquor containment. Refractory systems of interest include magnesium aluminate and barium aluminate spinels for binder materials, both dry and hydratable, and materials with high alumina contents, 85-95 wt%, aluminum oxide, 5.0-15.0 wt%, and BaO, SrO, CaO, ZrO{sub 2} and SiC. Task 2, Finite element analysis of heat flow and thermal stress/strain in the refractory lining and steel shell of existing and proposed vessel designs. Stress and strain due to thermal and chemical expansion has been observed to be detrimental to the lifespan of existing black liquor gasifiers. The thermal and chemical strain as well as corrosion rates must be accounted for in order to predict the lifetime of the gasifier containment materials.

Parameterization of a numerical 2-D debris flow model with entrainment: a case study of the Faucon catchment, Southern French Alps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Y. Hussin

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The occurrence of debris flows has been recorded for more than a century in the European Alps, accounting for the risk to settlements and other human infrastructure that have led to death, building damage and traffic disruptions. One of the difficulties in the quantitative hazard assessment of debris flows is estimating the run-out behavior, which includes the run-out distance and the related hazard intensities like the height and velocity of a debris flow. In addition, as observed in the French Alps, the process of entrainment of material during the run-out can be 10–50 times in volume with respect to the initially mobilized mass triggered at the source area. The entrainment process is evidently an important factor that can further determine the magnitude and intensity of debris flows. Research on numerical modeling of debris flow entrainment is still ongoing and involves some difficulties. This is partly due to our lack of knowledge of the actual process of the uptake and incorporation of material and due the effect of entrainment on the final behavior of a debris flow. Therefore, it is important to model the effects of this key erosional process on the formation of run-outs and related intensities. In this study we analyzed a debris flow with high entrainment rates that occurred in 2003 at the Faucon catchment in the Barcelonnette Basin (Southern French Alps. The historic event was back-analyzed using the Voellmy rheology and an entrainment model imbedded in the RAMMS 2-D numerical modeling software. A sensitivity analysis of the rheological and entrainment parameters was carried out and the effects of modeling with entrainment on the debris flow run-out, height and velocity were assessed.

Particle re-entrainment from a powder deposit in an horizontal air flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alloul, L.; Witschger, O.; Alloul, L.; Renoux, A.; Le Dur, D.; Monnatte, J.

2000-01-01

Particle re-entrainment from surfaces to turbulent air flow is an important subject in many different fields like nuclear safety, environmental air pollution, sediment transport by wind, surface contamination in semiconductor operations. Theoretical and experimental studies have been numerous and cover different aspects of the phenomena. Although a number of theoretical works have been devoted for describing the mechanisms of detachment of primary spherical particles form flat smooth surfaces in a turbulent flow, experimental data are still needed in order to comparison. Moreover, the knowledge of the effect of parameters related to the deposit (monolayer, multilayer, cone-like pile), the powder particles (particle-size distribution, adhesive properties), the surface (roughness,...),the airflow (velocity, acceleration, turbulence) or the environment (humidity,...) is still in an elementary stage. The main objective of our work is to contribute to the understanding and quantification of the parameters that govern the particle re-entrainment from a powder deposit in an turbulent horizontal airflow. Therefore, a new experimental facility called BISE (french acronym for wind tunnel for studying particle re-entrainment by airflow) has been designed and built in our laboratory. (authors)

Onset of entrainment and degree of dispersion in dual continuous horizontal oil-water flows

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Wahaibi, Talal [Department of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 33, Al-Khoud, P.C. 123 (Oman); Angeli, Panagiota [Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE (United Kingdom)

2009-04-15

The transition from stratified to dual continuous oil-water flow (where each phase retains its continuity but there is dispersion of one phase into the other) as well as the dispersed phase fractions in the layers of the dual continuous pattern, were studied experimentally. Transition to this pattern from stratified flow occurs when drops of one phase appear into the other (onset of entrainment). The studies were carried out in a 38 mm ID horizontal stainless steel test section using two different inlet geometries, a T- and a Y-junction. The patterns were visualized through a transparent acrylic section located at 7 m from the inlet using a high speed video camera. Phase distribution measurements in a pipe cross section were obtained just before the acrylic section with a local impedance probe and the results were used to calculate the volume fraction of each phase entrained into the other. The onset of entrainment was found to occur at lower superficial water velocities as the oil superficial velocities increased. However, the inlet geometry did not affect significantly the transition line. During dual continuous flow, the dispersion of one phase into the opposite was found to extend further away from the interface with increasing water superficial velocity for a certain oil superficial velocity. An increase in the superficial water velocity increased the entrained fraction of water in oil (E{sub w/o}) but there was no trend with the oil velocity. Similarly, an increase in the superficial oil velocity increased the fraction of oil drops in water (E{sub o/w}) but the water velocity had no clear effect. The entrainment fractions were affected by the inlet geometry, with the T-inlet resulting in higher entrainment than the Y-inlet, perhaps because of the increased mixing induced by the T-inlet. The difference between the two inlets increased as the oil and water velocities increased. (author)

Laboratory Studies of Anomalous Entrainment in Cumulus Cloud Flows

Science.gov (United States)

Diwan, Sourabh S.; Narasimha, Roddam; Bhat, G. S.; Sreenivas, K. R.

2011-12-01

Entrainment in cumulus clouds has been a subject of investigation for the last sixty years, and continues to be a central issue in current research. The development of a laboratory facility that can simulate cumulus cloud evolution enables us to shed light on the problem. The apparatus for the purpose is based on a physical model of cloud flow as a plume with off-source diabatic heating that is dynamically similar to the effect of latent-heat release in natural clouds. We present a critical review of the experimental data so far obtained in such facilities on the variation of the entrainment coefficient in steady diabatic jets and plumes. Although there are some unexplained differences among different data sets, the dominant trend of the results compares favourably with recent numerical simulations on steady-state deep convection, and helps explain certain puzzles in the fluid dynamics of clouds.

Laboratory Studies of Anomalous Entrainment in Cumulus Cloud Flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diwan, Sourabh S; Narasimha, Roddam; Sreenivas, K R; Bhat, G S

2011-01-01

Entrainment in cumulus clouds has been a subject of investigation for the last sixty years, and continues to be a central issue in current research. The development of a laboratory facility that can simulate cumulus cloud evolution enables us to shed light on the problem. The apparatus for the purpose is based on a physical model of cloud flow as a plume with off-source diabatic heating that is dynamically similar to the effect of latent-heat release in natural clouds. We present a critical review of the experimental data so far obtained in such facilities on the variation of the entrainment coefficient in steady diabatic jets and plumes. Although there are some unexplained differences among different data sets, the dominant trend of the results compares favourably with recent numerical simulations on steady-state deep convection, and helps explain certain puzzles in the fluid dynamics of clouds.

Post-dryout heat transfer and entrained droplet sizes at low pressure and low flow conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, H.Y.; No, H.C.

1997-01-01

The entrainment mechanisms and the entrained droplet sizes with relation to the flow regimes are investigated. Through the analysis of many experimental post-dryout data, it is shown that the most probable flow regime near dryout or quench front is not annular flow but churn-turbulent flow when the mass flux is low. A correlation describing the initial droplet size just after the CHF position at low mass flux is suggested through regression analysis. The history-dependent post-dryout model of Varone and Rohsenow replaced by the Webb-Chen model for wall-vapor heat transfer is used as a reference model in the analysis. In the post-dryout region at low pressure and low flow, it is found that the suggested one-dimensional mechanistic model is not applicable when the vapor superficial velocity is very low. This is explained by the change of main entrainment mechanism with the change of flow regime. In bubbly or slug flow a number of tiny droplets generated from bubble burst become important in the heat transfer after dryout. Therefore, the suggested correlation is valid only in the churn-turbulent flow regime (j g * = 0.5∼4.5). It is also suggested that the droplet size generated from the churn-turbulent surface is dependent not only on the pressure but also on the vapor velocity. It turns out that the present model can predict the measured cladding and vapor temperatures within 20% and 25%, respectively

Experimental study of gas entrainment from surface swirl

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moudjed, B., E-mail: brahim.moudjed@cea.fr; Excoffon, J.; Riva, R.; Rossi, L., E-mail: lionel.rossi@cea.fr

2016-12-15

Gas entrainment from surface swirls is characterized using water experiments. A free surface shear flow is generated in an open channel flow. A suction nozzle is set at the bottom of the test section to induce a downward flow and provoke gas entrainment. An important originality of these experiments is the possibility to change the inlet condition so as to generate different turbulent shear flows. This is done by adding obstacles of different sizes and shapes at the end of a flat plate separating the inlet flow from a “stagnant” water area. Velocity fields and profiles, measured with the PIV technique, are provided both to describe the inlet conditions corresponding to various geometries and flow rates, and to characterize the temporal average shear flow generated within the centre part of the channel. Gas entrainment mappings are established from direct observations of the different flow configurations. These new results show that the threshold for the suction velocities required to entrain gas are similar for the configurations with small obstacles and the flat plate configuration triggering a standard shear flow. Increasing the size of the obstacles promotes gas entrainment and reduces the threshold values of the suction velocity to trigger gas entrainment. Shadowgraphy with image processing is used to present new results characterizing the geometrical properties of surface swirls and the quantity of gas entrained. Inlet configurations with obstacles generate larger surface swirls which move upstream from the suction nozzle centre whereas they are situated downstream with the flat plate configuration. Moreover, dimensionless power laws are found to be good approximations for the surface swirl width and the quantity of gas entrained. In addition to provide new insights about gas entrainment in analytical configurations relevant to Sodium cooled fast nuclear reactor, these results should provide different test cases for the validation of MCFD codes.

Gasification Studies Task 4 Topical Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Whitty, Kevin; Fletcher, Thomas; Pugmire, Ronald; Smith, Philip; Sutherland, James; Thornock, Jeremy; Boshayeshi, Babak; Hunsacker, Isaac; Lewis, Aaron; Waind, Travis; Kelly, Kerry

2014-02-01

A key objective of the Task 4 activities has been to develop simulation tools to support development, troubleshooting and optimization of pressurized entrained-flow coal gasifiers. The overall gasifier models (Subtask 4.1) combine submodels for fluid flow (Subtask 4.2) and heat transfer (Subtask 4.3) with fundamental understanding of the chemical processes (Subtask 4.4) processes that take place as coal particles are converted to synthesis gas and slag. However, it is important to be able to compare predictions from the models against data obtained from actual operating coal gasifiers, and Subtask 4.6 aims to provide an accessible, non-proprietary system, which can be operated over a wide range of conditions to provide well-characterized data for model validation. Highlights of this work include: • Verification and validation activities performed with the Arches coal gasification simulation tool on experimental data from the CANMET gasifier (Subtask 4.1). • The simulation of multiphase reacting flows with coal particles including detailed gas-phase chemistry calculations using an extension of the one-dimensional turbulence model’s capability (Subtask 4.2). • The demonstration and implementation of the Reverse Monte Carlo ray tracing (RMCRT) radiation algorithm in the ARCHES code (Subtask 4.3). • Determination of steam and CO{sub 2} gasification kinetics of bituminous coal chars at high temperature and elevated pressure under entrained-flow conditions (Subtask 4.4). In addition, attempts were made to gain insight into the chemical structure differences between young and mature coal soot, but both NMR and TEM characterization efforts were hampered by the highly reacted nature of the soot. • The development, operation, and demonstration of in-situ gas phase measurements from the University of Utah’s pilot-scale entrained-flow coal gasifier (EFG) (Subtask 4.6). This subtask aimed at acquiring predictable, consistent performance and characterizing the

Entrainment effects in periodic forcing of the flow over a backward-facing step

Science.gov (United States)

Berk, T.; Medjnoun, T.; Ganapathisubramani, B.

2017-07-01

The effect of the Strouhal number on periodic forcing of the flow over a backward-facing step (height, H ) is investigated experimentally. Forcing is applied by a synthetic jet at the edge of the step at Strouhal numbers ranging from 0.21 flow. In the present study, variations with Strouhal number are explained based on a continuous variation of entrainment of momentum into the recirculation region rather than on specific frequencies. The reattachment length is shown to decrease linearly with entrainment of momentum. Vertical momentum flux is driven by vortices generated by the forcing, and locally vertical momentum flux is shown to be qualitatively similar to circulation for all cases considered. Total circulation (and therewith entrainment of momentum and the effect on the reattachment length) is shown to decrease with Strouhal number, whereas this is not predicted by models based on specific low and high frequencies. An empirical model for the (decay of) circulation is derived by tracking vortices in phase-locked data. This model is used to decipher relevant scaling parameters that explain the variations in circulation, entrainment of momentum, and reattachment length. Three regimes of Strouhal number are identified. A low-Strouhal-number regime is observed for which vortices are formed at a late stage relative to the recirculation region, causing a decrease in effectiveness. For high Strouhal numbers, vortices are being reingested into the actuator or are packed so close together that they cancel each other, both decreasing the effectiveness of forcing. In the intermediate regime a vortex train is formed of which the decay of circulation increases for increasing Strouhal number. The scaling of this

Large eddy simulation study of the kinetic energy entrainment by energetic turbulent flow structures in large wind farms

Science.gov (United States)

VerHulst, Claire; Meneveau, Charles

2014-02-01

In this study, we address the question of how kinetic energy is entrained into large wind turbine arrays and, in particular, how large-scale flow structures contribute to such entrainment. Previous research has shown this entrainment to be an important limiting factor in the performance of very large arrays where the flow becomes fully developed and there is a balance between the forcing of the atmospheric boundary layer and the resistance of the wind turbines. Given the high Reynolds numbers and domain sizes on the order of kilometers, we rely on wall-modeled large eddy simulation (LES) to simulate turbulent flow within the wind farm. Three-dimensional proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) analysis is then used to identify the most energetic flow structures present in the LES data. We quantify the contribution of each POD mode to the kinetic energy entrainment and its dependence on the layout of the wind turbine array. The primary large-scale structures are found to be streamwise, counter-rotating vortices located above the height of the wind turbines. While the flow is periodic, the geometry is not invariant to all horizontal translations due to the presence of the wind turbines and thus POD modes need not be Fourier modes. Differences of the obtained modes with Fourier modes are documented. Some of the modes are responsible for a large fraction of the kinetic energy flux to the wind turbine region. Surprisingly, more flow structures (POD modes) are needed to capture at least 40% of the turbulent kinetic energy, for which the POD analysis is optimal, than are needed to capture at least 40% of the kinetic energy flux to the turbines. For comparison, we consider the cases of aligned and staggered wind turbine arrays in a neutral atmospheric boundary layer as well as a reference case without wind turbines. While the general characteristics of the flow structures are robust, the net kinetic energy entrainment to the turbines depends on the presence and relative

Multiphysics Simulations of Entrained Flow Gasification. Part I: Validating the Nonreacting Flow Solver and the Particle Turbulent Dispersion Model

KAUST Repository

Kumar, Mayank; Ghoniem, Ahmed F.

2012-01-01

In this two-part paper, we describe the construction, validation, and application of a multiscale model of entrained flow gasification. The accuracy of the model is demonstrated by (1) rigorously constructing and validating the key constituent

Entrainment in Laboratory Simulations of Cumulus Cloud Flows

Science.gov (United States)

Narasimha, R.; Diwan, S.; Subrahmanyam, D.; Sreenivas, K. R.; Bhat, G. S.

2010-12-01

A variety of cumulus cloud flows, including congestus (both shallow bubble and tall tower types), mediocris and fractus have been generated in a water tank by simulating the release of latent heat in real clouds. The simulation is achieved through ohmic heating, injected volumetrically into the flow by applying suitable voltages between diametral cross-sections of starting jets and plumes of electrically conducting fluid (acidified water). Dynamical similarity between atmospheric and laboratory cloud flows is achieved by duplicating values of an appropriate non-dimensional heat release number. Velocity measurements, made by laser instrumentation, show that the Taylor entrainment coefficient generally increases just above the level of commencement of heat injection (corresponding to condensation level in the real cloud). Subsequently the coefficient reaches a maximum before declining to the very low values that characterize tall cumulus towers. The experiments also simulate the protected core of real clouds. Cumulus Congestus : Atmospheric cloud (left), simulated laboratory cloud (right). Panels below show respectively total heat injected and vertical profile of heating in the laboratory cloud.

Gasification of peat and biomass in suspension flow 2; Turpeen ja biomassan suspensiokaasutus 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurkela, E.; Hepola, J. [VTT Energy, Espoo (Finland); Haukka, P.; Vehmaan-Kreula, M.; Raiko, R. [Tampere Univ. of Technology (Finland)

1996-12-01

This project was an extension of the earlier Liekki-project 402 carried out in 1993-1994. The aims of the 1995 project were: (1) to study the formation of problematic tar/soot compounds and nitrogen pounds in the conditions of entrained flow gasification of biomass and peat, (2) study the product yields and kinetics of pyrolysis, and (3) to develop simulation methods for entrained flow pyrolysis and gasification. Pyrolysis and gasification tests were carried out at a new entrained flow reactor of the Gasification Research Group of VTT using mainly peat as the feedstock. The pyrolysis kinetics was studies using three particle size distributions of fuel peat (0.075-0.125 mm, 0.16-0.25 mm and 0.315-0.5 mm). The char yields were determined at two temperatures (900 and 1000 deg C) and the effects fuel to gas ratio (suspension density) as well as the effects of gas atmosphere were determined. Limited amount of tests were also carried out with pine wood and dried de-inking sludge. The formation of tars and nitrogen compounds was studied with peat as the feedstock. Based on the test results of this project and the on earlier fluidized-bed gasification data of VTT, the following conclusions can be made: (1) the char yields in rapid entrained flow pyrolysis of small particles of peat and biomass are considerably lower than derived in fluid-bed pyrolysis of more coarse feedstocks. Consequently, simple entrained flow reactors without any recycling of char could already give rather high carbon conversions. However, high carbon conversions can also be easily achieved in fluidized-bed gasifiers with biomass fuels due to the high gasification reactivity of the char, (2) more tars were formed in entrained flow pyrolysis of peat than in fluidized-bed experiments carried out at the same temperature, (3) the total conversion of peat nitrogen to NH{sub 3}+HCN was as high in the entrained flow pyrolysis as in the fluid-bed pyrolysis experiments. (Abstract Truncated)

Gasifier selection, design and gasification of oil palm fronds with preheated and unheated gasifying air.

Science.gov (United States)

Guangul, Fiseha M; Sulaiman, Shaharin A; Ramli, Anita

2012-12-01

Oil palm frond biomass is abundantly available in Malaysia, but underutilized. In this study, gasifiers were evaluated based on the available literature data and downdraft gasifiers were found to be the best option for the study of oil palm fronds gasification. A downdraft gasifier was constructed with a novel height adjustment mechanism for changing the position of gasifying air and steam inlet. The oil palm fronds gasification results showed that preheating the gasifying air improved the volumetric percentage of H(2) from 8.47% to 10.53%, CO from 22.87% to 24.94%, CH(4) from 2.02% to 2.03%, and higher heating value from 4.66 to 5.31 MJ/Nm(3) of the syngas. In general, the results of the current study demonstrated that oil palm fronds can be used as an alternative energy source in the energy diversification plan of Malaysia through gasification, along with, the resulting syngas quality can be improved by preheating the gasifying air. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Production of methanol/DME from biomass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahrenfeldt, J.; Birk Henriksen, U.; Muenster-Swendsen, J.; Fink, A.; Roengaard Clausen, L.; Munkholt Christensen, J.; Qin, K.; Lin, W.; Arendt Jensen, P.; Degn Jensen, A.

2011-07-01

In this project the production of DME/methanol from biomass has been investigated. Production of DME/methanol from biomass requires the use of a gasifier to transform the solid fuel to a synthesis gas (syngas) - this syngas can then be catalytically converted to DME/methanol. Two different gasifier types have been investigated in this project: 1) The Two-Stage Gasifier (Viking Gasifier), designed to produce a very clean gas to be used in a gas engine, has been connected to a lab-scale methanol plant, to prove that the gas from the gasifier could be used for methanol production with a minimum of gas cleaning. This was proved by experiments. Thermodynamic computer models of DME and methanol plants based on using the Two-Stage Gasification concept were created to show the potential of such plants. The models showed that the potential biomass to DME/methanol + net electricity energy efficiency was 51-58% (LHV). By using waste heat from the plants for district heating, the total energy efficiencies could reach 87-88% (LHV). 2) A lab-scale electrically heated entrained flow gasifier has been used to gasify wood and straw. Entrained flow gasifiers are today the preferred gasifier type for commercial coal gasification, but little information exists on using these types of gasifiers for biomass gasification. The experiments performed provided quantitative data on product and gas composition as a function of operation conditions. Biomass can be gasified with less oxygen consumption compared to coal. The organic fraction of the biomass that is not converted to gas appears as soot. Thermodynamic computer models of DME and methanol plants based on using entrained flow gasification were created to show the potential of such plants. These models showed that the potential torrefied biomass to DME/methanol + net electricity energy efficiency was 65-71% (LHV). Different routes to produce liquid transport fuels from biomass are possible. They include production of RME (rapeseed oil

Decomposition of tar in gas from updraft gasifier by thermal cracking

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brandt, Peder; Henriksen, Ulrik Birk

2000-01-01

Continuing earlier work with tar reduction by partial oxidation of pyrolysis gas [1] thermal cracking has been evaluated as a gas cleaning process. The work has been focusing on cleaning gas from updraft gasifiers, and the long term purpose is to develop a tar cleaning unit based on thermal...... cracking. An experimental set-up has been built, in which a flow of contaminated gas can be heated up to 1290°C in a reactor made of pure Al2O3. Four measurements were made. Three with gas from a pyrolysis unit simulating updraft gasifier, and one with gas from an updraft gasifier. Cracking temperatures...... was 1200, 1250 and 1290°C, and the residence time at this temperature was 0.5 second. The measurements show that at the selected residence time of 0.5 second, the gas flow in a thermal tar cracking unit has to be heated to at least 1250°C to achieve sufficient tar cleaning. At 1290°C, a tar content as low...

FY 1996 report on the results of the development of an entrained bed coal gasification power plant. Part 2. Investigational study of verification plant; 1995 nendo seika hokokusho. Funryusho sekitan gaska hatsuden plant kaihatsu - Sono 2. Jissho plant ni kansuru chosa kenkyu hen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-01-01

For the purpose of developing the technology of the integrated coal gasification combined cycle power generation, an investigational study of verification plant was made, and the FY 1996 results were summarized. In this fiscal year, the conceptual design was made of the Nakoso method based on the method of Nakoso pilot plant, the fixed bed method in which fixed bed gas refining facilities tested in Nakoso pilot plant were adopted, and the packed bed method. In the Nakoso method, 5 cases were studied using the air blown two-stage entrained bed for gasifier, dry two-stage fluidized bed for desulfurization and dry granular bed packed bed for dust removal. In the fixed bed method, 2 cases were studied using the air blown two-stage entrained bed for gasifier and dry fixed bed for gas refining. In the packed bed method, 2 cases were studied using the air blown two-stage entrained bed for gasifier and dry packed bed for gas refining. As to gas turbine facilities, 5 cases were studied in which GT output is 115MW - 215MW (output of combined cycle power generation: 220MW - 420MW). (NEDO)

Second stage gasifier in staged gasification and integrated process

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Guohai; Vimalchand, Pannalal; Peng, Wan Wang

2015-10-06

A second stage gasification unit in a staged gasification integrated process flow scheme and operating methods are disclosed to gasify a wide range of low reactivity fuels. The inclusion of second stage gasification unit operating at high temperatures closer to ash fusion temperatures in the bed provides sufficient flexibility in unit configurations, operating conditions and methods to achieve an overall carbon conversion of over 95% for low reactivity materials such as bituminous and anthracite coals, petroleum residues and coke. The second stage gasification unit includes a stationary fluidized bed gasifier operating with a sufficiently turbulent bed of predefined inert bed material with lean char carbon content. The second stage gasifier fluidized bed is operated at relatively high temperatures up to 1400.degree. C. Steam and oxidant mixture can be injected to further increase the freeboard region operating temperature in the range of approximately from 50 to 100.degree. C. above the bed temperature.

Numerical Investigation for the Plasma Coal Gasifier of 150kW and 1400kW

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Hyeong Yeong; Suh, Jae Seung [Hannam University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lho, Tai Hyeop [National Fusion Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

This study has verification of simulation for the gasifier of 150kWe and focuses on prediction of performance for the gasifier of 1.4MWe with a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. It is possible to predict flow patterns, tracks of particles, combustion characteristics, temperature distributions and chemical distributions using the commercial CFD solver ANSYS/FLUENT. Integrated coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC) has gained a lot of interest because they can produce cleaner gaseous fuels such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide and methane. Therefore, the National Fusion Research Institute (NFRI) plant has been investigating the application of their plasma technology to gasify coal. It is a fusion plasma technology for better efficiency of low-carbon fuels. They recently completed experiment for the gasifier of 150kwe, and are currently trying experiment for the gasifier of 1.4MWe. They have tried to design the gasifier that has cold gases of a higher efficiency. However it is considerably complicated and expensive that performance of gasifier is experimentally studied, because it is difficult to measure or control gases of very high temperature. This study has numerical investigation for the phenomena of coal gasification for coal gasifier of 150kWe and 1.4MWe at experiment operating conditions. This study has verification of simulation for the gasifier of 150kWe, and predicts performance for the gasifier of 1.4MWe. The gasifier of 1.4MWe will have a cold gas of higher efficiency than gasifier of 150kWe because can generate many hydrogen gas. So this gasification has the potential to become cornerstone technology in many hydrogen industries.

Large Eddy and Interface Simulation (LEIS) of liquid entrainment in turbulent stratified flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gulati, S.; Buongiorno, J.; Lakehal, D.

2011-01-01

Dryout of the liquid film on the fuel rods in BWR fuel assemblies leads to an abrupt decrease in heat transfer coefficient and can result in fuel failure. The process of mechanical mass transfer from the continuous liquid field into the continuous vapor field along the liquid-vapor interface is called entrainment and is the dominant depletion mechanism for the liquid film in annular flow. Using interface tracking methods combined with a Large Eddy Simulation approach, implemented in the Computational Multi-Fluid Dynamics (CMFD) code TransAT®, we are studying entrainment phenomena in BWR fuel assemblies. In this paper we report on the CMFD simulation approaches and the current validation effort for the code. (author)

Experimental study of near-field entrainment of moderately overpressured jets

Science.gov (United States)

Solovitz, S.A.; Mastin, L.G.; Saffaraval, F.

2011-01-01

Particle image velocimetry (PIV) experiments have been conducted to study the velocity flow fields in the developing flow region of high-speed jets. These velocity distributions were examined to determine the entrained mass flow over a range of geometric and flow conditions, including overpressured cases up to an overpressure ratio of 2.83. In the region near the jet exit, all measured flows exhibited the same entrainment up until the location of the first shock when overpressured. Beyond this location, the entrainment was reduced with increasing overpressure ratio, falling to approximately 60 of the magnitudes seen when subsonic. Since entrainment ratios based on lower speed, subsonic results are typically used in one-dimensional volcanological models of plume development, the current analytical methods will underestimate the likelihood of column collapse. In addition, the concept of the entrainment ratio normalization is examined in detail, as several key assumptions in this methodology do not apply when overpressured.

Comparison of pulp-mill-integrated hydrogen production from gasified black liquor with stand-alone production from gasified biomass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, E.; Harvey, S.

2007-01-01

When gasified black liquor is used for hydrogen production, significant amounts of biomass must be imported. This paper compares two alternative options for producing hydrogen from biomass: (A) pulp-mill-integrated hydrogen production from gasified back liquor; and (B) stand-alone production of hydrogen from gasified biomass. The comparison assumes that the same amount of biomass that is imported in Alternative A is supplied to a stand-alone hydrogen production plant and that the gasified black liquor in Alternative B is used in a black liquor gasification combined cycle (BLGCC) CHP unit. The comparison is based upon equal amounts of black liquor fed to the gasifier, and identical steam and power requirements for the pulp mill. The two systems are compared on the basis of total CO 2 emission consequences, based upon different assumptions for the reference energy system that reflect different societal CO 2 emissions reduction target levels. Ambitions targets are expected to lead to a more CO 2 -lean reference energy system, in which case hydrogen production from gasified black liquor (Alternative A) is best from a CO 2 emissions' perspective, whereas with high CO 2 emissions associated with electricity production, hydrogen from gasified biomass and electricity from gasified black liquor (Alternative B) is preferable. (author)

Study of ammonia removal from coal-gasified fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hasegawa, Takeharu; Sato, Mikio [Central Research Inst. of Electric Power Industry, Yokosuka, Kanagawa (Japan)

1998-07-01

In integrated coal gasification combined-cycle power-generation (IGCC) systems, ammonia in gasified fuel is passed through a hot/dry type gas clean-up facility into a gas turbine. The ammonia is converted to nitrogen oxides in the gas turbine combustion process. Therefore, ammonia removal from coal-gasified fuel effectively reduces NO{sub x} emissions in IGCC systems. The authors clarified the optimum NO/NH{sub 3} ratio, the optimum concentration of added O{sub 2}, and the influence of CO, H{sub 2}, and CH{sub 4} in the coal-gasified fuel on NH{sub 3} decomposition and NO reduction through experiments using a tubular flow reactor and numerical analysis based on reaction kinetics. The main results were as follows: (1) The optimum NO/NH{sub 3} ratio for maximizing NH{sub 3} decomposition and NO reduction was about 1. (2) The NH{sub 3} decomposition ratio depended only on H{sub 2}, and decreased rapidly with increasing H{sub 2} concentration. (3) The NO reduction ratio decreased with an increasing H{sub 2} concentration. (4) The remaining CH{sub 4}, which was not decomposed by pyrolysis, increased with an increasing CH{sub 4} concentration and caused the reaction temperature to rise, as opposed to cases of CO and H{sub 2}. (5) The method was effective in decreasing total fixed nitrogen (TFN) by up to 40% and minimizing the total concentration of remaining NH{sub 3} and NO in air-blown, coal-gasified fuel.

Effect of tides, river flow, and gate operations on entrainment of juvenile salmon into the interior Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta

Science.gov (United States)

Perry, Russell W.; Brandes, Patricia L.; Burau, Jon R.; Sandstrom, Philip T.; Skalski, John R.

2015-01-01

Juvenile Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha emigrating from natal tributaries of the Sacramento River, California, must negotiate the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (hereafter, the Delta), a complex network of natural and man-made channels linking the Sacramento River with San Francisco Bay. Fish that enter the interior and southern Delta—the region to the south of the Sacramento River where water pumping stations are located—survive at a lower rate than fish that use alternative migration routes. Consequently, total survival decreases as the fraction of the population entering the interior Delta increases, thus spurring management actions to reduce the proportion of fish that are entrained into the interior Delta. To better inform management actions, we modeled entrainment probability as a function of hydrodynamic variables. We fitted alternative entrainment models to telemetry data that identified when tagged fish in the Sacramento River entered two river channels leading to the interior Delta (Georgiana Slough and the gated Delta Cross Channel). We found that the probability of entrainment into the interior Delta through both channels depended strongly on the river flow and tidal stage at the time of fish arrival at the river junction. Fish that arrived during ebb tides had a low entrainment probability, whereas fish that arrived during flood tides (i.e., when the river's flow was reversed) had a high probability of entering the interior Delta. We coupled our entrainment model with a flow simulation model to evaluate the effect of nighttime closures of the Delta Cross Channel gates on the daily probability of fish entrainment into the interior Delta. Relative to 24-h gate closures, nighttime closures increased daily entrainment probability by 3 percentage points on average if fish arrived at the river junction uniformly throughout the day and by only 1.3 percentage points if 85% of fish arrived at night. We illustrate how our model can be used to

Experimental research of liquid entrainment through ADS-4 in AP1000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meng, Zhaoming; Dong, Bo; Wang, Laishun; Fu, Xiaoliang; Tian, Wenxi; Yang, Yanhua; Su, Guanghui

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We performed experimental research of liquid entrainment through ADS-4 in AP1000. • Effect of various factors on entrainment at T-junction was conducted. • Visualization research was conducted to make entrainment mechanism clear. - Abstract: In this study, based on a T-junction that consists of Automatic Depressurization System Stage Four (ADS-4) and hot leg in an AP1000 plant, a small-scale experimental research on entrainment at a T-junction was performed. This study mainly focused on the effect of various factors on entrainment, such as the effect of branch size, branch shape and liquid crossflow. The flow pattern map was plotted from the experimental data, and the visualization research indicated that the entrainment phenomena through a large size branch were apparently different from that through a small branch. Three entrainment phenomena were observed in the studies, two entrainment mechanisms could be found in the stratified flow regime entrainment area, the existence of branch contributed to generating intermittent flow in the horizontal main pipe, and the backflow region was observable in the vicinity of a large size branch inlet. Also, experimental research showed that downstream of the branch of T-junction had an important effect on the onset entrainment, and liquid crossflow did not seem to affect the onset entrainment

Analysis of transient flows in gasoline direct injection systems: effects on unsteady air entrainment by the spray; Analyse des ecoulements transitoires dans les systemes d'injection directe essence: effets sur l'entrainement d'air instationnaire du spray

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Delay, G

2005-03-15

The aim of this study is to determine instantaneous liquid flow rate oscillations effect on non stationary air entrainment of an injector conical spray (Gasoline Direct Injection). The tools we use are either experimental or numerical ones. An instantaneous flow rate determination method is used. It is based on pulsated flows physics and only requires the velocity at the centerline of a pipe mounted just before the injector. So, it is possible to 'rebuild' the instantaneous velocity distributions and then to get the instantaneous liquid flow rate (Laser Doppler Anemometry measurements). A mechanical and hydraulics modeling software (AMESim) is necessary to get injector outlet flow rate. Simulations are validated by both 'rebuilding' method results and common rail pressure measurements. Fluorescent Particle Image Velocimetry (FPIV), suited to dense two -phase flows, is used to measure air flow around and inside the conical spray. Velocity measurements close to the spray frontier are used to compute instantaneous air entrainment. Considering droplets momentum exchange with air and thanks to droplets diameters and liquid velocities measurements at the nozzle exit, a transient air entrainment model is proposed according to FPIV measurements. (author)

Refractory for Black Liquor Gasifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William L. Headrick Jr; Musa Karakus; Xiaoting Laing

2005-10-01

The University of Missouri-Rolla will identify materials that will permit the safe, reliable and economical operation of combined cycle gasifiers by the pulp and paper industry. The primary emphasis of this project will be to resolve the material problems encountered during the operation of low-pressure high-temperature (LPHT) and low-pressure low-temperature (LPLT) gasifiers while simultaneously understanding the materials barriers to the successful demonstration of high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) black liquor gasifiers. This study will define the chemical, thermal and physical conditions in current and proposed gasifier designs and then modify existing materials and develop new materials to successfully meet the formidable material challenges. Resolving the material challenges of black liquor gasification combined cycle technology will provide energy, environmental, and economic benefits that include higher thermal efficiencies, up to three times greater electrical output per unit of fuel, and lower emissions. In the near term, adoption of this technology will allow the pulp and paper industry greater capital effectiveness and flexibility, as gasifiers are added to increase mill capacity. In the long term, combined-cycle gasification will lessen the industry's environmental impact while increasing its potential for energy production, allowing the production of all the mill's heat and power needs along with surplus electricity being returned to the grid. An added benefit will be the potential elimination of the possibility of smelt-water explosions, which constitute an important safety concern wherever conventional Tomlinson recovery boilers are operated. Developing cost-effective materials with improved performance in gasifier environments may be the best answer to the material challenges presented by black liquor gasification. Refractory materials may be selected/developed that either react with the gasifier environment to form protective

Experimental investigation on the droplet entrainment from interfacial waves in air-water horizontal stratified flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, Byeong Geon; Yun, Byong Jo; Kim, Kyoung Du

2014-01-01

It was mainly due to the fact that droplet entrainment affects the Peak Cladding Temperature (PCT) of the nuclear fuel rod in the Postulated accident conditions of NPP. Recently, droplet entrainment in the horizontally arranged primary piping system for the NPP is of interest because it affects directly the steam binding phenomena in the steam generators. Pan and Hanratty correlation is the only applicable one for the droplet entrainment rate model for horizontal flow. Moreover, there are no efforts for the model development on the basis of the droplet entrainment principal and physics phenomena. More recently, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) proposed a new mechanistic droplet generation model applicable in the horizontal pipe for the SPACE code. However, constitutive relations in this new model require three model coefficients which have not yet been decided. The purpose of present work is determining three model coefficients by visualization experiment. For these model coefficients, the major physical parameters regarding the interfacial disturbance wave should be measured in this experiments. There are the wave slope, liquid fraction, wave hypotenuse length, wave velocity, wave frequency, and wavelength in the major physical parameters. The experiment was conducted at an air water horizontal rectangular channel with the PIV system. In this study, the experimental conditions were stratified-way flow during the droplet generation. Three coefficients were determined based on several data related to the interfacial wave. Additionally, we manufactured the parallel wire conductance probe to measure the fluctuating water level over time, and compared the wave height measured by the parallel wire conductance probe and image processing from images taken by high speed camera. Experimental investigation was performed for droplet entrainment from phase interface wave in an air-water stratified flow. In the experiments, we measured major physical parameters

CANMET Gasifier Liner Coupon Material Test Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mark Fitzsimmons; Dave Grimmett; Bryan McEnerney

2007-01-31

This report provides detailed test results consisting of test data and post-test inspections from Task 1 ''Cooled Liner Coupon Development and Test'' of the project titled ''Development of Technologies and Capabilities for Coal Energy Resources--Advanced Gasification Systems Development (AGSD)''. The primary objective of this development and test program is to verify that ceramic matrix composite (CMC) liner materials planned for use in an advanced gasifier pilot plant will successfully withstand the environments in a commercial gasifier. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR) designed and fabricated the cooled liner test assembly article that was tested in a slagging gasifier at CANMET Energy Technology Center (CETC-O) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The test program conducted in 2006 met the objective of operating the cooled liner test article at slagging conditions in a small scale coal gasifier at CETC-O for over the planned 100 hours. The test hardware was exposed to at least 30 high temperature excursions (including start-up and shut-down cycles) during the test program. The results of the testing has provided valuable information on gasifier startup and required cooling controls in steady state operation of future advanced gasifiers using similar liners. The test program also provided a significant amount of information in the areas of CMC materials and processing for improved capability in a gasifier environment and insight into CMC liner fabrication that will be essential for near-term advanced gasifier projects.

OUT Success Stories: Biomass Gasifiers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, J.

2000-01-01

The world's first demonstration of an efficient, low-pressure biomass gasifier capable of producing a high-quality fuel is now operating in Vermont. The gasifier converts 200 tons of solid biomass per day into a clean-burning gas with a high energy content for electricity generation

Thermodynamic Model for Updraft Gasifier with External Recirculation of Pyrolysis Gas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fajri Vidian

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Most of the thermodynamic modeling of gasification for updraft gasifier uses one process of decomposition (decomposition of fuel. In the present study, a thermodynamic model which uses two processes of decomposition (decomposition of fuel and char is used. The model is implemented in modification of updraft gasifier with external recirculation of pyrolysis gas to the combustion zone and the gas flowing out from the side stream (reduction zone in the updraft gasifier. The goal of the model obtains the influences of amount of recirculation pyrolysis gas fraction to combustion zone on combustible gas and tar. The significant results of modification updraft are that the increases amount of recirculation of pyrolysis gas will increase the composition of H2 and reduce the composition of tar; then the composition of CO and CH4 is dependent on equivalence ratio. The results of the model for combustible gas composition are compared with previous study.

Kinematics of flow and sediment particles at entrainment and deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Antico, Federica; Sanches, Pedro; Aleixo, Rui; Ferreira, Rui M. L.

2015-04-01

A cohesionless granular bed subjected to a turbulent open-channel flow is analysed. The key objective is to clarify the kinematics of entrainment and deposition of individual sediment particles. In particular, we quantify a) the turbulent flow field in the vicinity of particles at the instants of their entrainment and of their deposition; b) the initial particle velocity and the particle velocity immediately before returning to rest. The experimental work was performed at the Hydraulics Laboratory of IST-UL in a 12.5 m long, 0.405 m wide glass-walled flume recirculating water and sediment through independent circuits. The granular bed was a 4.0 m long and 2.5 cm deep reach filled with 5 mm diameter glass beads packed (with some vibration) to a void fraction of 0.356, typical of random packing. Upstream the mobile bed reach the bed was composed of glued particles to ensure the development of a boundary layer with the same roughness. Laboratory tests were run under conditions of weak beadload transport with Shields parameters in the range 0.007 to 0.03. Froude numbers ranged from 0.63 to 0.95 while boundary Reynolds numbers were in the range 130 to 300. It was observed that the bed featured patches of regular arrangements: face centered cubic (fcc) or hexagonal close packing (hcp) blocks alternate with and body centered cubic (bcc) blocks. The resulting bed surface exhibits cleavage lines between blocks and there are spatial variations of bed elevation. The option for artificial sediment allowed for a simplified description of particle positioning at the instant of entrainment. In particular support and pivoting angles are found analytically. Skin friction angles were determind experimentally. The only relevant variables are exposure (defined as the ratio of the actual frontal projection of the exposed area to the area of a circle with 5 mm diameter) and protrusion (defined as the vertical distance between the apex of the particle and the mean local bed elevation

Energetic, ecologic and fluid-dynamic analysis of a fluidized bed gasifier operating with sugar cane bagasse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diniz Filho, Paulo Tasso; Silveira, Jose Luz; Tuna, Celso Eduardo; Lamas, Wendell de Queiroz

2013-01-01

This work aims to study the thermodynamic, ecological and fluid-dynamic aspects of a circulating fluidized bed gasifier using sugar cane bagasse as biomass, in order to estimate a model of its normal operation. In the initial stage was analysed the composition of biomass selected (sugar cane bagasse) and its lower heating value (LHV) was calculated. The energy balance of the gasifier was done, being the volumetric flow of air, synthesis gas and biomass estimated. Also the power produced by this gasifier was theoretically estimated. Then the circulating fluidized bed gasifier was designed for operation with approximately 100 kg/h of processed biomass. Cross-sectional area of the reactor, feeder size, diameter of the exit zone of the gases and minimum height of the expanded bed were selected. Some bed gasifier hydrodynamic factors were also studied. The minimum fluidization velocity, fluidization terminal velocity, and average fluidizing velocity were calculated, in order to understand the fluid-dynamic behaviour of gasification of this fuel. It was obtained a theoretical model that can support a possible prototype of circulating fluidized bed gasifier biomass. Finally, there were studied the ecological aspects of the gasifier, through an overall methodology. Ecological efficiencies were estimated for two scenarios: first considering the carbon cycle and thereafter disregarding the carbon cycle. In both cases, it can be proved the ecological viability of the project. -- Highlights: • we develop a methodology to size a fluidized bed gasifier. • we validate this methodology comparing to a fixed bed gasifier values. • we aggregate ecological efficiency to this methodology

STUDY OF MERCURY OXIDATION BY SCR CATALYST IN AN ENTRAINED-FLOW REACTOR UNDER SIMULATED PRB CONDITIONS

Science.gov (United States)

A bench-scale entrained-flow reactor system was constructed for studying elemental mercury oxidation under selective catalytic reduction (SCR) reaction conditions. Simulated flue gas was doped with fly ash collected from a subbituminous Powder River Basin (PRB) coal-fired boiler ...

Experimental studies on spray and gas entrainment characteristics of biodiesel fuel: Implications of gas entrained and fuel oxygen content on soot formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuti, Olawole Abiola; Nishida, Keiya; Zhu, Jingyu

2013-01-01

Experiments were performed inside the constant volume vessel to simulate the real diesel engine conditions. The LIF–PIV (Laser Induced Florescence – Particulate Image Velocimetry) technique was used to characterize the spray and gas entrainment characteristics of the fuels while the OH-chemiluminescence and two color pyrometry were applied to obtain information about the combustion processes. Biodiesel from palm oil (BDF (Biodiesel Fuel)) and the JIS #2 diesel fuel were utilized. It was observed that the SMD (Sauter mean diameter) obtained through an empirical equation decreased by increasing the injection pressure from 100 to 300 MPa and reducing the nozzle diameter from 0.16 to 0.08 mm. BDF has higher SMD values compared to diesel thus signifying inferior atomization. By increasing the injection pressure up to 300 MPa and reducing the nozzle diameter to 0.08 mm, the normal velocity and total mass flow rate of the entrained gas by the fuels increased. Due to higher viscosity and density properties, BDF possessed inferior atomization characteristics which made the normal velocity and total mass flow rate of the entrained gas lower compared to diesel. Due to inferior atomization which led to less gas being entrained upstream of the lift-off flame, the fuel oxygen content in BDF played a significant role in soot formation processes. - Highlights: • Spray and gas entrainment characteristics of biodiesel (BDF (Biodiesel Fuel)) and fuel were investigated. • Effect of injector parameters on BDF spray and gas entrainment characteristics was identified. • Higher viscosity and density of BDF yielded inferior spray atomization processes. • Gas entrainment velocity and mass flow rate of gas entrained by BDF lower. • Gas entrained had less effect on BDF's soot formation

TASK 3: PILOT PLANT GASIFIER TESTING

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fusselman, Steve

2015-11-01

Aerojet Rocketdyne (AR) has developed an innovative gasifier concept incorporating advanced technologies in ultra-dense phase dry feed system, rapid mix injector, and advanced component cooling to significantly improve gasifier performance, life, and cost compared to commercially available state-of-the-art systems. Design, fabrication and initial testing of the pilot plant compact gasifier was completed in 2011 by a development team led by AR. Findings from this initial test program, as well as subsequent gasifier design and pilot plant testing by AR, identified a number of technical aspects to address prior to advancing into a demonstration-scale gasifier design. Key among these were an evaluation of gasifier ability to handle thermal environments with highly reactive coals; ability to handle high ash content, high ash fusion temperature coals with reliable slag discharge; and to develop an understanding of residual properties pertaining to gasification kinetics as carbon conversion approaches 99%. The gasifier did demonstrate the ability to withstand the thermal environments of highly reactive Powder River Basin coal, while achieving high carbon conversion in < 0.15 seconds residence time. Continuous operation with the high ash fusion temperature Xinyuan coal was demonstrated in long duration testing, validating suitability of outlet design as well as downstream slag discharge systems. Surface area and porosity data were obtained for the Xinyuan and Xinjing coals for carbon conversion ranging from 85% to 97%, and showed a pronounced downward trend in surface area per unit mass carbon as conversion increased. Injector faceplate measurements showed no incremental loss of material over the course of these experiments, validating the commercially traceable design approach and supportive of long injector life goals. Hybrid testing of PRB and natural gas was successfully completed over a wide range of natural gas feed content, providing test data to anchor predictions

Effect of splash on the deposition and re-entrainment in annular mist flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie, Heng; Koshizuka, Seiichi; Oka, Yoshiaki

2004-01-01

The three-dimensional Moving Particle Semi-implicit (MPS) method is employed to simulate the deposition process of single droplet on the liquid film. The model accounts for the presence of inertial, gravitation, viscous and surface tension and is validated by comparison with experiment results. A one-dimensional mixture model is developed to calculate the necessary parameters for the simulation of deposition on the Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) condition. The correlations and methods on void fraction, entertainment fraction and droplet velocity and size distribution are employed to get the parameters of droplet and liquid film. The simulation results are analyzed to study the effect of splash on the deposition and re-entrainment process in annular-mist flow on the condition of BWR. It is found that the splash plays an important role in the deposition and re-entrainment process in high quality conditions of BWR. (author)

Analysis of transient flows in gasoline direct injection systems: effects on unsteady air entrainment by the spray; Analyse des ecoulements transitoires dans les systemes d'injection directe essence: effets sur l'entrainement d'air instationnaire du spray

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Delay, G.

2005-03-15

The aim of this study is to determine instantaneous liquid flow rate oscillations effect on non stationary air entrainment of an injector conical spray (Gasoline Direct Injection). The tools we use are either experimental or numerical ones. An instantaneous flow rate determination method is used. It is based on pulsated flows physics and only requires the velocity at the centerline of a pipe mounted just before the injector. So, it is possible to 'rebuild' the instantaneous velocity distributions and then to get the instantaneous liquid flow rate (Laser Doppler Anemometry measurements). A mechanical and hydraulics modeling software (AMESim) is necessary to get injector outlet flow rate. Simulations are validated by both 'rebuilding' method results and common rail pressure measurements. Fluorescent Particle Image Velocimetry (FPIV), suited to dense two -phase flows, is used to measure air flow around and inside the conical spray. Velocity measurements close to the spray frontier are used to compute instantaneous air entrainment. Considering droplets momentum exchange with air and thanks to droplets diameters and liquid velocities measurements at the nozzle exit, a transient air entrainment model is proposed according to FPIV measurements. (author)

Non-slag co-gasification of biomass and coal in entrained-bed furnace

Science.gov (United States)

Itaya, Yoshinori; Suami, Akira; Kobayashi, Nobusuke

2018-02-01

Gasification is a promising candidate of processes to upgrade biomass and to yield clean gaseous fuel for utilization of renewable energy resources. However, a sufficient amount of biomass is not always available to operate a large scale of the plant. Co-gasification of biomass with coal is proposed as a solution of the problem. Tar emission is another subject during operation in shaft or kiln type of gasifiers employed conventionally for biomass. The present authors proposed co-gasification of biomass and coal in entrained-bed furnace, which is a representative process without tar emission under high temperature, but operated so to collect dust as flyash without molten slag formation. This paper presents the works performed on co-gasification performance of biomass and pulverized coal to apply to entrained-bed type of furnaces. At first, co-gasification of woody powder and pulverized coal examined using the lab-scale test furnace of the down-flow entrained bed showed that the maximum temperatures in the furnace was over 1500 K and the carbon conversion to gas achieved at higher efficiency than 80-90 percent although the residence time in the furnace was as short as a few seconds. Non-slag co-gasification was carried out successfully without slag formation in the furnace if coal containing ash with high fusion temperature was employed. The trend suggesting the effect of reaction rate enhancement of co-gasification was also observed. Secondary, an innovative sewage sludge upgrading system consisting of self-energy recovery processes was proposed to yield bio-dried sludge and to sequentially produce char without adding auxiliary fuel. Carbonization behavior of bio-dried sludge was evaluated through pyrolysis examination in a lab-scale quartz tube reactor. The thermal treatment of pyrolysis of sludge contributed to decomposition and removal of contaminant components such as nitrogen and sulfur. The gasification kinetics of sludge and coal was also determined by a

Debris flow analysis with a one dimensional dynamic run-out model that incorporates entrained material

Science.gov (United States)

Luna, Byron Quan; Remaître, Alexandre; van Asch, Theo; Malet, Jean-Philippe; van Westen, Cees

2010-05-01

Estimating the magnitude and the intensity of rapid landslides like debris flows is fundamental to evaluate quantitatively the hazard in a specific location. Intensity varies through the travelled course of the flow and can be described by physical features such as deposited volume, velocities, height of the flow, impact forces and pressures. Dynamic run-out models are able to characterize the distribution of the material, its intensity and define the zone where the elements will experience an impact. These models can provide valuable inputs for vulnerability and risk calculations. However, most dynamic run-out models assume a constant volume during the motion of the flow, ignoring the important role of material entrained along its path. Consequently, they neglect that the increase of volume enhances the mobility of the flow and can significantly influence the size of the potential impact area. An appropriate erosion mechanism needs to be established in the analyses of debris flows that will improve the results of dynamic modeling and consequently the quantitative evaluation of risk. The objective is to present and test a simple 1D debris flow model with a material entrainment concept based on limit equilibrium considerations and the generation of excess pore water pressure through undrained loading of the in situ bed material. The debris flow propagation model is based on a one dimensional finite difference solution of a depth-averaged form of the Navier-Stokes equations of fluid motions. The flow is treated as a laminar one phase material, which behavior is controlled by a visco-plastic Coulomb-Bingham rheology. The model parameters are evaluated and the model performance is tested on a debris flow event that occurred in 2003 in the Faucon torrent (Southern French Alps).

K-capture by Al-Si based Additives in an Entrained Flow Reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Guoliang; Jensen, Peter Arendt; Wu, Hao

2016-01-01

A water slurry, consisting of KCl and Al-Si based additives (kaolin and coal fly ash) was fed into an entrained flow reactor (EFR) to study the K-capturing reaction of the additives at suspension-fired conditions. Solid products collected from the reactor were analysed with respect to total...... of KCl to K-aluminosilicate decreased. When reaction temperature increased from 1100 °C to 1450 °C, the conversion of KCl does not change significantly, which differs from the trend observed in fixed-bed reactor....

Phenomenological modelling of CHF in annular flow in annuli using new models of droplet deposition and entrainment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Haibin, E-mail: hb-zhang@xjtu.edu.cn [School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College, London SW7 2BY (United Kingdom); Hewitt, G.F., E-mail: g.hewitt@imperial.ac.uk [Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College, London SW7 2BY (United Kingdom)

2016-08-15

Highlights: • A phenomenological model to predict the CHF for flows in annuli is described. • New correlations of droplet entrainment and deposition are used. • The present model has good predictive capability in predicting CHF in annuli. - Abstract: In this paper, we present a phenomenological model to predict the CHF (critical heat flux) for upward annular flow in heated vertical annuli. In present model, a new set of correlations of droplet deposition and entrainment in annuli was used which were verified by comparison with the data of Moeck (1970) for developing liquid films in adiabatic annuli. In the results presented here, these new correlations have been used to predict 2249 independent data on critical heat flux (CHF) obtained both regarding internal heating of the rod as well as simultaneous heating of the rod and the outer tube in six heated vertical annuli under various mass flow rate, pressure and inlet quality and where the conditions were such that (as is most common) the CHF condition occurred in the annular flow regime. The comparisons between the calculated and measured CHFs showed that the present model has good predictive capability in predicting CHF.

Biomass downdraft gasifier with internal cyclonic combustion chamber: design, construction, and experimental results.

Science.gov (United States)

Patil, Krushna; Bhoi, Prakash; Huhnke, Raymond; Bellmer, Danielle

2011-05-01

An exploratory downdraft gasifier design with unique biomass pyrolysis and tar cracking mechanism is evolved at Oklahoma State University. This design has an internal separate combustion section where turbulent, swirling high-temperature combustion flows are generated. A series of research trials were conducted using wood shavings as the gasifier feedstock. Maximum tar cracking temperatures were above 1100°C. Average volumetric concentration levels of major combustible components in the product gas were 22% CO and 11% H(2). Hot and cold gas efficiencies were 72% and 66%, respectively. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental Gasification of Biomass in an Updraft Gasifier with External Recirculation of Pyrolysis Gases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adi Surjosatyo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The updraft gasifier is a simple type of reactor for the gasification of biomass that is easy to operate and has high conversion efficiency, although it produces high levels of tar. This study attempts to observe the performance of a modified updraft gasifier. A modified updraft gasifier that recirculates the pyrolysis gases from drying zone back to the combustion zone and gas outlet at reduction zone was used. In this study, the level of pyrolysis gases that returned to the combustion zone was varied, and as well as measurements of gas composition, lower heating value and tar content. The results showed that an increase in the amount of pyrolysis gases that returned to the combustion zone resulted in a decrease in the amount of tar produced. An increase in the amount of recirculated gases tended to increase the concentrations of H2 and CH4 and reduce the concentration of CO with the primary (gasification air flow held constant. Increasing the primary air flow tended to increase the amount of CO and decrease the amount of H2. The maximum of lower heating value was 4.9 MJ/m3.

The effect of acceleration on turbulent entrainment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breidenthal, Robert E

2008-01-01

A new class of self-similar turbulent flows is proposed, which exhibits dramatically reduced entrainment rates. Under strong acceleration, the rotation period of the large-scale vortices is forced to decrease linearly in time. In ordinary unforced turbulence, the rotation period always increases linearly with time, at least in the mean. However, by imposing an exponential acceleration on the flow, the vortex rotation period is forced to become the e-folding timescale of the acceleration. If the e-folding timescale itself decreases linearly in time, the forcing is 'super-exponential', characterized by an acceleration parameter α. Based on dimensional and heuristic arguments, a model suggests that the dissipation rate is an exponential function of α and the dimensions of the conserved quantity of the flow. Acceleration decreases the dissipation and entrainment rates in all canonical laboratory flows except for Rayleigh-Taylor. Experiments of exponential jets and super-exponential transverse jets are in accord with the model. As noted by Johari, acceleration is the only known means of affecting the entrainment rate of the far-field jet. Numerical simulations of Rayleigh-Taylor flow by Cook and Greenough are also consistent. In the limit of large acceleration, vortices do not move far before their rotation period changes substantially. In this sense, extreme acceleration corresponds to stationary vortices.

Commercial gasifier for IGCC applications study report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Notestein, J.E.

1990-06-01

This was a scoping-level study to identify and characterize the design features of fixed-bed gasifiers appearing most important for a gasifier that was to be (1) potentially commercially attractive, and (2) specifically intended for us in integrated coal gasification/combined-cycle (IGCC) applications. It also performed comparative analyses on the impact or value of these design features and on performance characteristics options of the whole IGCC system since cost, efficiency, environmental traits, and operability -- on a system basis -- are what is really important. The study also reviewed and evaluated existing gasifier designs, produced a conceptual-level gasifier design, and generated a moderately advanced system configuration that was utilized as the reference framework for the comparative analyses. In addition, technical issues and knowledge gaps were defined. 70 figs., 31 tabs.

Biomass Power Generation through Direct Integration of Updraft Gasifier and Stirling Engine Combustion System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jai-Houng Leu

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Biomass is the largest renewable energy source in the world. Its importance grows gradually in the future energy market. Since most biomass sources are low in energy density and are widespread in space, small-scale biomass conversion system is therefore more competitive than a large stand-alone conversion plant. The current study proposes a small-scale solid biomass power system to explore the viability of direct coupling of an updraft fixed bed gasifier with a Stirling engine. The modified updraft fixed bed gasifier employs an embedded combustor inside the gasifier to fully combust the synthetic gas generated by the gasifier. The flue gas produced by the synthetic gas combustion inside the combustion tube is piped directly to the heater head of the Stirling engine. The engine will then extract and convert the heat contained in the flue gas into electricity automatically. Output depends on heat input. And, the heat input is proportional to the flow rate and temperature of the flue gas. The preliminary study of the proposed direct coupling of an updraft gasifier with a 25 kW Stirling engine demonstrates that full power output could be produced by the current system. It could be found from the current investigation that no auxiliary fuel is required to operate the current system smoothly. The proposed technology and units could be considered as a viable solid biomass power system.

Numerical simulation of coal gasification process using the modifying Watanabe - Otaka model.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

T. Papadopoulos; M. Losurdo; H. Spliethoff

2009-07-01

High-pressure entrained flow coal gasification is becoming increasingly important particularly in the development of Integrated Coal Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) technology for the production of electricity. However, there is a lack of knowledge worldwide for the gasification process and more especially for the chemical reactions (reactions rates) that take place under high pressure and temperature. Therefore a gasifier has been designed and is being built at the Institute for Energy Systems (Lehrstuhl fuer Energisysteme - LES) at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM). This gasifier is an entrained flow gasifier and has the advantage that it can operate to very high conditions of pressure and temperature, up to 50 bar pressure and 1800{sup o}C temperature. In an ongoing project, a great variety of experiments are planned to determine chemical reactions rates at high pressure conditions. In addition to the experimental work, CFD numerical simulations of pulverized coal gasification are being performed. The aim is to use numerical investigations for preliminary assessment of the facility. The goal is to develop a gasification model suitable for high pressure and condition tailored on the experiments to be used in CFD computations to predict chemical reactions, the heat transfer and the turbulence inside the gasifier. 9 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.

Entrainment by turbulent plumes

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, David; Burridge, Henry; Partridge, Jamie; Linden, Paul

2017-11-01

Plumes are of relevance to nature and real consequence to industry. While the Morton, Taylor & Turner (1956) plume model is able to estimate the mean physical flux parameters, the process of entrainment is only parametrised in a time-averaged sense and a deeper understanding is key to understanding how they evolve. Various flow configurations, resulting in different entrainment values, are considered; we perform simultaneous PIV and plume-edge detection on saline plumes in water resulting from a point source, a line source and a line source where a vertical wall is placed immediately adjacent. Of particular interest is the effect the large scale eddies, forming at the edge of the plume and engulfing ambient fluid, have on the entrainment process. By using velocity statistics in a coordinate system based on the instantaneous scalar edge of the plume the significance of this large scale engulfment is quantified. It is found that significant mass is transported outside the plumes, in particular in regions where large scale structures are absent creating regions of relatively high-momentum ambient fluid. This suggests that the large scale processes, whereby ambient fluid is engulfed into the plume, contribute significantly to the entrainment.

Development of a Cl-impregnated activated carbon for entrained-flow capture of elemental mercury.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghorishi, S Behrooz; Keeney, Robert M; Serre, Shannon D; Gullett, Brian K; Jozewicz, Wojciech S

2002-10-15

Efforts to discern the role of an activated carbon's surface functional groups on the adsorption of elemental mercury (Hg0) and mercuric chloride demonstrated that chlorine (Cl) impregnation of a virgin activated carbon using dilute solutions of hydrogen chloride leads to increases (by a factor of 2-3) in fixed-bed capture of these mercury species. A commercially available activated carbon (DARCO FGD, NORITAmericas Inc. [FGD])was Cl-impregnated (Cl-FGD) [5 lb (2.3 kg) per batch] and tested for entrained-flow, short-time-scale capture of Hg0. In an entrained flow reactor, the Cl-FGD was introduced in Hg0-laden flue gases (86 ppb of Hg0) of varied compositions with gas/solid contact times of about 3-4 s, resulting in significant Hg0 removal (80-90%), compared to virgin FGD (10-15%). These levels of Hg0 removal were observed across a wide range of very low carbon-to-mercury weight ratios (1000-5000). Variation of the natural gas combustion flue gas composition, by doping with nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, and the flow reactor temperature (100-200 degrees C) had minimal effects on Hg0 removal bythe Cl-FGD in these carbon-to-mercury weight ratios. These results demonstrate significant enhancement of activated carbon reactivity with minimal treatment and are applicable to combustion facilities equipped with downstream particulate matter removal such as an electrostatic precipitator.

Detection of gas entrainment into liquid metals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vogt, T., E-mail: t.vogt@hzdr.de [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Fluid Dynamics, 01328 Dresden (Germany); Boden, S. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Fluid Dynamics, 01328 Dresden (Germany); Andruszkiewicz, A. [Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wroclaw University of Technology (Poland); Eckert, K. [Technische Universität Dresden, Institute of Fluid Mechanics, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Eckert, S.; Gerbeth, G. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Fluid Dynamics, 01328 Dresden (Germany)

2015-12-01

Highlights: • We present liquid metal experiments dedicated to gas entrainment on the free surface. • Ultrasonic and X-ray attenuation techniques have been used to study the mechanisms of gas entrainment. • A comparison between bubbly flow in water and GaInSn showed substantial differences. • Our results emphasize the importance of liquid metal experiments which are able to provide a suitable data base for numerical code validation. - Abstract: Entrainment of cover gas into the liquid metal coolant is one of the principal safety issues in the design of innovative liquid metal-cooled fast reactors. We present generic experimental studies of this phenomenon in low-melting metals. Ultrasonic and X-ray diagnostic tools were considered for a visualization of gas entrainment at the free surface of the melt. Laboratory experiments were conducted using the eutectic alloy GaInSn, which is liquid at room temperature. Vortex-activated entrainment of air at the free surface of a rotating flow was revealed by ultrasonic techniques. X-ray radioscopy was used to visualize the behavior of argon bubbles inside a slit geometry. The measurements reveal distinct differences between water and GaInSn, especially with respect to the process of bubble formation and the coalescence and breakup of bubbles. Our results emphasize the importance of liquid metal experiments which are able to provide a suitable data base for numerical code validation.

Commissioning an Engineering Scale Coal Gasifier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reid, Douglas J.; Bearden, Mark D.; Cabe, James E.

2010-07-01

This report explains the development, commissioning, and testing of an engineering scale slagging coal gasifier at PNNL. The initial objective of this project was to commission the gasifier with zero safety incidents. The commissioning work was primarily an empirical study that required an engineering design approach. After bringing the gasifier on-line, tests were conducted to assess the impact of various operating parameters on the synthesis gas (syngas) product composition. The long-term intent of this project is to produce syngas product for use by internal Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) researchers in catalyst, materials, and instrumentation development. Future work on the project will focus on improving the reliability and performance of the gasifier, with a goal of continuous operation for greater than 4 hours using coal feedstock. In addition, alternate designs that allow for increased flexibility regarding the fuel sources that can be used for syngas production is desired. Continued modifications to the fuel feed system will be pursued to address these goals. Alternative feed mechanisms such as a coal/methanol slurry are being considered.

Particle Entrainment under Turbulent Flow Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Diplas, Panayiotis

2009-11-01

Erosion, transportation and deposition of sediments and pollutants influence the hydrosphere, pedosphere, biosphere and atmosphere in profound ways. The global amount of sediment eroded annually over the continental surface of the earth via the action of water and wind is estimated to be around 80 billion metric tons, with 20 of them delivered by rivers to the oceans. This redistribution of material over the surface of the earth affects most of its physical, chemical and biological processes in ways that are exceedingly difficult to comprehend. The criterion currently in use for predicting particle entrainment, originally proposed by Shields in 1936, emphasizes the time-averaged boundary shear stress and therefore is incapable of accounting for the fluctuating forces encountered in turbulent flows. A new criterion that was developed recently in an effort to overcome the limitations of the previous approach will be presented. It is hypothesized that not only the magnitude, but also the duration of energetic near bed turbulent events is relevant in predicting grain removal from the bed surface. It is therefore proposed that the product of force and its duration, or impulse, is a more appropriate and universal criterion for identifying conditions suitable for particle dislodgement. Analytical formulation of the problem and experimental data are used to examine the validity of the new criterion.

Condensate from a two-stage gasifier

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bentzen, Jens Dall; Henriksen, Ulrik Birk; Hindsgaul, Claus

2000-01-01

Condensate, produced when gas from downdraft biomass gasifier is cooled, contains organic compounds that inhibit nitrifiers. Treatment with activated carbon removes most of the organics and makes the condensate far less inhibitory. The condensate from an optimised two-stage gasifier is so clean...... that the organic compounds and the inhibition effect are very low even before treatment with activated carbon. The moderate inhibition effect relates to a high content of ammonia in the condensate. The nitrifiers become tolerant to the condensate after a few weeks of exposure. The level of organic compounds...... and the level of inhibition are so low that condensate from the optimised two-stage gasifier can be led to the public sewer....

REFRACTORY FOR BLACK LIQUOR GASIFIERS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William L. Headrick Jr; Musa Karakus; Jun Wei

2005-03-01

The University of Missouri-Rolla will identify materials that will permit the safe, reliable and economical operation of combined cycle gasifiers by the pulp and paper industry. The primary emphasis of this project will be to resolve the material problems encountered during the operation of low-pressure high-temperature (LPHT) and low-pressure low-temperature (LPLT) gasifiers while simultaneously understanding the materials barriers to the successful demonstration of high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) black liquor gasifiers. This study will define the chemical, thermal and physical conditions in current and proposed gasifier designs and then modify existing materials and develop new materials to successfully meet the formidable material challenges. Resolving the material challenges of black liquor gasification combined cycle technology will provide energy, environmental, and economic benefits that include higher thermal efficiencies, up to three times greater electrical output per unit of fuel, and lower emissions. In the near term, adoption of this technology will allow the pulp and paper industry greater capital effectiveness and flexibility, as gasifiers are added to increase mill capacity. In the long term, combined-cycle gasification will lessen the industry's environmental impact while increasing its potential for energy production, allowing the production of all the mill's heat and power needs along with surplus electricity being returned to the grid. An added benefit will be the potential elimination of the possibility of smelt-water explosions, which constitute an important safety concern wherever conventional Tomlinson recovery boilers are operated. Developing cost-effective materials with improved performance in gasifier environments may be the best answer to the material challenges presented by black liquor gasification. Refractory materials may be selected/developed that either react with the gasifier environment to form protective

Study of parameters and entrainment of a jet in cross-flow arrangement with transition at two low Reynolds numbers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cardenas, Camilo [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Chemical Technology and Polymer Chemistry, Karlsruhe (Germany); Convenio Andres Bello, Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Educativas para la Integracion, La Paz (Bolivia); Denev, Jordan A.; Bockhorn, Henning [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Engler-Bunte-Institute, Combustion Division, Karlsruhe (Germany); Suntz, Rainer [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Chemical Technology and Polymer Chemistry, Karlsruhe (Germany)

2012-10-15

Investigation of the mixing process is one of the main issues in chemical engineering and combustion and the configuration of a jet into a cross-flow (JCF) is often employed for this purpose. Experimental data are gained for the symmetry plane in a JCF-arrangement of an air flow using a combination of particle image velocimetry (PIV) with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF). The experimental data with thoroughly measured boundary conditions are complemented with direct numerical simulations, which are based on idealized boundary conditions. Two similar cases are studied with a fixed jet-to-cross-flow velocity ratio of 3.5 and variable cross-flow Reynolds numbers equal to 4,120 and 8,240; in both cases the jet issues from the pipe at laminar conditions. This leads to a laminar-to-turbulent transition, which depends on the Reynolds number and occurs quicker for the case with higher Reynolds number in both experiments and simulations as well. It was found that the Reynolds number only slightly affects the jet trajectory, which in the case with the higher Reynolds number is slightly deeper. It is attributed to the changed boundary layer shape of the cross-flow. Leeward streamlines bend toward the jet and are responsible for the strong entrainment of cross-flow fluid into the jet. Velocity components are compared for the two Reynolds numbers at the leeward side at positions where strongest entrainment is present and a pressure minimum near the jet trajectory is found. The numerical simulations showed that entrainment is higher for the case with the higher Reynolds number. The latter is attributed to the earlier transition in this case. Fluid entrainment of the jet in cross-flow is more than twice stronger than for a similar flow of a jet issuing into a co-flowing stream. This comparison is made along the trajectory of the two jets at a distance of 5.5 jet diameters downstream and is based on the results from the direct numerical simulations and recently published

Process for electrochemically gasifying coal using electromagnetism

Science.gov (United States)

Botts, Thomas E.; Powell, James R.

1987-01-01

A process for electrochemically gasifying coal by establishing a flowing stream of coal particulate slurry, electrolyte and electrode members through a transverse magnetic field that has sufficient strength to polarize the electrode members, thereby causing them to operate in combination with the electrolyte to electrochemically reduce the coal particulate in the slurry. Such electrochemical reduction of the coal produces hydrogen and carbon dioxide at opposite ends of the polarized electrode members. Gas collection means are operated in conjunction with the process to collect the evolved gases as they rise from the slurry and electrolyte solution.

Measurement of air entrainment in plasma jets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fincke, J.R.; Rodriquez, R.; Pentecost, C.G.

1990-01-01

The concentration and temperature of air entrained into argon and helium plasma jets has been measured using coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS). The argon plasma flow field is characterized by a short region of well behaved laminar flow near the nozzle exit followed by an abrupt transition to turbulence. Once the transition of turbulence occurs, air is rapidly mixed into the jet core. The location of the transition region is determined by the rapid cooling of the jet and the resulting increase in Reynolds number. In contrast, the helium plasma flow field never exceeds a Reynolds number of 200 and remains laminar. The entrainment process in this case is controlled by molecular diffusion rather than turbulent mixing. 9 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab

Design and techno economic evaluation of biomass gasifier for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper addresses the design, performance and economic evaluation of biomass based open core downdraft gasifier for industrial process heat application. The gasifier is having feed rate as 90 kg h-1 and producing about 850 MJ h-1 of heat. The gasifier has been installed in M/S Phosphate India Pvt. Limited, Udaipur ...

Gasification Studies Task 4 Topical Report, Utah Clean Coal Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Whitty, Kevin [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Fletcher, Thomas [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Pugmire, Ronald [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Smith, Philip [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Sutherland, James [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Thornock, Jeremy [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Hunsacker, Isaac [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Li, Suhui [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Kelly, Kerry [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Puntai, Naveen [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Reid, Charles [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Schurtz, Randy [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

2011-10-01

A key objective of the Task 4 activities has been to develop simulation tools to support development, troubleshooting and optimization of pressurized entrained-flow coal gasifiers. The overall gasifier models (Subtask 4.1) combine submodels for fluid flow (Subtask 4.2) and heat transfer (Subtask 4.3) with fundamental understanding of the chemical (Subtask 4.4) and physical (Subtask 4.5) processes that take place as coal particles are converted to synthesis gas and slag. However, it is important to be able to compare predictions from the models against data obtained from actual operating coal gasifiers, and Subtask 4.6 aims to provide an accessible, non-proprietary system, which can be operated over a wide range of conditions to provide well-characterized data for model validation.

Entrainment of bed material by Earth-surface mass flows: review and reformulation of depth-integrated theory

Science.gov (United States)

Iverson, Richard M.; Chaojun Ouyang,

2015-01-01

Earth-surface mass flows such as debris flows, rock avalanches, and dam-break floods can grow greatly in size and destructive potential by entraining bed material they encounter. Increasing use of depth-integrated mass- and momentum-conservation equations to model these erosive flows motivates a review of the underlying theory. Our review indicates that many existing models apply depth-integrated conservation principles incorrectly, leading to spurious inferences about the role of mass and momentum exchanges at flow-bed boundaries. Model discrepancies can be rectified by analyzing conservation of mass and momentum in a two-layer system consisting of a moving upper layer and static lower layer. Our analysis shows that erosion or deposition rates at the interface between layers must in general satisfy three jump conditions. These conditions impose constraints on valid erosion formulas, and they help determine the correct forms of depth-integrated conservation equations. Two of the three jump conditions are closely analogous to Rankine-Hugoniot conditions that describe the behavior of shocks in compressible gasses, and the third jump condition describes shear traction discontinuities that necessarily exist across eroding boundaries. Grain-fluid mixtures commonly behave as compressible materials as they undergo entrainment, because changes in bulk density occur as the mixtures mobilize and merge with an overriding flow. If no bulk density change occurs, then only the shear-traction jump condition applies. Even for this special case, however, accurate formulation of depth-integrated momentum equations requires a clear distinction between boundary shear tractions that exist in the presence or absence of bed erosion.

Thermochemical equilibrium modelling of a gasifying process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melgar, Andres; Perez, Juan F.; Laget, Hannes; Horillo, Alfonso

2007-01-01

This article discusses a mathematical model for the thermochemical processes in a downdraft biomass gasifier. The model combines the chemical equilibrium and the thermodynamic equilibrium of the global reaction, predicting the final composition of the producer gas as well as its reaction temperature. Once the composition of the producer gas is obtained, a range of parameters can be derived, such as the cold gas efficiency of the gasifier, the amount of dissociated water in the process and the heating value and engine fuel quality of the gas. The model has been validated experimentally. This work includes a parametric study of the influence of the gasifying relative fuel/air ratio and the moisture content of the biomass on the characteristics of the process and the producer gas composition. The model helps to predict the behaviour of different biomass types and is a useful tool for optimizing the design and operation of downdraft biomass gasifiers

Improved Gasifier Availability with Bed Material and Additives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grootjes, A.J.; Van der Meijden, C.M.; Visser, H.J.M.; Van der Drift, A. [ECN Biomass and Energy Efficiency, Petten (Netherlands)

2013-07-15

In order to valorize several feedstock, gasification is one of the technologies developed over the past decades. ECN developed the MILENA gasifier. In order for MILENA to become a commercial success, the gasifier needs to be feedstock flexible, robust and economically sound, operating with high availability. One of the characteristics of MILENA is high efficiency but with a higher tar content, compared to some other Dual Fluidized Bed (DFB) gasifiers. In order to reduce the issues that are associated with high tar levels in the product gas, the effect of a number of primary measures was studied. This paper presents results obtained in the last two years, focused on improving the gasifier availability by conducting experiments in a 25 kWth lab scale MILENA gasifier. Amongst others, gas composition, tar content and calorific value of the product gas were compared. Scanning Electron Microscope analysis was used to investigate bed material changes. Results show that Austrian olivine can be activated by Fuel B as well as by Additive A and B. The water-gas shift reaction is enhanced and the tar content is reduced significantly, especially the heavy tars that dominate the tar dew point. Activated olivine has a calcium-rich layer. The results show that with MILENA, we are able to lower and control the tar dew point, which will possibly increase the availability of a MILENA gasifier.

Turbulent entrainment across turbulent-nonturbulent interfaces in stably stratified mixing layers

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, T.; Riley, J. J.; Nagata, K.

2017-10-01

The entrainment process in stably stratified mixing layers is studied in relation to the turbulent-nonturbulent interface (TNTI) using direct numerical simulations. The statistics are calculated with the interface coordinate in an Eulerian frame as well as with the Lagrangian fluid particles entrained from the nonturbulent to the turbulent regions. The characteristics of entrainment change as the buoyancy Reynolds number Reb decreases and the flow begins to layer. The baroclinic torque delays the enstrophy growth of the entrained fluids at small Reb, while this effect is less efficient for large Reb. The entrained particle movement within the TNTI layer is dominated by the small dissipative scales, and the rapid decay of the kinetic energy dissipation rate due to buoyancy causes the entrained particle movement relative to the interface location to become slower. Although the Eulerian statistics confirm that there exists turbulent fluid with strong vorticity or with large buoyancy frequency near the TNTI, the entrained fluid particles circumvent these regions by passing through the TNTI in strain-dominant regions or in regions with small buoyancy frequency. The multiparticle statistics show that once the nonturbulent fluid volumes are entrained, they are deformed into flattened shapes in the vertical direction and diffuse in the horizontal direction. When Reb is large enough for small-scale turbulence to exist, the entrained fluid is able to penetrate into the turbulent core region. Once the flow begins to layer with decreasing Reb, however, the entrained fluid volume remains near the outer edge of the turbulent region and forms a stably stratified layer without vertical overturning.

Gasification of peat and biomass in suspension. Turpeen ja biomassan suspensiokaasutus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haukka, P.; Raiko, R.

1993-01-01

Gasification of peat and biomass in dilute particle-gas suspension has not been studied significantly in Finland, even though these fuels require drying, which often produces dry pulverized fuel. This report has concentrated on studying suitability of so-called two-stage entrained-bed gasification for peat and biomass. The gasification system consists of a pyrolysis reactor (entrained flow) and an adiabatic char combustor. Dry or almost dry fuel is fed into the hot flue gas stream coming from the char combustor. Gasification is based on flash pyrolysis in the dilute suspension flow. Residual char is separated from pyrolyzer gases in a gas cleaning device and fed back to the adiabatic combustor. In the combustor char is burned at high temperature to supply the heat required to support endothermic reactions occurring in the pyrolyzer. To study entrained-bed gasification two types of computer models were developed: steady state simulation model and kinetic pyrolyzer model. With the help of these computer models mass and energy balances of the gasifier can be solved and the main dimensions of the gasifier can be determined. Lack of proper kinetic parameters for fast pyrolysis of peat and biomass makes it more difficult to apply the kinetic model in practice. Quantitative data concerning fast pyrolysis in dilute gas-particle suspension are needed to be able to evaluate the performance of the suspension gasifier in more detail. Gasifier operation has been studied using three different levels for amounts of pyrolysis pro- ducts, nine pressure levels between 15-23 bars and five temperature levels between 800-1200 deg C. Furthermore, normal pressure performance was simulated. In addition to simulation studies product gas heating value was optimized

CFD simulation of coal gasification in an entrained-flow gasifier

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sreedharan, V.; Hjertager, B.H.; Solberg, T.

2010-01-01

in reliability, emission control, efficiency, and feedstock flexibility. The feedstock used for a gasification system can be coal, petroleum coke, biomass, heavy oil, or even natural gas. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 2010 AIChE Annual Meeting (Salt Lake City, UT 11/7-12/2010)....

Ignition characteristics of coal blends in an entrained flow furnace

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

J. Faundez; B. Arias; F. Rubiera; A. Arenillas; X. Garcia; A.L. Gordon; J.J. Pis [Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion (Chile)

2007-09-15

Ignition tests were carried out on blends of three coals of different rank - subbituminous, high volatile and low volatile bituminous - in two entrained flow reactors. The ignition temperatures were determined from the gas evolution profiles (CO, CO{sub 2}, NO, O{sub 2}), while the mechanism of ignition was elucidated from these profiles and corroborated by high-speed video recording. Under the experimental conditions of high carbon loading, clear interactive effects were observed for all the blends. Ignition of the lower rank coals (subbituminous, high volatile bituminous) enhanced the ignition of the higher rank coal (low volatile bituminous) in the blends. The ignition temperatures of the blends of the low rank coals (subbituminous-high volatile bituminous) were additive. However, for the rest of the blends the ignition temperatures were always closer to the lower rank coal in the blend. 21 refs., 8 figs.

Measured gas and particle temperatures in VTT's entrained flow reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Sønnik; Sørensen, L.H.

2006-01-01

Particle and gas temperature measurements were carried out in experiments on VTTs entrained flow reactor with 5% and 10% oxygen using Fourier transform infrared emission spectroscopy (FTIR). Particle temperature measurements were performed on polish coal,bark, wood, straw particles, and bark...... and wood particles treated with additive. A two-color technique with subtraction of the background light was used to estimate particle temperatures during experiments. A transmission-emission technique was used tomeasure the gas temperature in the reactor tube. Gas temperature measurements were in good...... agreement with thermocouple readings. Gas lines and bands from CO, CO2 and H2O can be observed in the spectra. CO was only observed at the first measuring port (100ms) with the strongest CO-signal seen during experiments with straw particles. Variations in gas concentration (CO2 and H2O) and the signal from...

Investigation of flow behaviour of coat/ash particles in an advanced pressurised fluidized bed gasifier (APFBG) using radiotracer technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pant, H.J.; Sharma, V.K.; Gursharan Singh; Vidhya Kamadu, M.; Prakash, S.G.; Krishanamoorthy, S.; Ramani, N.V.S.; Sonde, R.R.

2004-01-01

Knowledge of Residence Time Distribution (RTD), Mean Residence Time (MRT) and degree of backmixing of solid phase is important for efficient operation of the coal gasifier. Radiotracer technique was used for measure RTD of coal/ash particles in a pilot-scale gasifier and obtain the values of MRT and backmixing. Lanthanum 140 labeled coal (100 g) was used as a tracer. The tracer was instantaneously injected into the coal feed line and monitored at ash and gas outlets of the gasifier using collimated scintillation detectors. The measured RTD data were treated and MRTs of coal/ash particles were determined. The treated data were simulated using tank-in-series model. The simulation RTD data indicated good degree of mixing with minor bypassing/short-circulating of coal particles. The results of the investigation were found useful for scale-up of the gasification process. (author)

Onset of liquid droplet entrainment on a direct vessel injection system for APR1400

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Han-sol; Lee, Jae-Young [Handong Global University, Pohang (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jong-Rok; Euh, Dong-Jin [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

In this research, a series of visualization works was conducted to understand droplet entrainment of the flow pattern generated in direct vessel injection system(DVI) of Korea nuclear power plant, APR 1400. In the emergency situation of a nuclear power plant, reliability of DVI cooling can be an important issue. It is known that, the amount and the rate of entrainment during the DVI cooling process can significantly affect the total heat removal. To visualize the film Reynolds number closely related with onset of droplet entrainment induced by falling film flow and lateral air flow in a small gap, confocal chromatic sensing method for measuring accurately film thickness and depth averaging particle image velocimetry for film velocity were used. The results have been post processed 4G Insight software. By measuring two dimensional film Reynolds number, we can predict the onset of droplet entrainment and obtain visible breakup region intuitively. To visualize the droplet entrainment induced by falling film flow and lateral air flow in a small gap, shadowgraph method with CCD camera (2200fps, 1280 pixel X 800 pixel, ) on coated plate with super water-repellent agent was used. The results have been post processed using 4G Insight software. By measuring two dimensional film Reynolds number, we can predict the onset of droplet entrainment and obtain visible breakup region intuitively. By adopting both super hydrophobic coating method and shadowgraph method, entrainment in a narrow gap was successfully visualized that has rarely performed before and meaningful results for DVI system research fields have been made.

Onset of liquid droplet entrainment on a direct vessel injection system for APR1400

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Han-sol; Lee, Jae-Young; Kim, Jong-Rok; Euh, Dong-Jin

2016-01-01

In this research, a series of visualization works was conducted to understand droplet entrainment of the flow pattern generated in direct vessel injection system(DVI) of Korea nuclear power plant, APR 1400. In the emergency situation of a nuclear power plant, reliability of DVI cooling can be an important issue. It is known that, the amount and the rate of entrainment during the DVI cooling process can significantly affect the total heat removal. To visualize the film Reynolds number closely related with onset of droplet entrainment induced by falling film flow and lateral air flow in a small gap, confocal chromatic sensing method for measuring accurately film thickness and depth averaging particle image velocimetry for film velocity were used. The results have been post processed 4G Insight software. By measuring two dimensional film Reynolds number, we can predict the onset of droplet entrainment and obtain visible breakup region intuitively. To visualize the droplet entrainment induced by falling film flow and lateral air flow in a small gap, shadowgraph method with CCD camera (2200fps, 1280 pixel X 800 pixel, ) on coated plate with super water-repellent agent was used. The results have been post processed using 4G Insight software. By measuring two dimensional film Reynolds number, we can predict the onset of droplet entrainment and obtain visible breakup region intuitively. By adopting both super hydrophobic coating method and shadowgraph method, entrainment in a narrow gap was successfully visualized that has rarely performed before and meaningful results for DVI system research fields have been made

Study on CFD approach for gas entrainment phenomenon. Evaluation of applicability of finite element flow analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eguchi, Yuzuru

2005-07-01

The report is concerned with the evaluation of applicability of numerical modelling methods for the prediction of gas entrainment in an upper plenum of a sodium-cooled fast breeder reactor (FBR). Special attention was paid to applicability of variational multiscale (VMS) modelling in the context of the Finite Element Method. Two flow problems, which were experimentally shown to induce gas entrainment, are solved by a VMS code (MISTRAL). First, computing a benchmark problem of a gas entrainment swirl flow in a cylindrical vessel has led to the following results; (1) the VMS solution is able to resolve the precise vortex core structure more accurately than the non-VMS solution computed by Smart-fem. The circumferential velocity obtained from VMS computation rises almost double in comparison with the non-VMS solution, though it still underestimates the experimental values. (2) the half-value radius of the negative region of the second invariant of velocity gradient matches well between the VMS solution and non-VMS solution. (3) the negative/positive boundary of the second invariant of velocity gradient obtained from the VMS solution is closer to the vortex core radius observed in the experiment than that of the non-VMS solution, though the vortex dip length computed from the VMS result is shorter than the experimental value. Second, computing a benchmark problem of open channel flow with a square pillar and downstream suction pipe has led to the following results; (4) 2Δx-type spatial oscillation was observed due to lack of mesh subdivisions. (5) the distributional profile of the second invariant of velocity gradient is similar to that of the first problem (swirl flow in a cylindrical vessel), characterized by a strong negative region surrounded by a weak positive region. As a possible future plan, it may be necessary to analyze more precisely the features of unsteady vortices obtained in the second benchmark problem and to identify the difference (if any) from the

An empirical correlation for the entrainment fraction at the onset of annular flow based on 2006 CHF look-up table

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiao, Bo; Yang, Dongyu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rongcheng Campus, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Rongcheng 264300, Shandong (China); Gan, Zhihua, E-mail: gan_zhihua@zju.edu.cn [Institute of Refrigeration and Cryogenics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou (China); Key Laboratory of Refrigeration and Cryogenic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou (China); National Quality Inspection Center of Refrigeration Equipment (Henan), Minquan (China)

2017-06-15

Highlights: • A parallel look-up table for the entrainment fraction at annular point was developed. • A correlation was given based on the selected database from 2006 CHF look-up table. • Its reliability on the other conditions in the look-up table was discussed. - Abstract: The critical heat flux (CHF) of gas-liquid flow plays an important role in the safety of industrial equipment. At present, the liquid film dryout model is widely used for predicting CHF in gas-liquid annular flow. Most parameters in this model can be determined by some empirical correlations which are valid under different conditions. However, up to now, the entrainment fraction at the onset of annular flow is always assumed due to the lack of relevant experimental data. In this paper, the normalized data of the 2006 CHF look-up table (LUT) which has been adopted widely, especially in the nuclear industry, were used. Firstly, the empirical correlations, provided for the onset of annular flow and the limiting quality, were employed. In the valid pressure and mass flux range of these correlations, the selected database from LUT was confirmed. Secondly, the liquid film model was built. The entrainment fraction at the onset of annular flow was obtained when the calculated CHF by the model agreed with the corresponding value in LUT. A parallel look-up table for it was developed. Its correlation including the Weber and the liquid Reynolds number at outlet was proposed. The errors are mostly within ±30%. Finally, its reliability on the other conditions in LUT, which are beyond the valid range of the empirical correlations used for determining the database, was discussed. All the conditions whose errors are outside ±30% of the predictions by the provided correlation were marked in the tables.

Thermal/chemical degradation of ceramic cross-flow filter materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alvin, M.A.; Lane, J.E.; Lippert, T.E.

1989-11-01

This report summarizes the 14-month, Phase 1 effort conducted by Westinghouse on the Thermal/Chemical Degradation of Ceramic Cross-Flow Filter Materials program. In Phase 1 expected filter process conditions were identified for a fixed-bed, fluid-bed, and entrained-bed gasification, direct coal fired turbine, and pressurized fluidized-bed combustion system. Ceramic cross-flow filter materials were also selected, procured, and subjected to chemical and physical characterization. The stability of each of the ceramic cross-flow materials was assessed in terms of potential reactions or phase change as a result of process temperature, and effluent gas compositions containing alkali and fines. In addition chemical and physical characterization was conducted on cross-flow filters that were exposed to the METC fluid-bed gasifier and the New York University pressurized fluidized-bed combustor. Long-term high temperature degradation mechanisms were proposed for each ceramic cross-flow material at process operating conditions. An experimental bench-scale test program is recommended to be conducted in Phase 2, generating data that support the proposed cross-flow filter material thermal/chemical degradation mechanisms. Papers on the individual subtasks have been processed separately for inclusion on the data base.

Low-Chrome/Chrome Free Refractories for Slagging Gasifiers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennett, J.P.; Kwong, K.-S.; Powell, C.P.; Thomas, H.; Petty, A.V. Jr.

2007-01-01

Gasifiers are containment vessels used to react carbon-containing materials with oxygen and water, producing syngas (CO and H2) that is used in chemical and power production. It is also a potential source of H2 in a future hydrogen economy. Air cooled slagging gasifiers are one type of gasifier, operating at temperatures from 1275-1575 C and at pressures of 400 psi or higher. They typically use coal or petroleum coke as the carbon source, materials which contain ash impurities that liquefy at the gasification temperatures, producing liquid slag in quantities of 100 or more tons/day, depending on the carbon fed rate and the percent ash present in the feedstock. The molten slag is corrosive to refractory linings, causing chemical dissolution and spalling. The refractory lining is composed of chrome oxide, alumina, and zirconia; and is replaced every 3-24 months. Gasifier users would like greater on-line availability and reliability of gasifier liners, something that has impacted gasifier acceptance by industry. Research is underway at NETL to improve refractory service life and to develop a no-chrome or low-chrome oxide alternative refractory liner. Over 250 samples of no- or low-chrome oxide compositions have been evaluated for slag interactions by cup testing; with potential candidates for further studies including those with ZrO2, Al2O3, and MgO materials. The development of improved liner materials is necessary if technologies such as IGCC and DOE's Near Zero Emissions Advanced Fossil Fuel Power Plant are to be successful and move forward in the marketplace

Simulation of petcoke gasification in slagging moving bed reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagpal, Soumitro; Sarkar, T.K.; Sen, P.K. [Research and Development Center, Engineers India Limited, Gurgaon 122001 (India)

2005-03-25

A mathematical model for simulation of moving bed petcoke gasifiers was developed. The model introduces a new feed characterization method, gas-phase resistance and volatilization models. The model is validated using reported data for a slagging gasifier. Effect of feed oxygen-to-coke and steam-to-coke ratios and feed coke rates on gasification performance was examined. Slagging zone moving bed gasifier operation with very high petcoke fluxes of over 4000 kg/m{sup 2}/h was possible with high petcoke conversion. Peak gas temperatures exceeded 1500 {sup o}C. Fluxes higher than 5000 kg/m{sup 2}/h are limited by an approach to fluidization of small particles in the combustion zone. The moving bed gasifier performance was found superior to performance of an entrained flow gasifier (EFG) with respect to energy efficiency and oxygen consumption.

Three-field modeling with droplet entrainment and de-entrainment models for TRAC-M

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Sang Ik

2005-02-01

A three-field modeling has been developed and implemented to the basic one-dimensional components of TRAC-M/F90 (Modernized Transient Reactor Analysis Code, Fortran90) to improve the estimation of the behavior of droplet entrainment. the divide and conquer algorithmic technique is adjusted for the implementation after considering the verifications. The governing equations are composed of the conservation equations of each field with thermal-equilibrium assumption between the two liquid fields. As a result, three momentum equations, four mass equations including noncondensable gas mass equation and two energy equations are used. In the development of the momentum equation for an entrained droplet, two different kinds of approaches are tested: the simple force balance on a single droplet and the field-type equation based on the continuum assumption. The first showed unstable nature and the latter was chosen. All of the necessary empirical correlations were obtained from literatures, in particular, the physical models of COBRA-TF. The sensitivities of each empirical correlation were investigated where the effect of droplet diameter and droplet drag was found to be negligible. The advantages of the SETS numerical scheme in comparison with the semi-implicit nimerical scheme were addressed in the simulation time and the maximum allowed time-step size. Finally, the simulations of Collier and Hewitt's experiment were performed and it is concluded that the three-field model developed in the present study is reasonable. The predictions by the present code agree with the measured values within the RMS errors of 16.5% and 9.6% in the entrained liquid mass flow rates and the pressure gradients, respectively. Assessment on the physical models is performed. The wall and interfacial drag models were determined at first. After that, the assessments of entrainment model were performed. Wurtz's entrainment model, which was used in COBRA-TF and Kataoka and Ishii's model, were mainly

Investigation of flow behaviour of coal particles in a pilot-scale fluidized bed gasifier (FBG) using radiotracer technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Pant, H J; Sharma, V K; Kamudu, M Vidya; Prakash, S G; Krishanamoorthy, S; Anandam, G; Rao, P Seshubabu; Ramani, N V S; Singh, Gursharan; Sonde, R R

2009-09-01

Knowledge of residence time distribution (RTD), mean residence time (MRT) and degree of axial mixing of solid phase is required for efficient operation of coal gasification process. Radiotracer technique was used to measure the RTD of coal particles in a pilot-scale fluidized bed gasifier (FBG). Two different radiotracers i.e. lanthanum-140 and gold-198 labeled coal particles (100 gm) were independently used as radiotracers. The radiotracer was instantaneously injected into the coal feed line and monitored at the ash extraction line at the bottom and gas outlet at the top of the gasifier using collimated scintillation detectors. The measured RTD data were treated and MRTs of coal/ash particles were determined. The treated data were simulated using tanks-in-series model. The simulation of RTD data indicated good degree of mixing with small fraction of the feed material bypassing/short-circuiting from the bottom of the gasifier. The results of the investigation were found useful for optimizing the design and operation of the FBG, and scale-up of the gasification process.

FY 1991 report on the results of the development of an entrained bed coal gasification power plant. Part 4. Operation of pilot plant; 1991 nendo seika hokokusho. Funryusho sekitan gaska hatsuden plant kaihatsu - Sono 4. Pilot plant unten sosa hen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1993-01-01

A record was summarized of the operation of the 200 t/d entrained bed coal gasification pilot plant that was constructed with the aim of establishing technology of the integrated coal gasification combined cycle power generation. As to the actual results of operation hours, the paper summarized the records of gasifier facilities, gas refining facilities, gas turbine facilities and safety environment facilities which were collected from April 1991 to January 1993. Relating to the actual results of start-up/stop, the paper summarized the records of gasifier facilities, gas refining facilities (desulfurization), gas refining facilities (dedusting), gas turbine facilities and safety environment facilities. Further, operation manuals were made for the schedule of plant start-up/stop, generalization, gasifier facilities, gas refining facilities (desulfurization), gas refining facilities (dedusting), gas turbine facilities, actual pressure/actual size combustor testing facilities and safety environment facilities. (NEDO)

Viscous entrainment on hairy surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Nasto, Alice; Brun, P.-T.; Hosoi, A. E.

2018-02-01

Nectar-drinking bats and honeybees have tongues covered with hairlike structures, enhancing their ability to take up viscous nectar by dipping. Using a combination of model experiments and theory, we explore the physical mechanisms that govern viscous entrainment in a hairy texture. Hairy surfaces are fabricated using laser cut molds and casting samples with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer. We model the liquid trapped within the texture using a Darcy-Brinkmann-like approach and derive the drainage flow solution. The amount of fluid that is entrained is dependent on the viscosity of the fluid, the density of the hairs, and the withdrawal speed. Both experiments and theory reveal an optimal hair density to maximize fluid uptake.

Modeling work of a small scale gasifier/SOFC CHP system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, M.; Aravind, P.V.; Qu, Z.; Woudstra, N.; Verkooijen, A.H.M. [Delft University of Technology (Netherlands). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering], Emails: ming.liu@tudelft.nl, p.v.aravind@tudelft.nl, z.qu@tudelft.nl, n.woudstra@tudelft.nl, a. h. m. verkooijen@tudelft.nl; Cobas, V.R.M. [Federal University of Itajuba (UNIFEI), Pinheirinhos, MG (Brazil). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering], E-mail: vlad@unifei.edu.br

2009-07-01

For a highly efficient biomass gasification/Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Combined Heat and Power (CHP) generation system, the gasifier, the accompanying gas cleaning technologies and the CHP unit must be carefully designed as an integrated unit. This paper describes such a system involving a two-stage fixed-bed down draft gasifier, a SOFC CHP unit and a gas cleaning system. A gas cleaning system with both low temperature and high temperature sections is proposed for coupling the gasifier and the SOFC. Thermodynamic modeling was carried out for the gasifier/SOFC system with the proposed gas cleaning system. The net AC electrical efficiency of this system is around 30% and the overall system efficiency is around 60%. This paper also describes various exergy losses in the system and the future plans for integrated gasifier-GCU-SOFC experiments from which the results will be used to validate the modeling results of this system. (author)

Sediment particle entrainment in an obstructed annular

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loureiro, Bruno Venturini; Siqueira, Renato do Nascimento [Faculdade do Centro Leste (UCL), Serra, ES (Brazil). Lab. de Fenomenos de Transporte], e-mail: brunovl@ucl.br, e-mail: renatons@ucl.br

2006-07-01

Flow in an annular region with internal cylinder rotation is a classic problem in fluid mechanics and has been widely studied. Besides its importance as a fundamental problem, flow in annular regions has several practical applications. This project was motivated by an application of this kind of flow to the drilling of oil and gas wells. In this work, an erosion apparatus was constructed in order to study the effect of the internal cylinder rotation on particle entrainment in an obstructed annular space and bed package as well. The study also analyzed the influence of height of the particles bed on the process performance. The experiment was designed so that the internal cylinder rotation could be measured by an encoder. The fluid temperature was measured by a thermocouple and the experiments were carried out at the temperature of 25 deg C. The study revealed that the particle entrainment for the height of the bed that is close to the center of the cylinders is negligible and the internal cylinder rotation provokes the movement and packing of the bed. For lower height of the bed, with same dimension of the annular gap, the particle entrainment process was satisfactory and the bed compaction was smaller than in the previous case, leading to a more efficient cleaning process in the annular space. (author)

Predictive Model to determine the composition of the gas generated in a downdraft gasifier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D'Espaux Shelton, Elbis; Copa Rey, José Ramón; Brito Sauvanel, Angel Luis

2017-01-01

There is currently a trend of using gasification modeling to describe the process without the need to develop experiments, which can be costly. This work presented the necessary tools to analyze the development of a mathematical model with the objective of predicting the chemical composition of the gas generated in a fixed bed downdraft gasifier, with parallel flows and air as a gasification agent as a function of kind of biomass used and the operating parameters of the equipment. This model allows the calculation of thermochemical processes that occur inside a downdraft gasifier and also the determination of temperature profiles. The model developed was based on the energy balance and species equations approach and the control volumes method was used. (author)

Experimental and computational studies on a gasifier based stove

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varunkumar, S.; Rajan, N.K.S.; Mukunda, H.S.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A simple method to calculate the fraction of HHC was devised. ► η g for stove is same as that of a downdraft gasifier. ► Gas from stove contains 5.5% of CH 4 equivalent of HHC. ► Effect of vessel size on utilization efficiency brought out clearly. ► Contribution of radiative heat transfer from char bed to efficiency is 6%. - Abstract: The work reported here is concerned with a detailed thermochemical evaluation of the flaming mode behaviour of a gasifier based stove. Determination of the gas composition over the fuel bed, surface and gas temperatures in the gasification process constitute principal experimental features. A simple atomic balance for the gasification reaction combined with the gas composition from the experiments is used to determine the CH 4 equivalent of higher hydrocarbons and the gasification efficiency (η g ). The components of utilization efficiency, namely, gasification–combustion and heat transfer are explored. Reactive flow computational studies using the measured gas composition over the fuel bed are used to simulate the thermochemical flow field and heat transfer to the vessel; hither-to-ignored vessel size effects in the extraction of heat from the stove are established clearly. The overall flaming mode efficiency of the stove is 50–54%; the convective and radiative components of heat transfer are established to be 45–47 and 5–7% respectively. The efficiency estimates from reacting computational fluid dynamics (RCFD) compare well with experiments.

A rice husk gasifier for paddy drying

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirani, A.A.; Kalwar, S.A.; Ahmad, M.

2013-01-01

Due to energy crisis and constant increase in the price of fossil fuels, the world's trend changes to renewable sources of energy like solar, wind and biomass gasification. Substantial biomass potential is available in Pakistan in the form of agriculture or forest residue (rice straw, rice husk, cotton stalks, corn cobs, wood chips, wood saw, etc.). These can be best utilised for the production of producer gas or synthetic gas that can be used for drying of agricultural crops. The drying process is an important activity of post harvest processing for long-term storage. Rice husk is nowadays commonly used for biomass gasification and its heat content value is about 15MJ/kg. It constitutes about 30 percent of rice production. A rice husk gasifier was developed and evaluated on paddy drying at Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Tsukuba International Center (TBIC), Japan. Rice husk gasifier has following major components; husk feeding system, ash chamber, burner, centrifugal fan, drying chamber, gasifier reactor, air duct and an electric motor of 0.37kW. The average drying plenum air temperature was recorded as 45 degree C during the drying process. The paddy 'IR 28' from initial moisture content of 24% was dried up to 14% moisture content for about 3.33h consuming 3kg/h of rice husk. The efficiency was found to be 58%. The rice husk gasifier can also be used for drying the fruits and vegetables, provided that heat exchanger should be attached with it. The overall performance of rice husk gasifier was satisfactory and will be beneficial for small scale farmers, food processors and millers as well. (author)

Performance and Characteristics of a Cyclone Gasifier for Gasification of Sawdust

Science.gov (United States)

Azman Miskam, Muhamad; Zainal, Z. A.; Idroas, M. Y.

The performance and characteristics of a cyclone gasifier for gasification of sawdust has been studied and evaluated. The system applied a technique to gasify sawdust through the concept of cyclonic motion driven by air injected at atmospheric pressure. This study covers the results obtained for gasification of ground sawdust from local furniture industries with size distribution ranging from 0.25 to 1 mm. It was found that the typical wall temperature for initiating stable gasification process was about 400°C. The heating value of producer gas was about 3.9 MJ m-3 that is sufficient for stable combustion in a dual-fuel engine generator. The highest thermal output from the cyclone gasifier was 57.35 kWT. The highest value of mass conversion efficiency and enthalpy balance were 60 and 98.7%, respectively. The highest efficiency of the cyclone gasifier obtained was 73.4% and this compares well with other researchers. The study has identified the optimum operational condition for gasifying sawdust in a cyclone gasifier and made conclusions as to how the steady gasification process can be achieved.

Effect of Entrainment and Overflow Occurrences on Concentration Profile in PUREX Flow Sheet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueda, Yoshinori; Ishii, Junichi; Matsumoto, Shiro

2003-01-01

A deviation in the operational condition of a mixer settler and a centrifugal contactor causes an entrainment or an overflow, which affects the concentration profile. Although there has been no quantitative study about the effect of such abnormal flows on the concentration profile, the occurrence of such abnormal flows has been severely restricted for a PUREX flow sheet. However, the restriction of abnormal flows can be relaxed when the effect of such flows is limited within the allowable range such that the concentration of the product does not deviate from its specification. This relaxation could serve to benefit a continuous operation under a certain degree of deviation from the operational condition and a smaller design load of a solvent extractor. From this viewpoint, the relationship between the magnitude of abnormal flows and the effect of them on the process was studied quantitatively using a specially developed code in a wide range of PUREX flow sheet conditions, and the possibility of this relaxation was investigated. The results showed that the effect of the abnormal flow on the concentration in the organic outflow or aqueous raffinate was dominated by the leakage fraction under normal conditions regardless of each specific flow sheet condition. The common correlations were found between the leakage fraction of uranium and plutonium under the occurrence of abnormal flows and that under no abnormal flow for the stripping and extracting conditions, respectively. Comparing the given correlations and the usual specification of the leakage fraction of uranium and plutonium suggested that the restriction of the abnormal flows could be relaxed for a usual PUREX flow sheet

Thermochemical Equilibrium Model of Synthetic Natural Gas Production from Coal Gasification Using Aspen Plus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rolando Barrera

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The production of synthetic or substitute natural gas (SNG from coal is a process of interest in Colombia where the reserves-to-production ratio (R/P for natural gas is expected to be between 7 and 10 years, while the R/P for coal is forecasted to be around 90 years. In this work, the process to produce SNG by means of coal-entrained flow gasifiers is modeled under thermochemical equilibrium with the Gibbs free energy approach. The model was developed using a complete and comprehensive Aspen Plus model. Two typical technologies used in entrained flow gasifiers such as coal dry and coal slurry are modeled and simulated. Emphasis is put on interactions between the fuel feeding technology and selected energy output parameters of coal-SNG process, that is, energy efficiencies, power, and SNG quality. It was found that coal rank does not significantly affect energy indicators such as cold gas, process, and global efficiencies. However, feeding technology clearly has an effect on the process due to the gasifying agent. Simulations results are compared against available technical data with good accuracy. Thus, the proposed model is considered as a versatile and useful computational tool to study and optimize the coal to SNG process.

Leak detection on the DIII-D tokamak using helium entrainment techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooks, N.H.; Baxi, C.; Anderson, P.

1988-01-01

The entrainment of helium in a viscous gas flow was utilized to compartmentalize, and then to pinpoint, a leak across the inner skin of the double-walled DIII-D vacuum vessel. Inaccessible from the outside, the leak connected the cooling channels in the wall interspace with the primary vacuum chamber. By entraining helium in the pressurized flow from the single-pass gas circulation system, well-defined portions of the wall were exposed to helium without disassembly of the poorly accessible cooling manifolds. Varying the helium injection point permitted the localization of the leak to a single 30 0 toroidal sector of the vessel. The exact location of the leak was found from inside the vessel by spraying helium on suspect regions, while sweeping the contents of the cooling channels to the foreline of a Varian Contraflow leak detector with a 0.1 Pa m 3 /s flow of nitrogen. Flow speed calculations were used to predict the response time to entrained helium of the actual leak detection setup

Scaling up biomass gasifier use: an application-specific approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, Debyani; Sagar, Ambuj D.; Kishore, V.V.N.

2006-01-01

Biomass energy accounts for about 11% of the global primary energy supply, and it is estimated that about 2 billion people worldwide depend on biomass for their energy needs. Yet, most of the use of biomass is in a primitive and inefficient manner, primarily in developing countries, leading to a host of adverse implications on human health, environment, workplace conditions, and social well being. Therefore, the utilization of biomass in a clean and efficient manner to deliver modern energy services to the world's poor remains an imperative for the development community. One possible approach to do this is through the use of biomass gasifiers. Although significant efforts have been directed towards developing and deploying biomass gasifiers in many countries, scaling up their dissemination remains an elusive goal. Based on an examination of biomass gasifier development, demonstration, and deployment efforts in India-a country with more than two decades of experiences in biomass gasifier development and dissemination, this article identifies a number of barriers that have hindered widespread deployment of biomass gasifier-based energy systems. It also suggests a possible approach for moving forward, which involves a focus on specific application areas that satisfy a set of criteria that are critical to deployment of biomass gasifiers, and then tailoring the scaling up strategy to the characteristics of the user groups for that application. Our technical, financial, economic and institutional analysis suggests an initial focus on four categories of applications-small and medium enterprises, the informal sector, biomass-processing industries, and some rural areas-may be particularly feasible and fruitful

Design and techno economic evaluation of biomass gasifier for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

2Department of Renewable Energy Sources, College of Technology and Engineering, Maharana Pratap University of. Agriculture ... downdraft gasifier for industrial process heat application. The gasifier is ... generation and biofuels production, and it may be pro- ... Nomenclature: ηg, The hot gas efficiency of the gasification.

Test of pyrolysis gasifier stoves in two institutional kitchens in Uganda

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wendelbo, Pall; Nielsen, Per Sieverts

1998-01-01

: The main purpose of the paper is to evaluate tests of institutional kitchens carried out at schools in Uganda 1997. The results of the tests for the institutional kitchen with pyrolysis gasifier stoves are compared with the fuel use in traditional kitchens with three-stone stoves. The project......, respectively. The cooking place was build up with a rotating plate on which tree gasifier units were placed. In this way it was possible to change on of the gasifier units when necessary. The pot was then mounted on a tripod app. 10 cm above the gasifier units. The results of the tests show that the improved...

Advanced gasifier and water gas shift technologies for low cost coal conversion to high hydrogen syngas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kramer, Andrew Kramer [Gas Technology Inst., Des Plaines, IL (United States)

2016-09-30

The Gas Technology Institute (GTI) and team members RTI International (RTI), Coanda Research and Development, and Nexant, are developing and maturing a portfolio of technologies to meet the United States Department of Energy (DOE) goals for lowering the cost of producing high hydrogen syngas from coal for use in carbon capture power and coal-to-liquids/chemicals. This project matured an advanced pilot-scale gasifier, with scalable and commercially traceable components, to readiness for use in a first-of-a-kind commercially-relevant demonstration plant on the scale of 500-1,000 tons per day (TPD). This was accomplished through cold flow simulation of the gasifier quench zone transition region at Coanda and through an extensive hotfire gasifier test program on highly reactive coal and high ash/high ash fusion temperature coals at GTI. RTI matured an advanced water gas shift process and catalyst to readiness for testing at pilot plant scale through catalyst development and testing, and development of a preliminary design basis for a pilot scale reactor demonstrating the catalyst. A techno-economic analysis was performed by Nexant to assess the potential benefits of the gasifier and catalyst technologies in the context of power production and methanol production. This analysis showed an 18%reduction in cost of power and a 19%reduction in cost of methanol relative to DOE reference baseline cases.

Characteristics of Air Entrainment in Hydraulic Jump

Science.gov (United States)

Albarkani, M. S. S.; Tan, L. W.; Al-Gheethi, A.

2018-04-01

The characteristics of hydraulic jump, especially the air entrainment within jump is still not properly understood. Therefore, the current work aimed to determine the size and number of air entrainment formed in hydraulic jump at three different Froude numbers and to obtain the relationship between Froude number with the size and number of air entrainment in hydraulic jump. Experiments of hydraulic jump were conducted in a 10 m long and 0.3 m wide Armfield S6MKII glass-sided tilting flume. Hydraulic jumps were produced by flow under sluice gate with varying Froude number. The air entrainment of the hydraulic jump was captured with a Canon Power Shot SX40 HS digital camera in video format at 24 frames per second. Three discharges have been considered, i.e. 0.010 m3/s, 0.011 m3/s, and 0.013 m3/s. For hydraulic jump formed in each discharge, 32 frames were selected for the purpose of analysing the size and number of air entrainment in hydraulic jump. The results revealed that that there is a tendency to have greater range in sizes of air bubbles as Fr1 increases. Experiments with Fr1 = 7.547. 7.707, and 7.924 shown that the number of air bubbles increases exponentially with Fr1 at a relationship of N = 1.3814 e 0.9795Fr1.

Handbook of biomass downdraft gasifier engine systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reed, T B; Das, A

1988-03-01

This handbook has been prepared by the Solar Energy Research Institute under the US Department of Energy /bold Solar Technical Information Program/. It is intended as a guide to the design, testing, operation, and manufacture of small-scale (less than 200 kW (270 hp)) gasifiers. A great deal of the information will be useful for all levels of biomass gasification. The handbook is meant to be a practical guide to gasifier systems, and a minimum amount of space is devoted to questions of more theoretical interest.

Measurements of air entrainment by vertical plunging liquid jets

Science.gov (United States)

El Hammoumi, M.; Achard, J. L.; Davoust, L.

2002-06-01

This paper addresses the issue of the air-entrainment process by a vertical plunging liquid jet. A non-dimensional physical analysis, inspired by the literature on the stability of free jets submitted to an aerodynamic interaction, was developed and yielded two correlation equations for the laminar and the turbulent plunging jets. These correlation equations allow the volumetric flow rate of the air carryunder represented by the Weber number of entrainment We n to be predicted. The plunging jets under consideration issued from circular tubes long enough to achieve a fully developed flow at the outlet. A sensitive technique based on a rising soap meniscus was developed to measure directly the volumetric flow rate of the air carryunder. Our data are compared with other experimental data available in the literature; they also stand as a possible database for future theoretical modelling.

Measurements of air entrainment by vertical plunging liquid jets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El Hammoumi, M. [Faculte des Sciences et Techniques, Departement de Physique, Laboratoire de Mecanique Appliquee, Fes (Morocco); Achard, J.L.; Davoust, L. [Laboratoire des Ecoulements Geophysiques et Industriels (LEGI), Grenoble (France)

2002-06-01

This paper addresses the issue of the air-entrainment process by a vertical plunging liquid jet. A non-dimensional physical analysis, inspired by the literature on the stability of free jets submitted to an aerodynamic interaction, was developed and yielded two correlation equations for the laminar and the turbulent plunging jets. These correlation equations allow the volumetric flow rate of the air carryunder represented by the Weber number of entrainment We{sub n} to be predicted. The plunging jets under consideration issued from circular tubes long enough to achieve a fully developed flow at the outlet. A sensitive technique based on a rising soap meniscus was developed to measure directly the volumetric flow rate of the air carryunder. Our data are compared with other experimental data available in the literature; they also stand as a possible database for future theoretical modelling. (orig.)

DOE Coal Gasification Multi-Test Facility: fossil fuel processing technical/professional services

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hefferan, J.K.; Lee, G.Y.; Boesch, L.P.; James, R.B.; Rode, R.R.; Walters, A.B.

1979-07-13

A conceptual design, including process descriptions, heat and material balances, process flow diagrams, utility requirements, schedule, capital and operating cost estimate, and alternative design considerations, is presented for the DOE Coal Gasification Multi-Test Facility (GMTF). The GMTF, an engineering scale facility, is to provide a complete plant into which different types of gasifiers and conversion/synthesis equipment can be readily integrated for testing in an operational environment at relatively low cost. The design allows for operation of several gasifiers simultaneously at a total coal throughput of 2500 tons/day; individual gasifiers operate at up to 1200 tons/day and 600 psig using air or oxygen. Ten different test gasifiers can be in place at the facility, but only three can be operated at one time. The GMTF can produce a spectrum of saleable products, including low Btu, synthesis and pipeline gases, hydrogen (for fuel cells or hydrogasification), methanol, gasoline, diesel and fuel oils, organic chemicals, and electrical power (potentially). In 1979 dollars, the base facility requires a $288 million capital investment for common-use units, $193 million for four gasification units and four synthesis units, and $305 million for six years of operation. Critical reviews of detailed vendor designs are appended for a methanol synthesis unit, three entrained flow gasifiers, a fluidized bed gasifier, and a hydrogasifier/slag-bath gasifier.

In-duct removal of mercury from coal-fired power plant flue gas by activated carbon: assessment of entrained flow versus wall surface contributions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scala, F.; Chirone, R.; Lancia, A. [CNR, Naples (Italy). Institute for Research on Combustion

2008-12-15

In-duct mercury capture efficiency by activated carbon from coal-combustion flue gas was investigated. To this end, elemental mercury capture experiments were conducted at 100 C in a purposely designed 65-mm ID labscale pyrex apparatus operated as an entrained flow reactor. Gas residence times were varied between 0.7 and 2.0 s. Commercial-powdered activated carbon was continuously injected in the reactor and both mercury concentration and carbon elutriation rate were followed at the outlet. Transient mercury concentration profiles at the outlet showed that steady-state conditions were reached in a time interval of 15-20 min, much longer than the gas residence time in the reactor. Results indicate that the influence of the walls is non-negligible in determining the residence time of fine carbon particles in the adsorption zone, because of surface deposition and/or the establishment of a fluid-dynamic boundary layer near the walls. Total mercury capture efficiencies of 20-50% were obtained with carbon injection rates in the range 0.07-0.25 g/min. However, only a fraction of this capture was attributable to free-flowing carbon particles, a significant contribution coming from activated carbon staying near the reactor walls. Entrained bed experiments at lab-scale conditions are probably not properly representative of full-scale conditions, where the influence of wall interactions is lower. Moreover, previously reported entrained flow lab-scale mercury capture data should be reconsidered by taking into account the influence of particle-wall interactions.

Performance and emission reduction potential of micro-gasifier improved through better design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kamil Dino Adem

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Biomass gasification is getting popular for household cooking application in most developing countries including Ethiopia. The preference for biomass gasification is due to the generation of less CO (Carbon Monoxide and PM (Particulate Matter in comparison with other biomass cookstoves. Our study showed the improvement in thermal efficiency and emission reduction potential of micro-gasifier. A prototype micro-gasifier was built and tested using the water boiling test protocol. The test results gave a thermal efficiency of 39.6% and a specific fuel consumption of 57 g of fuel/ liter of water. With regard to indoor air pollution, the maximum CO & PM registered were 12.5 ppm and 1.85 mg/m3, respectively. Using clean development mechanism (CDM methodology, the estimated emission reduction potential of the micro-gasifier is 1.30 tCO2 per micro-gasifier per year. Generally, the micro-gasifier has better performance compared to the previous designs proposed by other researchers. Thus, disseminating our micro-gasifier at a larger scale in developing countries such as Ethiopia will be beneficial in reducing deforestation and emission that will be brought about by using open-fire stoves and thus, helps to obtain carbon credit.

Slagging gasifier refractories. A new pathway to longer refractory life

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schnake, Mark [Harbinson-Walker Refractories Company, Mexico, MO (United States)

2013-07-01

Solid fuel slagging gasification to convert coal or petroleum coke feedstocks into syngas has rapidly evolved over the last 25 years. The gasifier is a high temperature, high pressure reaction chamber. Operating temperatures are between 1250 and 1575 C. Pressures will be between 20.4 and 68 atm. Syngas has been typically used for chemical feedstocks, fuel for power plants, or for steam and hydrogen generation in other industrial applications. Ash which comes from the solid fuel during gasification has many impurities. It melts during the gasifier reactor operation forming a liquid that penetrates the refractory lining. Given time, the refractory will wear away from thermal spalling, structural spalling, or overheating of the refractory. In some cases, all three wear mechanisms are seen in the same gasifier lining. Industry users have identified refractory life as one major limiting factor in worldwide use of this technology. Users have stated if the refractory liner can increase on-line availability of the gasifier operation, more industry acceptance of this technology is possible. Harbison-Walker Refractories Company will review destructive factors affecting lining life and discuss new refractory materials that have dramatically increased gasifier lining life and reliability. New refractory materials will be presented and supported by field trial results and post mortem analysis.

Gasification of ‘Loose' Groundnut Shells in a Throathless Downdraft Gasifier

OpenAIRE

Kuhe, Aondoyila; Aliyu, Samuel Jacob

2015-01-01

In this paper, gasification potential of biomass residue was investigated using a laboratory scale throatless downdraft gasifier. Experimental results of groundnut shell was gasified in the throatless downdraft gasifier to produce a clean gas with a calorific value of around 5.92 MJ/Nm3 and a combustible fraction of 45% v/v. Low moisture (8.6%) and ash content (3.19%) are the main advantages of groundnut shells for gasification. It is suggested that gasification of shell waste products is a ...

Testing of downstream catalysts for tar destruction with a guard bed in a fluidised bed biomass gasifier at pilot plant scale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aznar, M.P.; Frances, E.; Campos, I.J.; Martin, J.A.; Gil, J. [Saragossa Univ. (Spain). Dept. of Chemistry and Environment Engineering; Corella, J. [Complutense Univ. of Madrid (Spain). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

1996-12-31

A new pilot plant for advanced gasification of biomass in a fast fluidised bed is now fully operative at University of Saragossa, Spain. It is a `3rd generation` pilot plant. It has been built up after having used two previous pilot plants for biomass gasification. The main characteristic of this pilot plant is that it has two catalytic reactors connected in series, downstream the biomass gasifier. Such reactors, of 4 cm i.d., are placed in a slip stream in a by-pass from the main gasifier exit gas. The gasification is made at atmospheric pressure, with flow rates of 3-50 kg/in, using steam + O{sub 2} mixtures as the gasifying agent. Several commercial Ni steam-reforming catalyst are being tested under a realistic raw gas composition. Tar eliminations or destructions higher than 99 % are easily achieved. (orig.) 2 refs.

Testing of downstream catalysts for tar destruction with a guard bed in a fluidised bed biomass gasifier at pilot plant scale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aznar, M P; Frances, E; Campos, I J; Martin, J A; Gil, J [Saragossa Univ. (Spain). Dept. of Chemistry and Environment Engineering; Corella, J [Complutense Univ. of Madrid (Spain). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

1997-12-31

A new pilot plant for advanced gasification of biomass in a fast fluidised bed is now fully operative at University of Saragossa, Spain. It is a `3rd generation` pilot plant. It has been built up after having used two previous pilot plants for biomass gasification. The main characteristic of this pilot plant is that it has two catalytic reactors connected in series, downstream the biomass gasifier. Such reactors, of 4 cm i.d., are placed in a slip stream in a by-pass from the main gasifier exit gas. The gasification is made at atmospheric pressure, with flow rates of 3-50 kg/in, using steam + O{sub 2} mixtures as the gasifying agent. Several commercial Ni steam-reforming catalyst are being tested under a realistic raw gas composition. Tar eliminations or destructions higher than 99 % are easily achieved. (orig.) 2 refs.

Entraining the Brain: Applications to Language Research and Links to Musical Entrainment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Usha Goswami

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Clayton’s paper provides a clear and accessible summary of the significance of entrainment for music making, and for human behaviour in general. He notes the central role of metrical structure in musical entrainment, the possible role of oscillatory neural activity, and the core notion of phase alignment. Here I show how these same factors are central to speech processing by the human brain. I argue that entrainment to metrical structure is core to linguistic as well as musical human behaviour. I illustrate this view using entrainment data from developmental dyslexia. The core role of entrainment in efficient speech processing suggests that language difficulties in childhood may benefit from music-based remediation that focuses on multi-modal rhythmic entrainment. Alignment of linguistic and musical metrical structure seems likely to be fundamental to successful remediation.

Noninvasive CPAP with face mask: comparison among new air-entrainment masks and the Boussignac valve.

Science.gov (United States)

Mistraletti, Giovanni; Giacomini, Matteo; Sabbatini, Giovanni; Pinciroli, Riccardo; Mantovani, Elena S; Umbrello, Michele; Palmisano, Debora; Formenti, Paolo; Destrebecq, Anne L L; Iapichino, Gaetano

2013-02-01

The performances of 2 noninvasive CPAP systems (high flow and low flow air-entrainment masks) were compared to the Boussignac valve in 3 different scenarios. Scenario 1: pneumatic lung simulator with a tachypnea pattern (tidal volume 800 mL at 40 breaths/min). Scenario 2: Ten healthy subjects studied during tidal breaths and tachypnea. Scenario 3: Twenty ICU subjects enrolled for a noninvasive CPAP session. Differences between set and effective CPAP level and F(IO(2)), as well as the lowest airway pressure and the pressure swing around the imposed CPAP level, were analyzed. The lowest airway pressure and swing were correlated to the pressure-time product (area of the airway pressure curve below the CPAP level) measured with the simulator. P(aO(2)) was a subject's further performance index. Lung simulator: Boussignac F(IO(2)) was 0.54, even if supplied with pure oxygen. The air-entrainment masks had higher swing than the Boussignac (P = .007). Pressure-time product correlated better with pressure swing (Spearman correlation coefficient [ρ] = 0.97) than with lowest airway pressure (ρ = 0.92). In healthy subjects, the high-flow air-entrainment mask showed lower difference between set and effective F(IO(2)) (P mask had lower swing than the Boussignac valve (P = .03) with similar P(aO(2)) increase. High-flow air-entrainment mask showed the best performance in human subjects. During high flow demand, the Boussignac valve delivered lower than expected F(IO(2)) and showed higher dynamic hyper-pressurization than the air-entrainment masks. © 2013 Daedalus Enterprises.

A moving-bed gasifier with internal recycle of pyrolysis gas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Susanto, H.; Beenackers, A.A C M

A co-current moving bed gasifier with internal recycle and separate combustion of pyrolysis gas has been developed with the aim of producing a design suitable for scaling-up downdraft gasifiers while maintaining a low tar content in the producer gas. Using wood chips with a moisture content of 7-9

Supercavitating flow around high-speed underwater projectile near free surface induced by air entrainment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chang Xu

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Cavitating flow near free surface is a complicated issue and may provide new inspiration on high-speed surface cruising. This study observes stable supercavitating flow as a new phenomenon in a launch experiment of axisymmetric projectile when the upper side of the projectile coincides with the free surface. A numerical approach is established using large eddy-simulation and volume-of-fluid methods, and good agreements are achieved between numerical and experimental results. Supercavity formation mechanism is revealed by analyzing the experiment photographs and the iso-surface of 90% water volume fraction in numerical results. The entrainment of a large amount of air into the cavity can cause the pressure inside the cavity to similarly increase with the pressure outside the cavity, which makes the actual cavitation number close to zero and is similar to supercavitation. Cases with various headforms of the projectile and cavitation numbers on the cavitating flow, as well as the drag reduction effects are further examined. Results indicate that the present strategy near the free surface could possibly be a new effective approach for high-speed cruising after vigorous design optimization in the future.

Entrainment and mixing in lock-exchange gravity currents using simultaneous velocity-density measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Balasubramanian, Sridhar; Zhong, Qiang

2018-05-01

Gravity currents modify their flow characteristics by entraining ambient fluid, which depends on a variety of governing parameters such as the initial density, Δρ, the total initial height of the fluid, H, and the slope of the terrain, α, from where it is released. It is imperative to study the entrainment dynamics of a gravity current in order to have a clear understanding of mixing transitions that govern the flow physics, the velocity mixing layer thickness, δu, and the density mixing layer thickness, δρ. Experiments were conducted in a lock-exchange facility in which the dense fluid was separated from the ambient lighter fluid using a gate. As the gate is released instantaneously, an energy conserving gravity current is formed, for which the only governing parameter is the Reynolds number defined as R e =U/h ν , where U is the front velocity of the gravity current and h is the height of the current. In our study, the bulk Richardson number (inverse of Froude number, Fr), Rib = g/'H Ub2 = 1, takes a constant value for all the experiments, with Ub being the bulk velocity of the current defined as Ub = √{g'H }. Simultaneous particle image velocimetry and planar laser induced fluorescence measurement techniques are employed to get the velocity and density statistics. Using the buoyancy conservation equation, a new flux-based method was formulated for calculating the entrainment coefficient, EF, near the front and head of the propagating gravity current for a Reynolds number range of Re ≈ 485-12 270 used in our experiments. At the head of the current, the results show a mixing transition at Re ≈ 2700 that is attributed to the flow transitioning from weak Holmboe waves to Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, in the form of Kelvin-Helmholtz vortex rolls. Following this mixing transition, the entrainment coefficient continued to increase with increasing Reynolds number owing to the occurrence of three-dimensional Kelvin-Helmholtz billows that promote further

Impact of entrainment and impingement on fish populations in the Hudson River estuary. Volume I. Entrainment-impact estimates for six fish populations inhabiting the Hudson River estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boreman, J.; Barnthouse, L.W.; Vaughn, D.S.; Goodyear, C.P.; Christensen, S.W.; Kumar, K.D.; Kirk, B.L.; Van Winkle, W.

1982-01-01

This volume is concerned with the estimation of the direct (or annual) entrainment impact of power plants on populations of striped bass, white perch, Alosa spp. (blueback herring and alewife), American shad, Atlantic tomcod, and bay anchovy in the Hudson River estuary. Entrainment impact results from the killing of fish eggs, larvae, and young juveniles that are contained in the cooling water cycled through a power plant. An Empirical Transport Model (ETM) is presented as the means of estimating a conditional entrainment mortality rate (defined as the fraction of a year class which would be killed due to entrainment in the absence of any other source of mortality). Most of this volume is concerned with the estimation of several parameters required by the ETM: physical input parameters (e.g., power-plant withdrawal flow rates); the longitudinal distribution of ichthyoplankton in time and space; the duration of susceptibility of the vulnerable organisms; the W-factors, which express the ratios of densities of organisms in power plant intakes to densities of organisms in the river; and the entrainment mortality factors (f-factors), which express the probability that an organism will be killed if it is entrained. Once these values are obtained, the ETM is used to estimate entrainment impact for both historical and projected conditions

Artificial neural network models for biomass gasification in fluidized bed gasifiers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Puig Arnavat, Maria; Hernández, J. Alfredo; Bruno, Joan Carles

2013-01-01

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) have been applied for modeling biomass gasification process in fluidized bed reactors. Two architectures of ANNs models are presented; one for circulating fluidized bed gasifiers (CFB) and the other for bubbling fluidized bed gasifiers (BFB). Both models determine...

Emission characterization for a down draft gasifier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alves, Charles Denys da Luz; Nogueira, Manoel Fernandes Martins [Federal University of Para (UFPA), Belem, PA (Brazil). Lab. de Engenharia Mecanica], E-mail: mfmn@ufpa.br

2010-07-01

Gasification is the thermal-chemical conversion of biomass into combustible gas, which can be used as combustion fuel in internal combustion motors or syngas with applications across the chemical industry. To check the performance of a gasifier one needs to quantify the contained energy in the produced gas as well as the quantity of produced carbon for the calculation of mean energy efficiency and the carbon conversion factor of the gas using experimentally obtained data. Energy efficiency is quantified value that describes the relationship between the respective quantities of energy contained in the biomass used and the gas produced, in the same sense, the carbon conversion is a quantity of carbonaceous compounds present in used biomass and the amount of carbon in the produced gas. The present document evaluates the energy efficiency and the carbon conversion factor of a prototype model of a downdraft gasifier from India that was modified by a local company. The nominal parameters of the gasifier's function are as follows: gas production capacity running on 45 kW, biomass consumption (acai seeds) of 15 kg/h. The gasifier dimensions are as follows: diameter of 150 mm and height of 2000 mm. The energy efficiency and the carbon conversion rate are quantified, the pressure loss due to the bed reactor and the temperature of the gases are also measured at the reactor exit; the tar, particle composite and non-condensable gas (CO, CO{sub 2}, CH{sub 4}, SO{sub 2}, N{sub 2} e NO{sub x}) concentrations were measured in the produced gas at the cleaning process. (author)

Entrainment and deposition studies in two-phase cross flow: comparison between air-water and steam-water in a square horizontal duct. Technical report (final)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berryman, R.J.; Ralph, J.C.; Wade, C.D.

1981-03-01

Air-water simulation studies of two phase steam water flow relevant to the upper plenum of a PWR during reflood situations have recently been undertaken at Harwell for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. In order to give confidence that the simulation fluids were capable of modelling the important features of the actual system, a relatively basic comparison experiment has been carried out. Water entrainment and deposition tests have been carried out on a pair of 2.5 cm diameter vertical rods mounted in a cross flow of steam or air in a 10.2 cm x 10.2 cm tunnel. The air and steam systems exhibited similar characteristics to one another. A 'critical' film flowrate was identified for the rods which, once reached, either by injection through the sinters or by entrainment from the main two phase stream, was not exceeded with further water addition. The 'critical' film flowrate decreased with increase of cross flow velocity and was lower for air than steam at the same velocity. The results from the air and steam tests were found to be reasonably well correlated on the basis of the cross flow momentum flux of the air or steam

Design, scale-up, Six Sigma in processing different feedstocks in a fixed bed downdraft biomass gasifier

Science.gov (United States)

Boravelli, Sai Chandra Teja

This thesis mainly focuses on design and process development of a downdraft biomass gasification processes. The objective is to develop a gasifier and process of gasification for a continuous steady state process. A lab scale downdraft gasifier was designed to develop the process and obtain optimum operating procedure. Sustainable and dependable sources such as biomass are potential sources of renewable energy and have a reasonable motivation to be used in developing a small scale energy production plant for countries such as Canada where wood stocks are more reliable sources than fossil fuels. This thesis addresses the process of thermal conversion of biomass gasification process in a downdraft reactor. Downdraft biomass gasifiers are relatively cheap and easy to operate because of their design. We constructed a simple biomass gasifier to study the steady state process for different sizes of the reactor. The experimental part of this investigation look at how operating conditions such as feed rate, air flow, the length of the bed, the vibration of the reactor, height and density of syngas flame in combustion flare changes for different sizes of the reactor. These experimental results also compare the trends of tar, char and syngas production for wood pellets in a steady state process. This study also includes biomass gasification process for different wood feedstocks. It compares how shape, size and moisture content of different feedstocks makes a difference in operating conditions for the gasification process. For this, Six Sigma DMAIC techniques were used to analyze and understand how each feedstock makes a significant impact on the process.

Drop size measurements and entrainment in APR1400 during LBLOCA reflood phase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Eo Hwak

2010-02-15

A study has been performed to investigate droplet size in the nuclear reactor of APR1400 during LBLOCA reflood phase and to develop droplet entrainment and deposition models for SPACE (Safety and Performance CodE) which is a safety analysis tool for PWR being developed in Korea. A freezing technique for measuring the size of droplets was developed to obtain the droplet size distribution in horizontal annular flow in a pipe with a 37.1 mm diameter. Droplets are frozen by using an extremely low temperature nitrogen gas with liquid film extraction. They are then photographed with a microscope and a CCD camera and measured by means of an image process. The results are compared with various experimental data. The droplet sizes measured by the freezing technique are comparable with those measured by other methods at a high superficial air velocity (of 50 m/s). However, because of the film extraction problem, the droplet sizes measured at a low superficial air velocity of less than 40 m/s are higher than those measured by other methods. A present method suggested for predicting the Sauter mean diameter is based on the maximum droplet size correlation for the experimental data, with and without liquid film extraction. The average droplet size is remarkably smaller downstream of the liquid film extractor because large droplets from the liquid film are excluded. In order to understand and to predict a heat transfer between superheated steam and droplets properly during reflood phase of LBLOCA, it is very important to measure broken droplet sizes by spacer grids. A study, therefore, has been performed to investigate droplet size in rod bundles with spacer grids and to develop a spacer grid droplet breakup model for safety analysis codes. Experiments were conducted with liquid droplets (SMD of 300∼700 μm) and various spacer grids at superficial air velocity of 10 m/s and 20 m/s based on FLECHT SEASET. The test channel and the grids were heated to 150 .deg. C to prevent

Drop size measurements and entrainment in APR1400 during LBLOCA reflood phase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Eo Hwak

2010-02-01

A study has been performed to investigate droplet size in the nuclear reactor of APR1400 during LBLOCA reflood phase and to develop droplet entrainment and deposition models for SPACE (Safety and Performance CodE) which is a safety analysis tool for PWR being developed in Korea. A freezing technique for measuring the size of droplets was developed to obtain the droplet size distribution in horizontal annular flow in a pipe with a 37.1 mm diameter. Droplets are frozen by using an extremely low temperature nitrogen gas with liquid film extraction. They are then photographed with a microscope and a CCD camera and measured by means of an image process. The results are compared with various experimental data. The droplet sizes measured by the freezing technique are comparable with those measured by other methods at a high superficial air velocity (of 50 m/s). However, because of the film extraction problem, the droplet sizes measured at a low superficial air velocity of less than 40 m/s are higher than those measured by other methods. A present method suggested for predicting the Sauter mean diameter is based on the maximum droplet size correlation for the experimental data, with and without liquid film extraction. The average droplet size is remarkably smaller downstream of the liquid film extractor because large droplets from the liquid film are excluded. In order to understand and to predict a heat transfer between superheated steam and droplets properly during reflood phase of LBLOCA, it is very important to measure broken droplet sizes by spacer grids. A study, therefore, has been performed to investigate droplet size in rod bundles with spacer grids and to develop a spacer grid droplet breakup model for safety analysis codes. Experiments were conducted with liquid droplets (SMD of 300∼700 μm) and various spacer grids at superficial air velocity of 10 m/s and 20 m/s based on FLECHT SEASET. The test channel and the grids were heated to 150 .deg. C to prevent

Entrainment of droplets during the reflood phase of a LOCA and the influence of the channel geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

van der Molen, S.B.; Galjee, F.W.B.M.

1979-01-01

This paper describes the different reflood phenomena and the most relevant appearing two phase flow patterns such as the inverted annular, the annular and dispersed flow regimes and the transition between the different regimes. From high speed films it is clear that the onset of entrainment in case of the liquid column type quench mode occurs simultaneously with the transition of churn flow to a dispersed flow whereas in case of the dryout type quench mode with an annular flow at the quench front, the onset of entrainment is caused by the interaction of the vapor flow on the liquid film flow. 14 refs

Gasification of ‘Loose’ Groundnut Shells in a Throathless Downdraft Gasifier

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aondoyila Kuhe

2015-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper, gasification potential of biomass residue was investigated using a laboratory scale throatless downdraft gasifier. Experimental results of groundnut shell was gasified in the throatless downdraft gasifier to produce a clean gas with a calorific value of around 5.92 MJ/Nm3 and a combustible fraction of 45% v/v. Low moisture (8.6% and ash content (3.19% are the main advantages of groundnut shells for gasification. It is suggested that gasification of shell waste products is a clean energy alternative to fossil fuels. The product gas can be used efficiently for heating and possible usage in internal combustion engines.

A Philippines gasifier case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernardo, F.P.; Kilayko, G.U.

1991-01-01

The gasifier programme failed to achieve its objective of significantly reducing farmers' dependence on diesel fuel and in improving their financial positions both on Panay Island and elsewhere in the Philippines. The causes appear to be institutional and managerial rather than any inherent weakness in the technology itself. 2 tabs

The BGL coal gasification process - development status, operational experience and potential applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williams, A.R.; Brown, D.J.; H. Hirschfelder [Advantica Technologies Ltd., Loughborough (United Kingdom)

2006-07-01

The BGL gasifier's fixed bed mode of operation makes for significant operational differences to the various entrained flow bed gasification processes currently available, whilst the slagging lower half offers considerable advantages over older processes in terms of efficiency and steam usage. This paper reviews operating experience of the BGL process on a variety of feedstocks and presents economic and technical assessments of the application of the BGL gasifier for IGCC, Syngas and SNG applications under current market conditions. Finally there a survey of the status of new BGL gasification projects and the scope of the current BGL technology is offering. 2 figs., 3 tabs., 2 photos.

Tunable Diode Laser Sensors to Monitor Temperature and Gas Composition in High-Temperature Coal Gasifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hanson, Ronald [Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Whitty, Kevin [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

2014-12-01

The integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) when combined with carbon capture and storage can be one of the cleanest methods of extracting energy from coal. Control of coal and biomass gasification processes to accommodate the changing character of input-fuel streams is required for practical implementation of integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) technologies. Therefore a fast time-response sensor is needed for real-time monitoring of the composition and ideally the heating value of the synthesis gas (here called syngas) as it exits the gasifier. The goal of this project was the design, construction, and demonstration an in situ laserabsorption sensor to monitor multiple species in the syngas output from practical-scale coal gasifiers. This project investigated the hypothesis of using laser absorption sensing in particulateladen syngas. Absorption transitions were selected with design rules to optimize signal strength while minimizing interference from other species. Successful in situ measurements in the dusty, high-pressure syngas flow were enabled by Stanford’s normalized and scanned wavelength modulation strategy. A prototype sensor for CO, CH4, CO2, and H2O was refined with experiments conducted in the laboratory at Stanford University, a pilot-scale at the University of Utah, and an engineering-scale gasifier at DoE’s National Center for Carbon Capture with the demonstration of a prototype sensor with technical readiness level 6 in the 2014 measurement campaign.

Effect of Colombian coal rank and its feeding technology on substitute natural gas production by entrained gasification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Fernando Pérez-Bayer

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of coal rank (from sub-bituminous to semi-anthracite and type of fuel feeding technology (slurry and dry on the production of substitute natural gas (SNG in entrained flow gasifiers is studied. Ten coals from important Colombian mines were selected. The process is modeled under thermochemical equilibrium using Aspen Plus, and its performance is evaluated in function of output parameters that include SNG heating value, Wobbe index, coal conversion efficiency, cold gas efficiency, process efficiency, global efficiency, and SNG production rate, among others. In descending order, the coal-to-SNG process improves energetically with the use of coals with: higher volatile-matter to fixed-carbon ratio, lower ash content, higher C+H/O ratio, and higher coal heating value. The overall energy efficiency of the slurry-feed technology (S-FT to produce SNG by gasification is 17% higher than the dry-feed technology (D-FT, possibly as a consequence of the higher CH4 concentration in the syngas (around 7 vol. % when the coal is fed as aqueous slurry. As the simulated SNG meets the natural gas (NG quality standards in Colombia, the substitute gaseous fuel could be directly transported through pipelines. Therefore, the coal-to-SNG process is a technically feasible and unconventional alternative for NG production.

Entrainment separator performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

First, M.W.; Leith, D.

1976-01-01

Clean and dust-loaded ACS entrainment separators mounted upstream of HEPA filters were exposed to a combination of fine water mist and steam at about 70 0 C from one to four hours. In every trial, the ACS entrainment separator prevented measurable deterioration of performance in the following HEPA filter. Droplet size-efficiency evaluation of the ACS entrainment separators showed that, within the accuracy of the measurements, they meet all service requirements and are fully equal to the best separator units available for service on pressurized water reactors

Flash pyrolysis of agricultural residues using a plasma heated laminar entrained flow reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiu Shuangning; Yi Weiming; Li Baoming

2005-01-01

In order to study the volatilization characteristics of biomass particles at flash heating rates, a plasma heated laminar entrained flow reactor (PHLEFR) was designed and built in our lab. Two agricultural residues, wheat straw and corn stalk, were chosen as feedstock for pyrolysis which were conducted on the PHLEFR with the aim of determining the extent of thermal decomposition at high heating rate (more than 10 4o Cs -1 ). Based on the experimental data, a first order kinetic model was introduced and the relevant kinetic parameters (apparent active energy and apparent frequency factor) were determined for the two straws: E=31.51kJmol -1 , A=1028s -1 (wheat straw) and E=33.74kJmol -1 , A=1013s -1 (corn stalk). The predicted conversion of the fitted model to the experimental data provided general agreements when one considered the experimental errors

Catalytic Combustion of Gasified Waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kusar, Henrik

2003-09-01

This thesis concerns catalytic combustion for gas turbine application using a low heating-value (LHV) gas, derived from gasified waste. The main research in catalytic combustion focuses on methane as fuel, but an increasing interest is directed towards catalytic combustion of LHV fuels. This thesis shows that it is possible to catalytically combust a LHV gas and to oxidize fuel-bound nitrogen (NH{sub 3}) directly into N{sub 2} without forming NO{sub x} The first part of the thesis gives a background to the system. It defines waste, shortly describes gasification and more thoroughly catalytic combustion. The second part of the present thesis, paper I, concerns the development and testing of potential catalysts for catalytic combustion of LHV gases. The objective of this work was to investigate the possibility to use a stable metal oxide instead of noble metals as ignition catalyst and at the same time reduce the formation of NO{sub x} In paper II pilot-scale tests were carried out to prove the potential of catalytic combustion using real gasified waste and to compare with the results obtained in laboratory scale using a synthetic gas simulating gasified waste. In paper III, selective catalytic oxidation for decreasing the NO{sub x} formation from fuel-bound nitrogen was examined using two different approaches: fuel-lean and fuel-rich conditions. Finally, the last part of the thesis deals with deactivation of catalysts. The various deactivation processes which may affect high-temperature catalytic combustion are reviewed in paper IV. In paper V the poisoning effect of low amounts of sulfur was studied; various metal oxides as well as supported palladium and platinum catalysts were used as catalysts for combustion of a synthetic gas. In conclusion, with the results obtained in this thesis it would be possible to compose a working catalytic system for gas turbine application using a LHV gas.

Electrification of particulate entrained fluid flows—Mechanisms, applications, and numerical methodology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wei, Wei [School of Energy and Power Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430063 (China); School of Human Settlements and Civil Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710049 (China); Gu, Zhaolin, E-mail: guzhaoln@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [School of Human Settlements and Civil Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710049 (China)

2015-10-28

Particulates in natural and industrial flows have two basic forms: liquid (droplet) and solid (particle). Droplets would be charged in the presence of the applied electric field (e.g. electrospray). Similar to the droplet charging, particles can also be charged under the external electric field (e.g. electrostatic precipitator), while in the absence of external electric field, tribo-electrostatic charging is almost unavoidable in gas–solid two-phase flows due to the consecutive particle contacts (e.g. electrostatic in fluidized bed or wind-blown sand). The particle charging may be beneficial, or detrimental. Although electrostatics in particulate entrained fluid flow systems have been so widely used and concerned, the mechanisms of particulate charging are still lack of a thorough understanding. The motivation of this review is to explore a clear understanding of particulate charging and movement of charged particulate in two-phase flows, by summarizing the electrification mechanisms, physical models of particulate charging, and methods of charging/charged particulate entrained fluid flow simulations. Two effective methods can make droplets charged in industrial applications: corona charging and induction charging. The droplet charge to mass ratio by corona charging is more than induction discharge. The particle charging through collisions could be attributed to electron transfer, ion transfer, material transfer, and/or aqueous ion shift on particle surfaces. The charges on charged particulate surface can be measured, nevertheless, the charging process in nature or industry is difficult to monitor. The simulation method might build a bridge of investigating from the charging process to finally charged state on particulate surface in particulate entrained fluid flows. The methodology combining the interface tracking under the action of the applied electric with the fluid flow governing equations is applicable to the study of electrohydrodynamics problems. The

Electrification of particulate entrained fluid flows—Mechanisms, applications, and numerical methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Wei; Gu, Zhaolin

2015-01-01

Particulates in natural and industrial flows have two basic forms: liquid (droplet) and solid (particle). Droplets would be charged in the presence of the applied electric field (e.g. electrospray). Similar to the droplet charging, particles can also be charged under the external electric field (e.g. electrostatic precipitator), while in the absence of external electric field, tribo-electrostatic charging is almost unavoidable in gas–solid two-phase flows due to the consecutive particle contacts (e.g. electrostatic in fluidized bed or wind-blown sand). The particle charging may be beneficial, or detrimental. Although electrostatics in particulate entrained fluid flow systems have been so widely used and concerned, the mechanisms of particulate charging are still lack of a thorough understanding. The motivation of this review is to explore a clear understanding of particulate charging and movement of charged particulate in two-phase flows, by summarizing the electrification mechanisms, physical models of particulate charging, and methods of charging/charged particulate entrained fluid flow simulations. Two effective methods can make droplets charged in industrial applications: corona charging and induction charging. The droplet charge to mass ratio by corona charging is more than induction discharge. The particle charging through collisions could be attributed to electron transfer, ion transfer, material transfer, and/or aqueous ion shift on particle surfaces. The charges on charged particulate surface can be measured, nevertheless, the charging process in nature or industry is difficult to monitor. The simulation method might build a bridge of investigating from the charging process to finally charged state on particulate surface in particulate entrained fluid flows. The methodology combining the interface tracking under the action of the applied electric with the fluid flow governing equations is applicable to the study of electrohydrodynamics problems. The

Sampling/classification of gasifier particulates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wegrzyn, J.

1984-01-01

A high temperature and pressure real time extractive sampling probe for particulate monitoring was built at Brookhaven National Laboratory and tested on Morgantown Energy Technology Center's 42 inch fixed bed gasifier. The probe was specifically designed for the conditions of highly loaded particulate and condensable streams, that exist at the outlet of a fixed bed gasifier. Some of the salient features of the probe are: porous tube gas injection, aerodynamic particle classification in the presence of condensable vapors, β gauge particle detection, and micro processor control. Three of the key design problems were the separation of the particles from the vapor without promoting condensation, the prevention of plugging, and real time monitoring. Some plugging did occur over the seven day sampling period, but by over pressurizing and back purging the clog was blown back into the process stream. The tests validate the proof of concept of the sampling probe and indicated that the particulate output from the bed came in the form of bursts (several minutes in duration) rather than in the form of a steady stream

Entrainer selection for the synthesis of fatty acid esters by entrainer-based reactive distillation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jong, de M.C.; Zondervan, E.; Dimian, A.C.; Haan, de A.B.

2010-01-01

In this research it is demonstrated that, due to the similarities between Entrainer-based Reactive Distillation and azeotropic distillation, the same selection rules can be applied to select a suitable entrainer. From a list of suitable entrainers for the azeotropic distillation of isopropanol and

PTV analysis of the entrained air into the diesel spray at high-pressure injection

Science.gov (United States)

Toda, Naoki; Yamashita, Hayato; Mashida, Makoto

2014-08-01

In order to clarify the effect of high-pressure injection on soot reduction in terms of the air entrainment into spray, the air flow surrounding the spray and set-off length indicating the distance from the nozzle tip to the flame region in diffusion diesel combustion were investigated using 300MPa injection of a multi-hole injector. The measurement of the air entrainment flow was carried out at non-evaporating condition using consecutive PTV (particle tracking velocimetry) method with a high-speed camera and a high-frequency pulse YAG laser. The set-off length was measured at highpressure and high-temperature using the combustion bomb of constant volume and optical system of shadow graph method. And the amount of air entrainment into spray until reaching set-off length in diffusion combustion was studied as a factor of soot formation.

Application of a validated gasification model to determine the impact of coal particle grinding size on carbon conversion

KAUST Repository

Kumar, Mayank; Ghoniem, Ahmed F.

2013-01-01

In this paper, we describe the implementation of a comprehensive, previously validated multiscale model of entrained flow gasification to examine the impact of particle size on the gasification process in two different gasifier designs; the MHI and the GE gasifier. We show that the impact of the particle size depends on whether the char conversion process is kinetically limited or boundary layer diffusion-limited. Fine grinding helps accelerate char conversion under diffusion-control conditions, whereas the impact is not as noticeable under kinetic-control operation. The availability of particular gasification agents, namely O2 in the earlier sections of the gasifier or CO2 and H2O in the latter sections, as well as the temperature, are shown to have an impact on the relative importance of kinetics versus diffusion limitation. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of a validated gasification model to determine the impact of coal particle grinding size on carbon conversion

KAUST Repository

Kumar, Mayank

2013-06-01

In this paper, we describe the implementation of a comprehensive, previously validated multiscale model of entrained flow gasification to examine the impact of particle size on the gasification process in two different gasifier designs; the MHI and the GE gasifier. We show that the impact of the particle size depends on whether the char conversion process is kinetically limited or boundary layer diffusion-limited. Fine grinding helps accelerate char conversion under diffusion-control conditions, whereas the impact is not as noticeable under kinetic-control operation. The availability of particular gasification agents, namely O2 in the earlier sections of the gasifier or CO2 and H2O in the latter sections, as well as the temperature, are shown to have an impact on the relative importance of kinetics versus diffusion limitation. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Method for enhancing the desulfurization of hot coal gas in a fluid-bed coal gasifier

Science.gov (United States)

Grindley, Thomas

1989-01-01

A process and apparatus for providing additional desulfurization of the hot gas produced in a fluid-bed coal gasifier, within the gasifier. A fluid-bed of iron oxide is located inside the gasifier above the gasification bed in a fluid-bed coal gasifier in which in-bed desulfurization by lime/limestone takes place. The product gases leave the gasification bed typically at 1600.degree. to 1800.degree. F. and are partially quenched with water to 1000.degree. to 1200.degree. F. before entering the iron oxide bed. The iron oxide bed provides additional desulfurization beyond that provided by the lime/limestone.

Pyrolysis of Pinus pinaster in a two-stage gasifier: Influence of processing parameters and thermal cracking of tar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fassinou, Wanignon Ferdinand; Toure, Siaka [Laboratoire d' Energie Solaire-UFR-S.S.M.T. Universite de Cocody, 22BP582 Abidjan 22 (Ivory Coast); Van de Steene, Laurent; Volle, Ghislaine; Girard, Philippe [CIRAD-Foret, TA 10/16, 73, avenue J.-F. Breton, 34398 Montpellier, Cedex 5 (France)

2009-01-15

A new two-stage gasifier with fixed-bed has recently been installed on CIRAD facilities in Montpellier. The pyrolysis and the gasifier units are removable. In order to characterise the pyrolysis products before their gasification, experiments were carried out, for the first time only with the pyrolysis unit and this paper deals with the results obtained. The biomass used is Pinus pinaster. The parameters investigated are: temperature, residence time and biomass flow rate. It has been found that increasing temperature and residence time improve the cracking of tars, gas production and char quality (fixed carbon rate more than 90%, volatile matter rate less than 4%). The increase of biomass flow rate leads to a bad char quality. The efficiency of tar cracking, the quality and the heating value of the charcoal and the gases, indicate that: temperature between 650 C and 750 C, residence time of 30 min, biomass flow rate between 10 and 15 kg/h should be the most convenient experimental conditions to get better results from the experimental device and from the biomass pyrolysis process. The kinetic study of charcoal generation shows that the pyrolysis process, in experimental conditions, is a first-order reaction. The kinetic parameters calculated are comparable with those found by other researchers. (author)

Modelling of a downdraft gasifier fed by agricultural residues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antonopoulos, I.-S.; Karagiannidis, A.; Gkouletsos, A.; Perkoulidis, G.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Development of software for downdraft gasification simulation. ► Prediction of the syngas concentration. ► Prediction of the syngas heating value. ► Investigation of the temperature effect in reduction zone in syngas concentration. - Abstract: A non-stoichiometric model for a downdraft gasifier was developed in order to simulate the overall gasification process. Mass and energy balances of the gasifier were calculated and the composition of produced syngas was predicted. The capacity of the modeled gasifier was assumed to be 0.5 MW, with an Equivalence Ratio (EQ) of 0.45. The model incorporates the chemical reactions and species involved, while it starts by selecting all species containing C, H, and O, or any other dominant elements. Olive wood, miscanthus and cardoon were tested in the formulated model for a temperature range of 800–1200 °C, in order to examine the syngas composition and the moisture impact on the supplied fuel. Model results were then used in order to design an olive wood gasification reactor.

The R.D.F. gasifier of Florentine area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barducci, G. [Studio Tecnico di Ingegneria Ambientale, Firenze (Italy)

1993-12-31

L.E.G. (Low Energy Gas) from large biomass gasification plants, to be used as a fuel for electricity production, is a suitable means for adding value -- from an energetic point of view -- to the R.D.F. (Refuse Derived Fuel) and to the agricultural and forestry residues. R.D.F. can be converted to a clean gas turbine fuel by gasification that consists in a partial combustion with oxygen or air and steam. In that sense it seems worthwhile to analyze the capacity of a gasifier such as the Greve in Chianti`s recirculating fluidized bed gasifier. The world`s first full-scale R.D.F. gasification plant has been designed in Florence; it is now realized in Greve in Chianti and, at the moment, is starting the industrial management. The plant is designed to gasify 200 t/d of pelletized R.D.F. producing about 17.000/19.000 Nmc/h of low energy gas (LEG) with a net calorific value (NCV) of about 5 MJ/Nmc and a total energy content (at the outlet of the gasifiers) of about 7.5 MJ/Nmc. The produced LEG will be partly burned on site for power production while partly will be cooled, dedusted and transported to the kiln of the adjacent cement factory. The design idea of R.D.F. gasification starts from field of waste treatment and recycling and develops new, advanced technical and economical sinergy with the field of industrial production and electric power generation. The gasification of fuels derived from selected wastes (and/or industrial refuse) and the exploitation of the lean gas produced is the most advanced point in the development of heat conversion processes.

Optimizing the Entrainment Geometry of a Dry Powder Inhaler: Methodology and Preliminary Results.

Science.gov (United States)

Kopsch, Thomas; Murnane, Darragh; Symons, Digby

2016-11-01

For passive dry powder inhalers (DPIs) entrainment and emission of the aerosolized drug dose depends strongly on device geometry and the patient's inhalation manoeuvre. We propose a computational method for optimizing the entrainment part of a DPI. The approach assumes that the pulmonary delivery location of aerosol can be determined by the timing of dose emission into the tidal airstream. An optimization algorithm was used to iteratively perform computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations of the drug emission of a DPI. The algorithm seeks to improve performance by changing the device geometry. Objectives were to achieve drug emission that was: A) independent of inhalation manoeuvre; B) similar to a target profile. The simulations used complete inhalation flow-rate profiles generated dependent on the device resistance. The CFD solver was OpenFOAM with drug/air flow simulated by the Eulerian-Eulerian method. To demonstrate the method, a 2D geometry was optimized for inhalation independence (comparing two breath profiles) and an early-bolus delivery. Entrainment was both shear-driven and gas-assisted. Optimization for a delay in the bolus delivery was not possible with the chosen geometry. Computational optimization of a DPI geometry for most similar drug delivery has been accomplished for an example entrainment geometry.

An applied model for the height of the daytime mixed layer and the entrainment zone

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Batchvarova, E.; Gryning, Sven-Erik

1994-01-01

A model is presented for the height of the mixed layer and the depth of the entrainment zone under near-neutral and unstable atmospheric conditions. It is based on the zero-order mixed layer height model of Batchvarova and Gryning (1991) and the parameterization of the entrainment zone depth......-layer height: friction velocity, kinematic heat flux near the ground and potential temperature gradient in the free atmosphere above the entrainment zone. When information is available on the horizontal divergence of the large-scale flow field, the model also takes into account the effect of subsidence...

An update on field test results for an engineered refractory for slagging gasifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dogan, O.N.; Alman, D.E.; Jablonski, P.D.; Hawk, J.A.

2006-05-01

The widespread commercial adaptation of slagging gasifier technology to produce power, fuel, and/or chemicals from coal will depend in large measure on the technology’s ability to prove itself both economic and reliable. Improvements in gasifier reliability, availability, and maintainability will in part depend on the development of improved performance structural materials with longer service life in this application. Current generation refractory materials used to line the air-cooled, slagging gasifier vessel, and contain the gasification reaction, often last no more than three to 18 months in commercial applications. The downtime required for tear-out and replacement of these critical materials contributes to gasifier on-line availabilities that fall short of targeted goals. In this talk we will discuss the development of an improved refractory material engineered by the NETL for longer service life in this application, and provide an update on recent field test results.

High Performance Gasification with the Two-Stage Gasifier

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gøbel, Benny; Hindsgaul, Claus; Henriksen, Ulrik Birk

2002-01-01

, air preheating and pyrolysis, hereby very high energy efficiencies can be achieved. Encouraging results are obtained at a 100 kWth laboratory facility. The tar content in the raw gas is measured to be below 25 mg/Nm3 and around 5 mg/Nm3 after gas cleaning with traditional baghouse filter. Furthermore...... a cold gas efficiency exceeding 90% is obtained. In the original design of the two-stage gasification process, the pyrolysis unit consists of a screw conveyor with external heating, and the char unit is a fixed bed gasifier. This design is well proven during more than 1000 hours of testing with various...... fuels, and is a suitable design for medium size gasifiers....

Simulation of the biomass updraft gasifier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teislev, B.

2006-07-15

A consistent (steady state, one-dimensional) mathematical model for a biomass updraft gasifier has been developed based on mass- and energy balances and assuming ideal mixtures of gases and solids. The gases considered are 0{sub 2}, N{sub 2}, H{sub 2}O, CO{sub 2}, H{sub 2}, CO, CH{sub 4} and TAR and the solids are Ash, Carbon, dry Wood and HzO moisture and described by their partial densities in the gasifier bed, together with their axial velocities and temperature. The processes considered are Carbon Oxidation, H{sub 2}0 and CO{sub 2} reduction, the Water Gas Shift process, dry Wood Pyrolysis and Moist Biomass Drying and are described by their temperature and concentration dependant reaction rates. The same mathematical formulation is used throughout the reactor and the methodology used is to solve the resulting 16 partial and algebraic equations (with 16 variables, 8 gaseous partial densities, 4 solids partial densities, 2 velocities and 2 temperatures) in a Newton-Raphson approach using variable length of the integration step. The transition through oxidation and reduction and the passage through the drying zone has been preliminary verified to be in accordance with experimental evidence, but the software developed has not yet been able to describe the transition to pyrolysis and drying and therefore, the final product gas composition from the updraft gasifier has not been verified (apart from verification using a zero-dimensional model). For use in further work an Addendum describing the approach in the form of a 'pseudo code' (including several comments for readers not conversant with the programming language used in the present work - Visual Basic) is included. (au)

FY 1991 report on the results of the development of an entrained bed coal gasification power plant. Part 1. Support study for the development of an entrained bed coal gasification power plant (Dismantling study); 1991 nendo seika hokokusho. Funryusho sekitan gaska hatsuden plant kaihatsu (Funryusho sekitan gaska hatsuden plant kaihatsu no shien kenkyu) - Sono 1. Kaitai kenkyu hen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1992-04-01

As a support study for the development of an entrained bed coal gasification power plant by a 200 t/d pilot plant, the dismantling study was made for gasifier facilities, desulfurization facilities, dedusting facilities at the existing 40 t/d testing facilities. In the results of the analysis of the specimens sampled from gasifier and peripheral facilities, the corrosion loss of thickness was great in carbon steel/low-alloy steel equipment, and the generation of intergranular corrosion/intergranular crack was recognized in stainless steel equipment. The loss of thickness caused by erosion was also recognized in carrier tubes, etc. As to the high-temperature dry desulfurization system, the damage was totally great, but the effect of taking measures for it was unclear because the loss of thickness by corrosion/abrasion had not been measured regularly. Relating to the high-temperature dry dedusting system, there used to be a lot of troubles from stress corrosion cracking and pitting corrosion, and the best measures for corrosion prevention were taken for each trouble. As to the Al thermal spraying, stabilized thermal treatment, shot-peening, etc., the excellent corrosion prevention effect was recognized on the austenite stainless steel. (NEDO)

Generation of entrained droplets from an imitated disturbance wave and their deposition on the wall

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukano, T.; Inatomi, T.; Matsuzawa, Y.; Yoshida, T.; Uchimichi, N.

2003-01-01

In the present experiment, an isokinetic sampling probe technique was used for the measurement of the local droplet flow rate generated from an imitated disturbance wave, which was constructed by injecting liquid through a slit mounted on the bottom wall of a horizontal rectangular duct. The experimental data on the distribution of entrained droplets and their deposition on the duct wall are presented. As a result, it is clarified that the droplet generation is periodic and the distribution of the droplet flow rate is not uniform in both axial and height directions. And accordingly the droplet flow is fundamentally unsteady. Furthermore, the correlation of the entrainment fraction proposed by Paleev-Filippovich is superior to that by others. (orig.)

Stochastic study on entrainment of floating particles with intake of cooling water of a power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kadoyu, Masatake; Wada, Akira

1979-01-01

The mortality of ichthyoplanktons, contained in the sea water passing through the cooling water systems of a power plant, may be associated with rising temperature and mechanical effect. In this study, the range and the rate of entrainment of the organisms like ichthyoplanktons floating in the sea caused by the intake of cooling water were stochastically investigated by simulating the average current as well as the flow caused by the intake of water and by taking into consideration random velocity fluctuation without these flows, using a mathematical model. An intake was set along the straight coastline in semi-infinite sea, and the rate of inflow of particles into the intake was simulated by a mathematical model. In the numerical simulation, the average flow as coastal current component and the flow caused by the intake of water were obtained with the hydrodynamic equations of motion and continuity, and the rate of entrainment of floating particles was examined by giving turbulence to the particles in the sea and by calculating the position of each particle every moment. The results are as follows; 1) The range of entrainment of floating particles by the intake of cooling water and its probability were obtained in consideration of the flow rate of cooling water, coast current velocity and diffusion coefficient as parameters. 2) The extent of inflow of floating particles considerably varied with tidal amplitude, diffusion coefficient and the flow rate of cooling water in the sea where the coastal flow has clear periodicity. 3) The extent of entrainment was considerably influenced by the steady current velocity, the velocity distribution in offshore direction and the intake volume in the sea where periodicity is not observed. (Nakai, Y.)

Inclined gravity currents filling basins: The influence of Reynolds number on entrainment into gravity currents

Science.gov (United States)

Hogg, Charlie A. R.; Dalziel, Stuart B.; Huppert, Herbert E.; Imberger, Jörg

2015-09-01

In many important natural and industrial systems, gravity currents of dense fluid feed basins. Examples include lakes fed by dense rivers and auditoria supplied with cooled air by ventilation systems. As we will show, the entrainment into such buoyancy driven currents can be influenced by viscous forces. Little work, however, has examined this viscous influence and how entrainment varies with the Reynolds number, Re. Using the idea of an entrainment coefficient, E, we derive a mathematical expression for the rise of the front at the top of the dense fluid ponding in a basin, where the horizontal cross-sectional area of the basin varies linearly with depth. We compare this expression to experiments on gravity currents with source Reynolds numbers, Res, covering the broad range 100 < Res < 1500. The form of the observed frontal rises was well approximated by our theory. By fitting the observed frontal rises to the theoretical form with E as the free parameter, we find a linear trend for E(Res) over the range 350 < Res < 1100, which is in the transition to turbulent flow. In the experiments, the entrainment coefficient, E, varied from 4 × 10-5 to 7 × 10-2. These observations show that viscous damping can be a dominant influence on gravity current entrainment in the laboratory and in geophysical flows in this transitional regime.

Ignition behaviour of different rank coals in an entrained flow reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

J. Faundez; A. Arenillas; F. Rubiera; X. Garcia; A.L. Gordon; J.J. Pis [Instituto Nacional del Carbon (INCAR), Oviedo (Spain)

2005-12-01

An experimental study to determine the temperature and mechanism of coal ignition was carried out by using an entrained flow reactor (EFR) at relatively high coal feed rates (0.5 g min{sup -1}). Seven coals ranging in rank from subbituminous to semianthracite, were tested and the evolved gases (O{sub 2}, CO, CO{sub 2}, NO) were measured continuously. The ignition temperature was evaluated from the gas evolution profiles, and it was found to be inversely correlated to the reactivity of the coal, as reflected by the increasing values of the ignition temperature in the sequence: subbituminous, high volatile bituminous, low volatile bituminous and semianthracite coals. The mechanism of ignition varied from a heterogeneous mechanism for subbituminous, low volatile bituminous and semianthracite coals, to a homogeneous mechanism for high volatile bituminous coals. A thermogravimetric analyser (TGA) was also used to evaluate coal ignition behaviour. Both methods, TGA and EFR, were in agreement as regards the mechanism of coal ignition. From the SEM micrographs of the coal particles retrieved from the cyclone, it was possible to observe the external appearance of the particles before, during and after ignition. The micrographs confirmed the mechanism deduced from the gas profiles. 23 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.

Lignite chemical conversion in an indirect heat rotary kiln gasifier

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hatzilyberis Kostas S.

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The results on the gasification of Greek lignite using two indirect heat (allothermal pilot rotary kiln gasifiers are reported in the present work. The development of this new reactor-gasifier concept intended for solid fuels chemical conversion exploits data and experience gained from the following two pilot plants. The first unit A (about 100 kg/h raw lignite demonstrated the production of a medium heating value gas (12-13 MJ/Nm3 with quite high DAF (dry ash free coal conversions, in an indirect heat rotary gasifier under mild temperature and pressure conditions. The second unit B is a small pilot size unit (about 10 kg/h raw lignite comprises an electrically heated rotary kiln, is an operation flexible and exhibits effective phase mixing and enhanced heat transfer characteristics. Greek lignite pyrolysis and gasification data were produced from experiments performed with pilot plant B and the results are compared with those of a theoretical model. The model assumes a scheme of three consecutive-partly parallel processes (i. e. drying, pyrolysis, and gasification and predicts DAF lignite conversion and gas composition in relatively good agreement with the pertinent experimental data typical of the rotary kiln gasifier performance. Pilot plant B is currently being employed in lime-enhanced gasification studies aiming at the production of hydrogen enriched synthesis gas. Presented herein are two typical gas compositions obtain from lignite gasification runs in the presence or not of lime. .

Creepy landscapes : river sediment entrainment develops granular flow rheology on creeping bed.

Science.gov (United States)

Prancevic, J.; Chatanantavet, P.; Ortiz, C. P.; Houssais, M.; Durian, D. J.; Jerolmack, D. J.

2015-12-01

To predict rates of river sediment transport, one must first address the zeroth-order question: when does sediment move? The concept and determination of the critical fluid shear stress remains hazy, as observing particle motion and determining sediment flux becomes increasingly hard in its vicinity. To tackle this problem, we designed a novel annular flume experiment - reproducing an infinite river channel - where the refractive index of particles and the fluid are matched. The fluid is dyed with a fluorescent powder and a green laser sheet illuminates the fluid only, allowing us to observe particle displacements in a vertical plane. Experiments are designed to highlight the basic granular interactions of sediment transport while suppressing the complicating effects of turbulence; accordingly, particles are uniform spheres and Reynolds numbers are of order 1. We have performed sediment transport measurements close to the onset of particle motion, at steady state, and over long enough time to record averaged rheological behavior of particles. We find that particles entrained by a fluid exhibit successively from top to bottom: a suspension regime, a dense granular flow regime, and - instead of a static bed - a creeping regime. Data from experiments at a range of fluid stresses can be collapsed onto one universal rheologic curve that indicates the effective friction is a monotonic function of a dimensionless number called the viscous number. These data are in remarkable agreement with the local rheology model proposed by Boyer et al., which means that dense granular flows, suspensions and bed-load transport are unified under a common frictional flow law. Importantly, we observe slow creeping of the granular bed even in the absence of bed load, at fluid stresses that are below the apparent critical value. This last observation challenges the classical definition of the onset of sediment transport, and points to a continuous transition from quasi-static deformation to

Simulation of the biomass updraft gasifier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teislev, B.

2006-07-15

A consistent (steady state, one-dimensional) mathematical model for a biomass updraft gasifier has been developed based on mass- and energy balances and assuming ideal mixtures of gases and solids. The gases considered are 0{sub 2}, N{sub 2}, H{sub 2}0, CO{sub 2}, H{sub 2}, CO, CH{sub 4} and TAR and the solids are Ash, Carbon, dry Wood and H{sub 2}O moisture and described by their partial densities in the gasifier bed - together with their axial velocities and temperature. The processes considered are Carbon Oxidation, H{sub 2}0 and CO{sub 2} reduction, the Water Gas Shift process, dry Wood Pyrolysis and Moist Biomass Drying and are described by their temperature and concentration dependant reaction rates. The same mathematical formulation is used throughout the reactor and the methodology used is to solve the resulting 16 partial and algebraic equations (with 16 variables - 8 gaseous partial densities, 4 solids partial densities, 2 velocities and 2 temperatures) in a Newton-Raphson approach using variable length of the integration step. The transition through oxidation and reduction and the passage through the drying zone has been preliminary verified to be in accordance with experimental evidence, but the software developed has not yet been able to describe the transition to pyrolysis and drying and therefore, the final product gas composition from the updraft gasifier has not been verified (apart from verification using a zero-dimensional model). For use in further work an Addendum describing the approach in the form of a 'pseudo code' (including several comments for readers not conversant with the programming language used in the present work - Visual Basic) is included. (au)

Fixed-bed gasifier and cleanup system engineering summary report through Test Run No. 100

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pater, K. Jr.; Headley, L.; Kovach, J.; Stopek, D.

1984-06-01

The state-of-the-art of high-pressure, fixed-bed gasification has been advanced by the many refinements developed over the last 5 years. A novel full-flow gas cleanup system has been installed and tested to clean coal-derived gases. This report summarizes the results of tests conducted on the gasifier and cleanup system from its inception through 1982. Selected process summary data are presented along with results from complementary programs in the areas of environmental research, process simulation, analytical methods development, and component testing. 20 references, 32 figures, 42 tables.

Bed-material entrainment potential, Roaring Fork River at Basalt, Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, John G.

2002-01-01

The Roaring Fork River at Basalt, Colorado, has a frequently mobile streambed composed of gravel, cobbles, and boulders. Recent urban and highway development on the flood plain, earlier attempts to realign and confine the channel, and flow obstructions such as bridge openings and piers have altered the hydrology, hydraulics, sediment transport, and sediment deposition areas of the Roaring Fork. Entrainment and deposition of coarse sediment on the streambed and in large alluvial bars have reduced the flood-conveying capacity of the river. Previous engineering studies have identified flood-prone areas and hazards related to inundation and high streamflow velocity, but those studies have not evaluated the potential response of the channel to discharges that entrain the coarse streambed. This study builds upon the results of earlier flood studies and identifies some potential areas of concern associated with bed-material entrainment. Cross-section surveys and simulated water-surface elevations from a previously run HEC?RAS model were used to calculate the boundary shear stress on the mean streambed, in the thalweg, and on the tops of adjacent alluvial bars for four reference streamflows. Sediment-size characteristics were determined for surficial material on the streambed, on large alluvial bars, and on a streambank. The median particle size (d50) for the streambed samples was 165 millimeters and for the alluvial bars and bank samples was 107 millimeters. Shear stresses generated by the 10-, 50-, and 100-year floods, and by a more common flow that just inundated most of the alluvial bars in the study reach were calculated at 14 of the cross sections used in the Roaring Fork River HEC?RAS model. The Shields equation was used with a Shields parameter of 0.030 to estimate the critical shear stress for entrainment of the median sediment particle size on the mean streambed, in the thalweg, and on adjacent alluvial bar surfaces at the 14 cross sections. Sediment-entrainment

The transformation of nitrogen during pressurized entrained-flow pyrolysis of Chlorella vulgaris.

Science.gov (United States)

Maliutina, Kristina; Tahmasebi, Arash; Yu, Jianglong

2018-08-01

The transformation of nitrogen in microalgae during entrained-flow pyrolysis of Chlorella vulgaris was systematically investigated at the temperatures of 600-900 °C and pressures of 0.1-4.0 MPa. It was found that pressure had a profound impact on the transformation of nitrogen during pyrolysis. The nitrogen retention in bio-char and its content in bio-oil reached a maximum value at 1.0 MPa. The highest conversion of nitrogen (50.25 wt%) into bio-oil was achieved at 1.0 MPa and 800 °C, which was about 7 wt% higher than that at atmospheric pressure. Higher pressures promoted the formation of pyrrolic-N (N-5) and quaternary-N (N-Q) compounds in bio-oil at the expense of nitrile-N and pyridinic-N (N-6) compounds. The X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results on bio-chars clearly evidenced the transformation of N-5 structures into N-6 and N-Q structures at elevated pressures. The nitrogen transformation pathways during pyrolysis of microalgae were proposed and discussed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of grid spacer with mixing vane on entrainments and depositions in two-phase annular flows

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akimaro Kawahara

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The effects of mixing vanes (MVs attached to a grid spacer on the characteristics of air–water annular flows were experimentally investigated. To know the effects, a grid spacer with or without MV was inserted in a vertical circular pipe of 16-mm internal diameter. For three cases (i.e., no spacer, spacer without MV, and spacer with MV, the liquid film thickness, liquid entrainment fraction, and deposition rate were measured by the constant current method, single liquid film extraction method, and double liquid film extraction method, respectively. The MVs significantly promote the re-deposition of liquid droplets in the gas core flow into the liquid film on the channel walls. The deposition mass transfer coefficient is three times higher for the spacer with MV than for the spacer without MV, even for cases 0.3-m downstream from the spacer. The liquid film thickness becomes thicker upstream and downstream for the spacer with MV, compared with the thickness for the spacer without MV and for the case with no spacer.

Development of a custom-made "smart-sphere" to assess incipient entrainment by rolling

Science.gov (United States)

Valyrakis, Manousos; Kitsikoudis, Vasileios; Alexakis, Athanasios; Trinder, Jon

2017-04-01

The most widely applied criterion for sediment incipient motion in engineering applications is the time- and space-averaged approach of critical Shields shear stress. Nonetheless, in the recent years published research has highlighted the importance of turbulence fluctuations in sediment incipient motion and its stochastic character. The present experimental study investigates statistically the link of the response of a "smart-pebble" to hydrodynamics in near-critical flow conditions and discusses how such a device can be utilized in engineering design. A set of specifically designed fluvial experiments monitoring the entrainment conditions for a "smart-pebble", were carried out in a tilting, recirculating flume in turbulent flow conditions while three-dimensional flow measurements were obtained with an acoustic Doppler velocimeter. The "smart-pebble" employed herein is a custom-made instrumented sphere with 7 cm diameter, which has a number of sensors embedded within its waterproof 3D-printed plastic shell. Specifically, the "smart-pebble" is equipped with miniaturized, off the shelf, low-cost, three-dimensional acceleration, orientation and angular displacement sensors. A 3D-printed local micro topography of known geometry was installed in the flume's test section and the "smart-pebble" was placed there in order to facilitate the analysis. Every time the "smart-sphere" is displaced by the flow a downstream located pin blocks its full entrainment. This allows for continuous recording of the entrainment events due to the passage of energetic events, after which the "smart-pebble" returns to its resting pocket. The "smart-pebble" device under such a configuration allows the recording of normally indiscernible (with the naked eye) vibrations, twitching motions, and full entrainments for the studied particle, allowing its analysis from a Langrangian framework. During the incipient motion experiments the retrieved data are stored in an internal memory unit or

Possibility study of gasifier with axial circulating flue gas for reducing Tar

Science.gov (United States)

Poowadin, T.; Polsongkram, M.; Khantikomol, P.

2018-01-01

This present research article aims to study the possibility of gasification by axial core flue gas circulating kiln and find the efficiency of syngas production. An axial core flue gas circulating tube was installed in the center of the updraft gasifier in purposing of tar reducing. In the present study, the eucalyptus wood chip 4, 8, and 10 kg with the moisture content 16% were examined. Several type-K thermocouples were employed to measure the temperatures at preheat, combustion, reduction, pyrolysis, drying, and gas outlet zone. The results showed that the temperatures in the combustion and the reduction zone of the kiln with the axial core flue gas recirculating were lower than the kiln without the core owing to installing the core would reduce the combustion zone area in biomass burning. Obviously, the temperature in the pyrolysis and drying zone were nearly the same as both with and without the core. In consideration of syngas components, it was found that CO production from the gasifier with the core was higher than the gasifier without the core about 25%. Other gases, however, were almost same. The syngas production efficiency obtained from the gasifier with the core decreased with increasing the mass of biomass. It showed that the highest efficiency was 30% at 4 kg supplying biomass. In comparison, the efficiencies of both the kilns with and without the core were not different. For liquid product, the amount of liquid decreased about 47.23% comparing with the gasifier without the core.

Method and apparatus for enhancing the desulfurization of hot coal gas in a fluid-bed coal gasifier

Science.gov (United States)

Grindley, T.

1988-04-05

A process and apparatus for providing additional desulfurization of the hot gas produced in a fluid-bed coal gasifier, within the gasifier is described. A fluid-bed of iron oxide is located inside the gasifier above the gasification bed in a fluid-bed coal gasifier in which in-bed desulfurization by lime/limestone takes place. The product gases leave the gasification bed typically at 1600 to 1800 F and are partially quenched with water to 1000 to 1200 F before entering the iron oxide bed. The iron oxide bed provides additional desulfurization beyond that provided by the lime /limestone. 1 fig.

Prediction of the working parameters of a wood waste gasifier through an equilibrium model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Altafini, Carlos R.; Baretto, Ronaldo M. [Caxias do Sul Univ., Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Caxias do Sul, RS (Brazil); Wander, Paulo R. [Caxias do Sul Univ., Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Caxias do Sul, RS (Brazil); Federal Univ. of Rio Grande do Sul State (UFRGS), Mechanical Engineering Postgraduation Program (PROMEC), RS (Brazil)

2003-10-01

This paper deals with the computational simulation of a wood waste (sawdust) gasifier using an equilibrium model based on minimization of the Gibbs free energy. The gasifier has been tested with Pinus Elliotis sawdust, an exotic specie largely cultivated in the South of Brazil. The biomass used in the tests presented a moisture of nearly 10% (wt% on wet basis), and the average composition results of the gas produced (without tar) are compared with the equilibrium models used. Sensitivity studies to verify the influence of the moisture sawdust content on the fuel gas composition and on its heating value were made. More complex models to reproduce with better accuracy the gasifier studied were elaborated. Although the equilibrium models do not represent the reactions that occur at relatively high temperatures ( {approx_equal} 800 deg C) very well, these models can be useful to show some tendencies on the working parameter variations of a gasifier. (Author)

The study of solid circulation rate in a compartmented fluidized bed gasifier (CFBG)

Science.gov (United States)

Wee, S. K.; Pok, Y. W.; Law, M. C.; Lee, V. C. C.

2016-06-01

Biomass waste has been abundantly available in Malaysia since the booming of palm oil industry. In order to tackle this issue, gasification is seen a promising technology to convert waste into energy. In view of the heat requirement for endothermic gasification reaction as well as the complex design and operation of multiple fluidized beds, compartmented fluidized bed gasifier (CFBG) with the combustor and the gasifier as separate compartments is proposed. As such, solid circulation rate (SCR) is one of the essential parameters for steady gasification and combustion to be realized in their respective compartments. Experimental and numerical studies (CFD) on the effect of static bed height, main bed aeration, riser aeration and v-valve aeration on SCR have been conducted in a cold- flow CFBG model with only river sand as the fluidizing medium. At lower operating range, the numerical simulations under-predict the SCR as compared to that of the experimental results. Also, it predicts slightly different trends over the range. On the other hand, at higher operating range, the numerical simulations are able to capture those trends as observed in the experimental results at the lower operating range. Overall, the numerical results compare reasonably well with that of the experimental works.

Visual cortex entrains to sign language.

Science.gov (United States)

Brookshire, Geoffrey; Lu, Jenny; Nusbaum, Howard C; Goldin-Meadow, Susan; Casasanto, Daniel

2017-06-13

Despite immense variability across languages, people can learn to understand any human language, spoken or signed. What neural mechanisms allow people to comprehend language across sensory modalities? When people listen to speech, electrophysiological oscillations in auditory cortex entrain to slow ([Formula: see text]8 Hz) fluctuations in the acoustic envelope. Entrainment to the speech envelope may reflect mechanisms specialized for auditory perception. Alternatively, flexible entrainment may be a general-purpose cortical mechanism that optimizes sensitivity to rhythmic information regardless of modality. Here, we test these proposals by examining cortical coherence to visual information in sign language. First, we develop a metric to quantify visual change over time. We find quasiperiodic fluctuations in sign language, characterized by lower frequencies than fluctuations in speech. Next, we test for entrainment of neural oscillations to visual change in sign language, using electroencephalography (EEG) in fluent speakers of American Sign Language (ASL) as they watch videos in ASL. We find significant cortical entrainment to visual oscillations in sign language sign is strongest over occipital and parietal cortex, in contrast to speech, where coherence is strongest over the auditory cortex. Nonsigners also show coherence to sign language, but entrainment at frontal sites is reduced relative to fluent signers. These results demonstrate that flexible cortical entrainment to language does not depend on neural processes that are specific to auditory speech perception. Low-frequency oscillatory entrainment may reflect a general cortical mechanism that maximizes sensitivity to informational peaks in time-varying signals.

Siemens sees a future for IGCC - and now it has the technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmid, C.; Hannemann, F. [Siemens Fuel Gasification Technology, Freiberg (Germany)

2007-10-15

About 18 months ago Siemens became a key player in the gasification business through its acquisition of Freiberg based Future Energy and its GSP entrained flow technology, now called SFG (Siemens Fuel Gasification). Developed at Schwarze Pumpe in Eastern Germany over many years, a particular attraction of the process is its ability to use low rank fuels such as lignite, with a robust gasifier wall concept a 'cooling screen' that avoids the use of troublesome refractories. The article explains the SFG gasifier technology. It is ideally suited for coal-fueled IGCC power plants with integrated CO{sub 2} capture, especially for low-rank fuels. SFG has been ordered or pre-selected for a number of projects in China, North America and elsewhere. 5 figs.

Simulation of the gasification of animal wastes in a dual gasifier using Aspen Plus®

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez-Lopez, M.; Pedroche, J.; Valverde, J.L.; Sanchez-Silva, L.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The gasification of manure was evaluated using the software Aspen Plus®. • Composition and LHV of the obtained syngas depends on the operating conditions. • CO 2 net emissions for the steam and CO 2 gasification processes were calculated. • Manure steam gasification can be used as feedstock for Fischer-Tropsch. • Manure CO 2 gasification lead to a syngas suitable for energy production. - Abstract: The gasification of an animal waste biomass (manure) in a dual gasifier was studied using the software Aspen Plus®. For this purpose, a model based on a Gibbs free energy reactor was considered. Effects of the gasification temperature, the gasifying/biomass ratio and the use of steam and CO 2 as the gasifying agents on the composition and the low heating value (LHV) of the produced syngas were evaluated. In this sense, the H 2 /CO ratio and the LHV were the parameters calculated to stablish the best operating conditions for the production of either hydrocarbons via Fischer-Tropsch or energy. Furthermore, the CO 2 net emissions generated by the gasification process were also important in the selection of the best operating conditions from an environmental point of view. The obtained results showed that for both gasifying agents the H 2 and CO production was favoured at high temperatures whereas the production of CH 4 and CO 2 was favoured at low ones. On the other hand, the H 2 production was higher when steam was used as the gasifying agent and the formation of CO was enhanced when CO 2 was considered as gasification agent. An increase of the gasifying agent/biomass ratio had a negatively influence on the production of CH 4 , leading to a decrease of the LHV. Therefore, steam as the gasifying agent and high temperatures favoured the obtaining of a syngas suitable for the Fischer-Tropsch process whereas CO 2 and low gasification temperatures enhanced a syngas with a high LHV which could be used for energy production. Finally, the net CO 2

Gasification of rice straw in a fluidized-bed gasifier for syngas application in close-coupled boiler-gasifier systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Calvo, L F; Gil, M V; Otero, M; Morán, A; García, A I

2012-04-01

The feasibility and operation performance of the gasification of rice straw in an atmospheric fluidized-bed gasifier was studied. The gasification was carried out between 700 and 850 °C. The stoichiometric air-fuel ratio (A/F) for rice straw was 4.28 and air supplied was 7-25% of that necessary for stoichiometric combustion. Mass and power balances, tar concentration, produced gas composition, gas phase ammonia, chloride and potassium concentrations, agglomeration tendencies and gas efficiencies were assessed. Agglomeration was avoided by replacing the normal alumina-silicate bed by a mixture of alumina-silicate sand and MgO. It was shown that it is possible to produce high quality syngas from the gasification of rice straw. Under the experimental conditions used, the higher heating value (HHV) of the produced gas reached 5.1 MJ Nm(-3), the hot gas efficiency 61% and the cold gas efficiency 52%. The obtained results prove that rice straw may be used as fuel for close-coupled boiler-gasifier systems. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Straw Gasification in a Two-Stage Gasifier

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bentzen, Jens Dall; Hindsgaul, Claus; Henriksen, Ulrik Birk

2002-01-01

- and to maintain a high fuel reactivity, a mixture of phosphorus acid, calcium hydroxide, molasses and water was mixed into the ground pellets. Following the gasifier was running continuously for more than 50 hours as planned. Several tar, gas and particle measurements were carried out during the test, and the ash...

The UNDP/World Bank monitoring program on small scale biomass gasifiers (BTG's experience on tar measurements)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knoef, H.A.M. [Biomass Technology Group BTG, Enschede (Netherlands)

2000-07-01

By the time that small-scale biomass gasifiers were 'rediscovered' and promoted for use in developing countries (1970s), UNDP and the World Bank were well aware of the pitfalls of previous attempts to diffuse decentralized energy technologies. Therefore they decided to initiate a technology assessment programme before endorsing and/or stimulating a widespread gasifier introduction programme in developing countries. On July 1, 1983, the UNDP/WB worldwide Small-scale biomass gasifier monitoring was initiated, which was to {sup c}ollect uniform data on the actual field performance, economics, safety and public acceptability of biomass gasifiers currently operating in developing countries{sup .} For the UNDP/WB program BTG developed a tar measuring protocol which was used at twenty gasifiers worldwide (Indonesia, Philippines, Brazil, Mali, Seychelles, Vanuatu and Burundi). Other parameters monitored include pressure and temperatures at various spots, gasflow, fuel consumption, lubrication oil analyses, gas-composition analyses, emission measurements. The seven year programme showed that most of donor funded projects failed, mainly because there was not sufficient commitment from involved parties. National programs on the utilization of loca available biomass resources mostly failed because the fuel did not suit the requirements of gasifier reactor. In case of proper project design/set-up most of the small scale biomass gasifiers operated without major problems. Examples of such projects are the ones in Balong and Majalengka (Indonesia) Onesua (Vanuatu), Espara Feliz (Brazil) and Dogofiry (Mali). A motivated team of technicians, operators, managers is one the most important items within this respect. Most of the heat gasifiers are installed commercially and are much more successful compared to the subsidized power gasifiers. Local manufactured gasifiers are generally constructed of low quality materials causing frequent technical problems. However, locally

Influence of operating conditions on the air gasification of dry refinery sludge in updraft gasifier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, R; Sinnathambi, C M

2013-01-01

In the present work, details of the equilibrium modeling of dry refinery sludge (DRS) are presented using ASPEN PLUS Simulator in updraft gasifier. Due to lack of available information in the open journal on refinery sludge gasification using updraft gasifier, an evaluate for its optimum conditions on gasification is presented in this paper. For this purpose a Taguchi Orthogonal array design, statistical software is applied to find optimum conditions for DRS gasification. The goal is to identify the most significant process variable in DRS gasification conditions. The process variables include; oxidation zone temperature, equivalent ratio, operating pressure will be simulated and examined. Attention was focused on the effect of optimum operating conditions on the gas composition of H 2 and CO (desirable) and CO 2 (undesirable) in terms of mass fraction. From our results and finding it can be concluded that the syngas (H 2 and CO) yield in term of mass fraction favors high oxidation zone temperature and at atmospheric pressure while CO 2 acid gas favor at a high level of equivalent ratio as well as air flow rate favoring towards complete combustion.

Date palm waste gasification in downdraft gasifier and simulation using ASPEN HYSYS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bassyouni, M.; Waheed ul Hasan, Syed; Abdel-Aziz, M.H.; Abdel-hamid, S.M.-S.; Naveed, Shahid; Hussain, Ahmed; Ani, Farid Nasir

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Simulation of date palm waste gasification using ASPEN HYSYS was studied. • A steady state simulation of downdraft gasifier has been developed. • The results were used to predict synthesis gas composition. • Simulation results and experimental results are in good agreement. - Abstract: The present research aims to study the simulation of date palm waste gasification using ASPEN HYSYS. A steady state simulation of downdraft gasifier firing date palm leaves has been developed. The model is able to predict syngas composition with sound accuracy and can be used to find optimal operating conditions of the gasifier. Biomass is defined as an unconventional hypothetical solid component in HYSYS. A set of six reactor models simulates various reaction zones of the downdraft gasifier in accordance with its hydrodynamics. Biomass decomposition into constituents in the pyrolysis zone is modeled with a conversion reactor. The combustion of char and volatiles in the combustion zone are modeled with equilibrium and Gibbs reactor models respectively. The gasification zone is modeled with a Gibbs and equilibrium reactor. The results of simulation are validated against experimental results of a parametric variability study on a lab scale gasifier. The proportion of synthesis gas increase as temperature increases (concentration, molar fraction, and partial pressure). CO 2 and CH 4 in the product gases were also found to decrease with increasing temperature. At 800 °C, the exit gas reaches a stable molar composition (H 2 = 56.27%, CO = 21.71%, CO 2 = 18.24%, CH 4 = 3.78%). Increasing steam to biomass ratio increases CO 2 and H 2 at the expense of CO, governed by shift reaction. Steam induction increases the methane contents, thereby improves the heating value of the product gas

Date palm waste gasification in downdraft gasifier and simulation using ASPEN HYSYS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bassyouni, M. [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh 21911 (Saudi Arabia); Department of Chemical Engineering, Higher Technological Institute, Tenth of Ramdan City (Egypt); Waheed ul Hasan, Syed [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh 21911 (Saudi Arabia); Abdel-Aziz, M.H., E-mail: helmy2002@gmail.com [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh 21911 (Saudi Arabia); Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University, Alexandria (Egypt); Abdel-hamid, S. M.-S. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Higher Technological Institute, Tenth of Ramdan City (Egypt); Naveed, Shahid [Punjab Institute of Contemporary Sciences, 5.5 KM Raiwind Road, Lahore (Pakistan); Hussain, Ahmed [Department of Nuclear Engineering, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589 (Saudi Arabia); Ani, Farid Nasir [Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM 81310 Johor Bahru (Malaysia)

2014-12-15

Highlights: • Simulation of date palm waste gasification using ASPEN HYSYS was studied. • A steady state simulation of downdraft gasifier has been developed. • The results were used to predict synthesis gas composition. • Simulation results and experimental results are in good agreement. - Abstract: The present research aims to study the simulation of date palm waste gasification using ASPEN HYSYS. A steady state simulation of downdraft gasifier firing date palm leaves has been developed. The model is able to predict syngas composition with sound accuracy and can be used to find optimal operating conditions of the gasifier. Biomass is defined as an unconventional hypothetical solid component in HYSYS. A set of six reactor models simulates various reaction zones of the downdraft gasifier in accordance with its hydrodynamics. Biomass decomposition into constituents in the pyrolysis zone is modeled with a conversion reactor. The combustion of char and volatiles in the combustion zone are modeled with equilibrium and Gibbs reactor models respectively. The gasification zone is modeled with a Gibbs and equilibrium reactor. The results of simulation are validated against experimental results of a parametric variability study on a lab scale gasifier. The proportion of synthesis gas increase as temperature increases (concentration, molar fraction, and partial pressure). CO{sub 2} and CH{sub 4} in the product gases were also found to decrease with increasing temperature. At 800 °C, the exit gas reaches a stable molar composition (H{sub 2} = 56.27%, CO = 21.71%, CO{sub 2} = 18.24%, CH{sub 4} = 3.78%). Increasing steam to biomass ratio increases CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2} at the expense of CO, governed by shift reaction. Steam induction increases the methane contents, thereby improves the heating value of the product gas.

Morphodynamic Modeling of the Lower Yellow River, China: Flux (Equilibrium) Form or Entrainment (Nonequilibrium) Form of Sediment Mass Conservation?

Science.gov (United States)

An, C.; Parker, G.; Ma, H.; Naito, K.; Moodie, A. J.; Fu, X.

2017-12-01

Models of river morphodynamics consist of three elements: (1) a treatment of flow hydraulics, (2) a formulation relating some aspect of sediment transport to flow hydraulics, and (3) a description of sediment conservation. In the case of unidirectional river flow, the Exner equation of sediment conservation is commonly described in terms of a flux-based formulation, in which bed elevation variation is related to the streamwise gradient of sediment transport rate. An alternate formulation of the Exner equation, however, is the entrainment-based formulation in which bed elevation variation is related to the difference between the entrainment rate of bed sediment into suspension and the deposition rate of suspended sediment onto the bed. In the flux-based formulation, sediment transport is regarded to be in a local equilibrium state (i.e., sediment transport rate locally equals sediment transport capacity). However, the entrainment-based formulation does not require this constraint; the sediment transport rate may lag in space and time behind the changing flow conditions. In modeling the fine-grained Lower Yellow River, it is usual to treat sediment conservation in terms of an entrainment-based (nonequilibrium) rather than a flux-based (equilibrium) formulation with the consideration that fine-grained sediment may be entrained at one place but deposited only at some distant location downstream. However, the differences in prediction between the two formulations are still not well known, and the entrainment formulation may not always be necessary for the Lower Yellow River. Here we study this problem by comparing the results of flux-based and entrainment-based morphodynamics under conditions typical of the Yellow River, using sediment transport equations specifically designed for the Lower Yellow River. We find, somewhat unexpectedly, that in a treatment of a 200-km reach using uniform sediment, there is little difference between the two formulations unless the

Carbon Formation and Metal Dusting in Hot-Gas Cleanup Systems of Coal Gasifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tortorelli, Peter F.; Judkins, Roddie R.; DeVan, Jackson H.; Wright, Ian G.

1995-12-31

There are several possible materials/systems degradation modes that result from gasification environments with appreciable carbon activities. These processes, which are not necessarily mutually exclusive, include carbon deposition, carburization, metal dusting, and CO disintegration of refractories. Carbon formation on solid surfaces occurs by deposition from gases in which the carbon activity (a sub C) exceeds unity. The presence of a carbon layer CO can directly affect gasifier performance by restricting gas flow, particularly in the hot gas filter, creating debris (that may be deposited elsewhere in the system or that may cause erosive damage of downstream components), and/or changing the catalytic activity of surfaces.

Thermodynamic modeling of small scale biomass gasifiers: Development and assessment of the ''Multi-Box'' approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Vakalis, Stergios; Patuzzi, Francesco; Baratieri, Marco

2016-04-01

Modeling can be a powerful tool for designing and optimizing gasification systems. Modeling applications for small scale/fixed bed biomass gasifiers have been interesting due to their increased commercial practices. Fixed bed gasifiers are characterized by a wide range of operational conditions and are multi-zoned processes. The reactants are distributed in different phases and the products from each zone influence the following process steps and thus the composition of the final products. The present study aims to improve the conventional 'Black-Box' thermodynamic modeling by means of developing multiple intermediate 'boxes' that calculate two phase (solid-vapor) equilibriums in small scale gasifiers. Therefore the model is named ''Multi-Box''. Experimental data from a small scale gasifier have been used for the validation of the model. The returned results are significantly closer with the actual case study measurements in comparison to single-stage thermodynamic modeling. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Entrainment Zone Characteristics and Entrainment Rates in Cloud-Topped Boundary Layers from DYCOMS-II

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-01

Malinowski , J. L. Brenguier, and F. Burnet, 2005: Holes and entrainment in stratocumulus. J. Atmos. Sci., 62, 443–459. Glickman, T. S...of the Entrainment Zone in Cloud-topped Boundary Layers. Department of Meteorology, NPS, 93 pp. Krzysztof, Haman E., S. P. Malinowski , M. J

Suspended sediment entrainment estimation in unsteady turbulent flows by means of a stochastic meted; Computo de la incorporacion de sedimento en suspension en flujos turbulentos no permanentes utilizando un enfoque estocastico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodriguez, Jose Fernando; Garcia, Marcelo Horacio [Universidad de Illinois (United States); Admiraal, David Mark [Universidad de Nebraska en Lincoln (United States)

2001-06-01

In order to compute the total amount and vertical distribution of suspended sediment, a reference concentration near the bed or entrainment function is needed, and considerable research effort has been dedicated to obtain such formulae. Several entrainment functions are available in the literature, but all of them have been developed for steady, uniform flow conditions. The ability of such relationships to predict entrainment rates in unsteady flows has not been demonstrated, nor has there been any attempt to develop a general formulation that work for both steady and unsteady flow conditions. The traditional approach relates the entrainment of sediment to the wall shear stress associated with skin friction in a deterministic way, providing only a relation between mean values. An alternative is to consider both the shear stress and the entrainment as stochastic turbulent quantities and to express them in terms of their probability density functions (PDFs). In this way, statistics of the entrainment can be obtained from measured shear stress PDFs, either in steady or unsteady situations, since the effect of unsteadiness is embedded in the PDF. This new methodology was used to estimate sediment entrainment produced by the passage of vessels in the Mississippi River and the Illinois River. Using a low order cumulant expansion to describe the PDF of the shear stress and a generalized version of Garcia and Parker's entrainment relationship, an expression for the average of the entrainment as a function of the average, variance, skewness of the shear stress distribution was obtained. Predictions compared favourably with values reported in the literature. [Spanish] Para calcular la cantidad total y distribucion vertical de sedimento en suspension es preciso conocer una concentracion de referencia cerca del lecho o funcion de incorporacion, para lo cual se ha hecho un considerable esfuerzo por obtener dichas formulas. Existen varias funciones de incorporacion en la

Entrainment to periodic initiation and transition rates in a computational model for gene translation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Margaliot

Full Text Available Periodic oscillations play an important role in many biomedical systems. Proper functioning of biological systems that respond to periodic signals requires the ability to synchronize with the periodic excitation. For example, the sleep/wake cycle is a manifestation of an internal timing system that synchronizes to the solar day. In the terminology of systems theory, the biological system must entrain or phase-lock to the periodic excitation. Entrainment is also important in synthetic biology. For example, connecting several artificial biological systems that entrain to a common clock may lead to a well-functioning modular system. The cell-cycle is a periodic program that regulates DNA synthesis and cell division. Recent biological studies suggest that cell-cycle related genes entrain to this periodic program at the gene translation level, leading to periodically-varying protein levels of these genes. The ribosome flow model (RFM is a deterministic model obtained via a mean-field approximation of a stochastic model from statistical physics that has been used to model numerous processes including ribosome flow along the mRNA. Here we analyze the RFM under the assumption that the initiation and/or transition rates vary periodically with a common period T. We show that the ribosome distribution profile in the RFM entrains to this periodic excitation. In particular, the protein synthesis pattern converges to a unique periodic solution with period T. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first proof of entrainment in a mathematical model for translation that encapsulates aspects such as initiation and termination rates, ribosomal movement and interactions, and non-homogeneous elongation speeds along the mRNA. Our results support the conjecture that periodic oscillations in tRNA levels and other factors related to the translation process can induce periodic oscillations in protein levels, and may suggest a new approach for re-engineering genetic

Tar formation in a steam-O2 blown CFB gasifier and a steam blown PBFB gasifier (BabyHPR) : Comparison between different on-line measurement techniques and the off-line SPA sampling and analysis method

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meng, X.; Mitsakis, P.; Mayerhofen, M.; De Jong, W.; Gaderer, M.; Verkooijen, A.H.M.; Spliethoff, H.

2012-01-01

Two on-line tar measurement campaigns were carried out using an atmospheric pressure 100 “”kWth steam-O2 blown circulating fluidized bed (CFB) gasifier at the Delft University of Technology (TUD) and a 30–40kWth steam blown pressurized bubbling fluidized bed (PBFB) gasifier BabyHPR (Heatpipe

Study of air entrainment in high pressure spray: optics diagnostics and application to the Diesel injection; Etude de l'entrainement d'air dans un spray haute pression: diagnostics optiques et application a l'injection diesel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arbeau, A.

2004-12-15

The actual development of the engine must reply to a will of fuel consumption reduction and to norms more and more strict concerning the pollutant emissions. Although the Diesel engines are efficient, the NO{sub x} and particle emissions mainly come from the existence of wealthy fuel zone preventing an optimal combustion. Therefore, the air / fuel mixing preparation, highly controlled by the air entrainment in spray, is essential. In this context, we have developed metrological tools in order to analyse the air entrainment mechanism in a dense spray. The Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique is first applied to a conical spray with an injection pressure less than 100 bars to study the air entrainment in spray. A transfer of the methodologies allows then the characterisation and the understanding of the air entrainment mechanism in high pressure full spray (injection pressure less than 1600 bars) type Diesel one. The influence of injection parameters (injection pressure and back pressure) on the mixing rate is studied. The increase of the injection pressure from 800 to 1600 bars implies an increase of the mixing rate of 60 %. Moreover, the thermodynamic conditions of the ambient air, simulated by the chamber back pressure, widely favours the mixing rate. Actually, this latter increases of 350 % when the chamber back pressure varies from 1 to 7 bars. The experimental results do not follow classical laws of air entrainment in one-phase flow jet with variable density, but are in good agreement with an integral model for air entrainment in an axisymmetric full spray. Finally, the Fluorescence Particle Image Velocimetry (FPIV) is introduced in order to extend the PIV application field in dense two-phase flows. (author)

High temperature corrosion in gasifiers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bakker Wate

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Several commercial scale coal gasification combined cycle power plants have been built and successfully operated during the last 5-10 years. Supporting research on materials of construction has been carried out for the last 20 years by EPRI and others. Emphasis was on metallic alloys for heat exchangers and other components in contact with hot corrosive gases at high temperatures. In this paper major high temperature corrosion mechanisms, materials performance in presently operating gasifiers and future research needs will be discussed.

Results with a bench scale downdraft biomass gasifier for agricultural and forestry residues

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olgun, Hayati [TUBITAK Marmara Research Center, Energy Institute, P.O. Box 21, 41470 Gebze, Kocaeli (Turkey); Ozdogan, Sibel; Yinesor, Guzide [Marmara University-Goztepe Campus, Faculty of Engineering - Department of Mechanical Engineering, 34722 Kuyubasi Kadikoy Istanbul (Turkey)

2011-01-15

A small scale fixed bed downdraft gasifier system to be fed with agricultural and forestry residues has been designed and constructed. The downdraft gasifier has four consecutive reaction zones from the top to the bottom, namely drying, pyrolysis, oxidation and reduction zones. Both the biomass fuel and the gases move in the same direction. A throat has been incorporated into the design to achieve gasification with lower tar production. The experimental system consists of the downdraft gasifier and the gas cleaning unit made up by a cyclone, a scrubber and a filter box. A pilot burner is utilized for initial ignition of the biomass fuel. The product gases are combusted in the flare built up as part of the gasification system. The gasification medium is air. The air to fuel ratio is adjusted to produce a gas with acceptably high heating value and low pollutants. Within this frame, different types of biomass, namely wood chips, barks, olive pomace and hazelnut shells are to be processed. The developed downdraft gasifier appears to handle the investigated biomass sources in a technically and environmentally feasible manner. This paper summarizes selected design related issues along with the results obtained with wood chips and hazelnut shells. (author)

Experimental investigations on a common centrifugal pump operating under gas entrainment conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schäfer, Thomas, E-mail: thomas.schaefer@hzdr.de [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Fluid Dynamics (Germany); Neumann, Martin [Technische Universität Dresden, AREVA Endowed Chair of Imaging Techniques in Energy and Process Engineering (Germany); Bieberle, André [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Fluid Dynamics (Germany); Hampel, Uwe [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Fluid Dynamics (Germany); Technische Universität Dresden, AREVA Endowed Chair of Imaging Techniques in Energy and Process Engineering (Germany)

2017-05-15

Highlights: • The pump performance has been evaluated for several gas entrainment conditions. • The gas entraining flow regime has a large impact on the pump performance. • High-resolution gamma-ray computed tomography (HireCT) has been applied. • Gas holdup inside the operating impeller has been visualized and quantified. • Gas holdup profiles along selected streamlines have been calculated. - Abstract: This paper presents an experimental study on the effects of additional gas entrainment in centrifugal pumps designed for conveying liquid phases only. The pump performance has been evaluated for several gas entrainment conditions, and for various operational settings of the pump, such as its alignment and the rotational speed of the impeller. As a main performance indicator the impact of entrained gas on the hydraulic power of the pump has been analyzed using experimental data. Additionally, high-resolution gamma-ray computed tomography (HireCT) operated in time-averaged rotation-synchronized scanning mode has been applied to quantify local phase fraction distributions inside the rapidly rotating pump impeller. Based on these quantitative tomographic measurements, gas holdup profiles along selected streamlines have been calculated and gas accumulation areas inside the impeller chambers have been visualized. Thus, various internally accumulated gas holdup patterns have been identified and, eventually, associated with characteristic pump performance behaviors. Moreover, the tomographic measuring method allowed an enhanced gas holdup analysis in specified pump compartments. As a result, the related specific gas and liquid phase holdup profiles have been evaluated.

Experimental investigations on a common centrifugal pump operating under gas entrainment conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schäfer, Thomas; Neumann, Martin; Bieberle, André; Hampel, Uwe

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The pump performance has been evaluated for several gas entrainment conditions. • The gas entraining flow regime has a large impact on the pump performance. • High-resolution gamma-ray computed tomography (HireCT) has been applied. • Gas holdup inside the operating impeller has been visualized and quantified. • Gas holdup profiles along selected streamlines have been calculated. - Abstract: This paper presents an experimental study on the effects of additional gas entrainment in centrifugal pumps designed for conveying liquid phases only. The pump performance has been evaluated for several gas entrainment conditions, and for various operational settings of the pump, such as its alignment and the rotational speed of the impeller. As a main performance indicator the impact of entrained gas on the hydraulic power of the pump has been analyzed using experimental data. Additionally, high-resolution gamma-ray computed tomography (HireCT) operated in time-averaged rotation-synchronized scanning mode has been applied to quantify local phase fraction distributions inside the rapidly rotating pump impeller. Based on these quantitative tomographic measurements, gas holdup profiles along selected streamlines have been calculated and gas accumulation areas inside the impeller chambers have been visualized. Thus, various internally accumulated gas holdup patterns have been identified and, eventually, associated with characteristic pump performance behaviors. Moreover, the tomographic measuring method allowed an enhanced gas holdup analysis in specified pump compartments. As a result, the related specific gas and liquid phase holdup profiles have been evaluated.

Formation and entrainment of fluid mud layers in troughs of subtidal dunes in an estuarine turbidity zone

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Becker, Marius; Schrottke, Kerstin; Bartholomä, Alexander

2013-01-01

25 g/L below the lutocline to 70 g/L at the river bed, whereas the gelling concentration was below 70 g/L. Sites of fluid mud formation coincided with the location of the estuarine turbidity zone during slack water. On average, near-bed density gradients were initially observed in dune troughs 1.2 h...... before slack water, and all fluid mud layers were entrained 2.3 h after slack water. No shear instabilities occurred until 1.8 h after slack water. While the flow was oriented in the dune direction, rapid entrainment was related to the development of the turbulent flow field behind dunes and is explained...... to be induced by advection of strong turbulence during accelerating currents. Fluid mud layers in dune troughs were entrained at an earlier point in time after slack water, compared to adjacent layers formed on a comparatively flat bed, where dune crests did not protrude from the lutocline....

A comparative efficacy study of photic driving brainwave entrainment technology with a novel form of more direct entrainment

Science.gov (United States)

Knowles, Richard Thomas

This exploratory study compared the efficacy of a novel brainwave electromagnetic (EM) entrainment technology against a more conventional technology utilizing the photic-driving technique. Both experimental conditions were also compared with a 7-minute control session that took place immediately before each stimulation session. The Schumann Resonance (SR) frequency was selected as the delivery signal and was chosen because of previous findings suggesting that entrainment to this frequency can often produce transpersonal if not paranormal, experiences in the entrainee, which sometimes resemble remote viewing or out-of-body experiences. A pilot study determined which of two novel entrainment modalities (a copper coil or a 16-solenoid headset) worked most effectively for use with the rest of the study. In the main study, an artificial SR signal at 7.8Hz was delivered during the photic-driving sessions, but a recording of the real-time SR was used to deliver the entrainment signal during sessions devoted to the electromagnetic entrainment modality. Sixteen participants were recruited from the local area, and EEG recordings were acquired via a 32-channel Deymed electroencephalography system. Comparative analyses were performed between the control and experimental portions of each session to assess for efficacy of the novel entrainment modality used, and, in the main study, between the electromagnetic and photic-driving sessions, to assess for differential entrainment efficacy between these groups. A follow-up study was additionally performed primarily to determine whether responders could replicate their entrainment effect from the main study. Results showed that EM entrainment appeared to be possible but is not nearly as robust or reliable as photic driving. Additionally, no profound transpersonal or paranormal experiences were elicited during the course of the study, and, when asked, participants were not able to determine with any degree of success, when the

Entrainment, transport and deposition of sediment by saline gravity currents

Science.gov (United States)

Zordan, Jessica; Juez, Carmelo; Schleiss, Anton J.; Franca, Mário J.

2018-05-01

Few studies have addressed simultaneously the feedback between the hydrodynamics of a gravity current and the geomorphological changes of a mobile bed. Hydrodynamic quantities such as turbulent and mean velocities, bed shear stress and turbulent stresses undoubtedly govern the processes of entrainment, transport and deposition. On the other hand, the incorporation of entrained sediment in the current may change its momentum by introducing extra internal stresses, introducing thus a feedback process. These two main questions are here investigated. Laboratory experiments of saline gravity currents, produced by lock-exchange, flowing over a mobile bed channel reach, are here reported. Different initial buoyancies of the current in the lock are tested together with three different grain sizes of the non-coherent sediment that form the erodible bed. Results from velocity measurements are combined with the visualization of the sediment movement in the mobile reach and with post-test topographic and photo surveys of the geomorphology modifications of the channel bed. Mean and turbulent velocities are measured and bed shear stress and Reynolds stresses are estimated. We show that the mean vertical component of the velocity and bed shear stress are highly correlated with the first instants of sediment entrainment. Vertical turbulent velocity is similarly related to entrainment, although with lower correlation values, contributing as well to the sediment movement. Bed shear stress and Reynolds shear stress measured near the bed are correlated with sediment entrainment for longer periods, indicating that these quantities are associated to distal transport as well. Geomorphological changes in the mobile bed are strongly related to the impulse caused by the bed shear stress on the sediment. On the other hand, we show that the nature of the grain of the mobile bed reach influences the hydrodynamics of the current which means that a feedback mechanisms between both occurs during

Aerosol entrainment from a sparged non-Newtonian slurry.

Science.gov (United States)

Fritz, Brad G

2006-08-01

Previous bench-scale experiments have provided data necessary for the development of empirical models that describe aerosol entrainment from bubble bursting. However, previous work has not been extended to non-Newtonian liquid slurries. Design of a waste treatment plant on the Hanford Site in Washington required an evaluation of the applicability of these models outside of their intended range. For this evaluation, aerosol measurements were conducted above an air-sparged mixing tank filled with simulated waste slurry possessing Bingham plastic rheological properties. Three aerosol-size fractions were measured at three sampling heights and for three different sparging rates. The measured entrainment was compared with entrainment models. One model developed based on bench-scale air-water experiments agreed well with measured entrainment. Another model did not agree well with the measured entrainment. It appeared that the source of discrepancy between measured and modeled entrainment stemmed from application beyond the range of data used to develop the model. A possible separation in entrainment coefficients between air-water and steam-water systems was identified. A third entrainment model was adapted to match experimental conditions and fit a posteri to the experimental data, resulting in a modified version that resulted in estimated entrainment rates similar to the first model.

Comparison of Shell, Texaco, BGL and KRW gasifiers as part of IGCC plant computer simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zheng, L.; Furimsky, E. [Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada). CANMET Energy Technology Centre

2005-07-01

The performances of four IGCC plants employing Shell, Texaco, BGL and KRW gasifiers were simulated using ASPEN Plus software for three different feeds. Performance analyses and comparisons of all four IGCC plants were performed based on the established data bank from the simulation. Discussions were focused on gas compositions, gasifier selection and overall performance.

Comparison of Refractory Performance in Black Liquor Gasifiers and a Smelt Test System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peascoe, RA

2001-01-01

Prior laboratory corrosion studies along with experience at the black liquor gasifier in New Bern, North Carolina, clearly demonstrate that serious material problems exist with the gasifier's refractory lining. Mullite-based and alumina-based refractories used at the New Bern facility suffered significant degradation even though they reportedly performed adequately in smaller scale systems. Oak Ridge National Laboratory's involvement in the failure analysis, and the initial exploration of suitable replacement materials, led to the realization that a simple and reliable, complementary method for refractory screening was needed. The development of a laboratory test system and its suitability for simulating the environment of black liquor gasifiers was undertaken. Identification and characterization of corrosion products were used to evaluate the test system as a rapid screening tool for refractory performance and as a predictor of refractory lifetime. Results from the test systems and pl ants were qualitatively similar

Mechanistic Model for Ash Deposit Formation in Biomass Suspension Firing. Part 1: Model Verification by Use of Entrained Flow Reactor Experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Stine Broholm; Jensen, Peter Arendt; Jappe Frandsen, Flemming

2017-01-01

used to describe the deposit formation rates and deposit chemistry observed in a series of entrained flow reactor (EFR) experiments using straw and wood as fuels. It was found that model #1 was not able to describe the observed influence of temperature on the deposit buildup rates, predicting a much...... differ in the description of the sticking probability of impacted particles: model #1 employs a reference viscosity in the description of the sticking probability, while model #2 combines impaction of viscoelastic particles on a solid surface with particle capture by a viscous surface. Both models were...

Exploring Entrainment Patterns of Human Emotion in Social Media.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Saike; Zheng, Xiaolong; Zeng, Daniel; Luo, Chuan; Zhang, Zhu

2016-01-01

Emotion entrainment, which is generally defined as the synchronous convergence of human emotions, performs many important social functions. However, what the specific mechanisms of emotion entrainment are beyond in-person interactions, and how human emotions evolve under different entrainment patterns in large-scale social communities, are still unknown. In this paper, we aim to examine the massive emotion entrainment patterns and understand the underlying mechanisms in the context of social media. As modeling emotion dynamics on a large scale is often challenging, we elaborate a pragmatic framework to characterize and quantify the entrainment phenomenon. By applying this framework on the datasets from two large-scale social media platforms, we find that the emotions of online users entrain through social networks. We further uncover that online users often form their relations via dual entrainment, while maintain it through single entrainment. Remarkably, the emotions of online users are more convergent in nonreciprocal entrainment. Building on these findings, we develop an entrainment augmented model for emotion prediction. Experimental results suggest that entrainment patterns inform emotion proximity in dyads, and encoding their associations promotes emotion prediction. This work can further help us to understand the underlying dynamic process of large-scale online interactions and make more reasonable decisions regarding emergency situations, epidemic diseases, and political campaigns in cyberspace.

Physical and Numerical Investigations of Mould Flux Entrainment into Liquid Steel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jowsa J.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents results of model tests, performed in order to analyze phenomenon of slag droplets entrainment into steel in mould, during continuous casting process. The carried out studies took the form of laboratory experiments using physical model, in which – using similarity criteria – the behaviour of interfacial boundary liquid steel-liquid slag has been simulated using water and silicon oils, differing in physicochemical properties. Additionally, based on PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry measurements and numerical simulations, vector flow field and values of critical velocities, at which observed the occurrence of interfacial boundary silicon oil-water instability have been identified. Based on the carried out investigations, results, that illustrate relationship between critical entrainment velocity and physicochemical properties of oils have been presented.

Effects of pressure on morphology and structure of bio-char from pressurized entrained-flow pyrolysis of microalgae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristina Maliutina

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The present dataset describes the entrained-flow pyrolysis of Microalgae Chlorella vulgaris and the results obtained during bio-char characterization. The dataset includes a brief explanation of the experimental procedure, experimental conditions and the influence of pyrolysis conditions on bio-chars morphology and carbon structure. The data show an increase in sphericity and surface smoothness of bio-chars at higher pressures and temperatures. Data confirmed that the swelling ratio of bio-chars increased with pressure up to 2.0 MPa. Consequently, changes in carbon structure of bio-chars were investigated using Raman spectroscopy. The data showed the increase in carbon order of chars at elevated pressures. Changes in the chemical structure of bio-char as a function of pyrolysis conditions were investigated using FTIR analysis. Keywords: Microalgae, Bio-char, Particle swelling, Pressurized pyrolysis

Test of different biomass into the IISc open-top co-current gasifier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giordano, P. [Xylowatt SA, Chatel-St-Denis (Switzerland); Hasler, P. [Verenum SA, Zuerich (Switzerland); Dasappa, S. [Indian Institute of Science, Combustion Gasification and Propulsion Laboratory, Bangalore (India)

2001-07-01

This report made for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) describes the efforts made to demonstrate the technical feasibility of combined heat and power generation using wood gasification. The report describes a project involving a small open-top gasifier based on a design realised by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). The tests made with various wood fuels such as clean wood chips, waste-wood chips, pecan nut shells, crushed oak briquettes, wood pellets, coffee hull pellets and chicken litter pellets are described and the results of measurements made concerning particulate matter, tar and certain organic compounds are presented. The discussion of the results shows that certain types of biomass can easily be used as a fuel for the small gasifier whereas others, such as coffee hull pellets, are less suitable. The report suggests that other possible fuels, such as olive and apricot stones, sludge from waste water treatment plant or plastic residue from refuse treatment should be tested in the gasifier. These tests could also provide the opportunity of testing appropriate gas treatment equipment at the same time.

Exploring Entrainment Patterns of Human Emotion in Social Media

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Chuan; Zhang, Zhu

2016-01-01

Emotion entrainment, which is generally defined as the synchronous convergence of human emotions, performs many important social functions. However, what the specific mechanisms of emotion entrainment are beyond in-person interactions, and how human emotions evolve under different entrainment patterns in large-scale social communities, are still unknown. In this paper, we aim to examine the massive emotion entrainment patterns and understand the underlying mechanisms in the context of social media. As modeling emotion dynamics on a large scale is often challenging, we elaborate a pragmatic framework to characterize and quantify the entrainment phenomenon. By applying this framework on the datasets from two large-scale social media platforms, we find that the emotions of online users entrain through social networks. We further uncover that online users often form their relations via dual entrainment, while maintain it through single entrainment. Remarkably, the emotions of online users are more convergent in nonreciprocal entrainment. Building on these findings, we develop an entrainment augmented model for emotion prediction. Experimental results suggest that entrainment patterns inform emotion proximity in dyads, and encoding their associations promotes emotion prediction. This work can further help us to understand the underlying dynamic process of large-scale online interactions and make more reasonable decisions regarding emergency situations, epidemic diseases, and political campaigns in cyberspace. PMID:26953692

Exploring Entrainment Patterns of Human Emotion in Social Media.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saike He

Full Text Available Emotion entrainment, which is generally defined as the synchronous convergence of human emotions, performs many important social functions. However, what the specific mechanisms of emotion entrainment are beyond in-person interactions, and how human emotions evolve under different entrainment patterns in large-scale social communities, are still unknown. In this paper, we aim to examine the massive emotion entrainment patterns and understand the underlying mechanisms in the context of social media. As modeling emotion dynamics on a large scale is often challenging, we elaborate a pragmatic framework to characterize and quantify the entrainment phenomenon. By applying this framework on the datasets from two large-scale social media platforms, we find that the emotions of online users entrain through social networks. We further uncover that online users often form their relations via dual entrainment, while maintain it through single entrainment. Remarkably, the emotions of online users are more convergent in nonreciprocal entrainment. Building on these findings, we develop an entrainment augmented model for emotion prediction. Experimental results suggest that entrainment patterns inform emotion proximity in dyads, and encoding their associations promotes emotion prediction. This work can further help us to understand the underlying dynamic process of large-scale online interactions and make more reasonable decisions regarding emergency situations, epidemic diseases, and political campaigns in cyberspace.

Cloud-Top Entrainment in Stratocumulus Clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Mellado, Juan Pedro

2017-01-01

Cloud entrainment, the mixing between cloudy and clear air at the boundary of clouds, constitutes one paradigm for the relevance of small scales in the Earth system: By regulating cloud lifetimes, meter- and submeter-scale processes at cloud boundaries can influence planetary-scale properties. Understanding cloud entrainment is difficult given the complexity and diversity of the associated phenomena, which include turbulence entrainment within a stratified medium, convective instabilities driven by radiative and evaporative cooling, shear instabilities, and cloud microphysics. Obtaining accurate data at the required small scales is also challenging, for both simulations and measurements. During the past few decades, however, high-resolution simulations and measurements have greatly advanced our understanding of the main mechanisms controlling cloud entrainment. This article reviews some of these advances, focusing on stratocumulus clouds, and indicates remaining challenges.

Visuomotor Entrainment and the Frequency-Dependent Response of Walking Balance to Perturbations.

Science.gov (United States)

Franz, Jason R; Francis, Carrie; Allen, Matt; Thelen, Darryl G

2016-08-26

Visuomotor entrainment, or the synchronization of motor responses to visual stimuli, is a naturally emergent phenomenon in human standing. Our purpose was to investigate the prevalence and resolution of visuomotor entrainment in walking and the frequency-dependent response of walking balance to perturbations. We used a virtual reality environment to manipulate optical flow in ten healthy young adults during treadmill walking. A motion capture system recorded trunk, sacrum, and heel marker trajectories during a series of 3-min conditions in which we perturbed a virtual hallway mediolaterally with systematic changes in the driving frequencies of perceived motion. We quantified visuomotor entrainment using spectral analyses and balance deficits using trunk sway, gait variability, and detrended fluctuation analyses (DFA). ML kinematics were highly sensitive to visual perturbations, and instinctively synchronized (i.e., entrained) to a broad range of driving frequencies of perceived ML motion. However, the influence of visual perturbations on metrics of walking balance was frequency-dependent and governed by their proximity to stride frequency. Specifically, we found that a driving frequency nearest to subjects' average stride frequency uniquely compromised trunk sway, gait variability, and step-to-step correlations. We conclude that visuomotor entrainment is a robust and naturally emerging phenomenon during human walking, involving coordinated and frequency-dependent adjustments in trunk sway and foot placement to maintain balance at the whole-body level. These findings provide mechanistic insight into how the visuomotor control of walking balance is disrupted by visual perturbations and important reference values for the emergence of balance deficits due to age, injury, or disease.

Corrosion and flow resistance of metal filter elements used in the cleanup of syngas from the Transport Gasifier at the Power Systems Development Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robert S. Dahlin; E. Carl Landham; Xiaofeng Guan [Southern Research Institute, Wilsonville, AL (United States). Power Systems Development Facility

2008-07-01

At the Power Systems Development Facility (PSDF), a variety of filter elements and failsafes are being tested for the cleanup of coal-generated syngas from the Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR) Transport Gasifier. Thus far, no evidence of corrosion or plugging has been found in the HR-160 failsafes or sinterned metal fiber elements. However, a progressive corrosion and increase in pressure drop has been noted in the iron aluminide elements. The corrosion was first detected as reddish-brown spots of iron oxide after about 2,000 to 3,000 hours of syngas exposure. As the corrosion progressed, the spots of iron oxide merged to form a continuous scale after about 5,000 to 5,500 hours of exposure. With additional exposure, a black scale containing iron sulfide also appeared, and localized areas of sulfidation and plugging were noted in element cross sections. These effects have not resulted in any significant reduction in tensile strength, but a gradual increase in the clean element pressure drop has been noted. Flow test results suggest that there is an interaction between the corroded filter surface and the dustcake that effectively increases the residual cake flow resistance and baseline pressure drop. 10 refs., 14 figs., 1 tab.

Entrainment: an annotated bibliography. Interim report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carrier, R.F.; Hannon, E.H.

1979-04-01

The 604 annotated references in this bibliography on the effects of pumped entrainment of aquatic organisms through the cooling systems of thermal power plants were compiled from published and unpublished literature and cover the years 1947 through 1977. References to published literature were obtained by searching large-scale commercial data bases, ORNL in-house-generated data bases, relevant journals, and periodical bibliographies. The unpublished literature is a compilation of Sections 316(a) and 316(b) demonstrations, environmental impact statements, and environmental reports prepared by the utilities in compliance with Federal Water Pollution Control Administration regulations. The bibliography includes references on monitoring studies at power plant sites, laboratory studies of physical and biological effects on entrained organisms, engineering strategies for the mitigation of entrainment effects, and selected theoretical studies concerned with the methodology for determining entrainment effects

Temperature compensation and entrainment in circadian rhythms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bodenstein, C; Heiland, I; Schuster, S

2012-01-01

To anticipate daily variations in the environment and coordinate biological activities into a daily cycle many organisms possess a circadian clock. In the absence of external time cues the circadian rhythm persists with a period of approximately 24 h. The clock phase can be shifted by single pulses of light, darkness, chemicals, or temperature and this allows entrainment of the clock to exactly 24 h by cycles of these zeitgebers. On the other hand, the period of the circadian rhythm is kept relatively constant within a physiological range of constant temperatures, which means that the oscillator is temperature compensated. The mechanisms behind temperature compensation and temperature entrainment are not fully understood, neither biochemically nor mathematically. Here, we theoretically investigate the interplay of temperature compensation and entrainment in general oscillatory systems. We first give an analytical treatment for small temperature shifts and derive that every temperature-compensated oscillator is entrainable to external small-amplitude temperature cycles. Temperature compensation ensures that this entrainment region is always centered at the endogenous period regardless of possible seasonal temperature differences. Moreover, for small temperature cycles the entrainment region of the oscillator is potentially larger for rectangular pulses. For large temperature shifts we numerically analyze different circadian clock models proposed in the literature with respect to these properties. We observe that for such large temperature shifts sinusoidal or gradual temperature cycles allow a larger entrainment region than rectangular cycles. (paper)

Performance Evaluation of Throatless Gasifier Using Pine Needles as a Feedstock for Power Generation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dhaundiyal Alok

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with the performance evaluation of a throatless gasifier TG-SI-10E. Evaluation of the throatless gasifier was done in three streams, which were the thermal, design and economic aspects. It was tested with pine needles, derived from the Himalayan chir pine (Pinus roxburghii. A non-isokinetic sampling technique was used for measuring the tar and dust contents. The carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide emission at the exhaust of engine was in the range of 12.8% and 0.1-0.5% respectively. The maximum temperature of producer gas measured at the outlet of the gasifier was 505 °C. The specific biomass consumption rate of pine needles was calculated to be 1.595 kg/kWh (electrical. Specific gasification rate for the given design was found to be 107 kg/m2h. Economic evaluation was based on direct tax incidence.

Liquid CO₂/Coal Slurry for Feeding Low Rank Coal to Gasifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marasigan, Jose [Electric Power Research Institute, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Goldstein, Harvey [Electric Power Research Institute, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Dooher, John [Electric Power Research Institute, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (United States)

2013-09-30

This study investigates the practicality of using a liquid CO₂/coal slurry preparation and feed system for the E-Gas™ gasifier in an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) electric power generation plant configuration. Liquid CO₂ has several property differences from water that make it attractive for the coal slurries used in coal gasification-based power plants. First, the viscosity of liquid CO₂ is much lower than water. This means it should take less energy to pump liquid CO₂ through a pipe compared to water. This also means that a higher solids concentration can be fed to the gasifier, which should decrease the heat requirement needed to vaporize the slurry. Second, the heat of vaporization of liquid CO₂ is about 80% lower than water. This means that less heat from the gasification reactions is needed to vaporize the slurry. This should result in less oxygen needed to achieve a given gasifier temperature. And third, the surface tension of liquid CO₂ is about 2 orders of magnitude lower than water, which should result in finer atomization of the liquid CO₂ slurry, faster reaction times between the oxygen and coal particles, and better carbon conversion at the same gasifier temperature. EPRI and others have recognized the potential that liquid CO₂ has in improving the performance of an IGCC plant and have previously conducted systemslevel analyses to evaluate this concept. These past studies have shown that a significant increase in IGCC performance can be achieved with liquid CO₂ over water with certain gasifiers. Although these previous analyses had produced some positive results, they were still based on various assumptions for liquid CO₂/coal slurry properties.

Investigations of gas entrainment in KNK II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoppe, P.; Massier, H.; Mitzel, F.; Vaeth, W.

1979-08-01

During commissioning of KNK II operational difficulties were encountered due to gas entrainment in the coolant. This gas entrainment caused negative reactivity fluctuations which tripped the reactor repeatedly. Since first investigations indicated one main cause of the gas entrainment and the existence of an accumulation process, a technical modification (installation of a throttle valve) for remedy was performed. This report describes the investigations made after the plant modification. The main objective was to test the effectiveness of the modifications and to look into the following still open problems: Localization of the gas storage, detection and estimation of a permanent gas entrainment and the analysis of positive power overshoots being observed in connection with the gas bubbles

Topflow-experiments on direct condensation and bubble entrainment. Technical report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidel, Tobias; Lucas, Dirk; Beyer, Matthias

2016-01-01

Direct Contact Condensation between steam and water as well as bubble entrainment below the water surface play an important role in different accident scenarios for light water reactors. One example is the emergency core cooling water injection into a two-phase mixture. It has to be considered for example to evaluate potential pressurized thermal shock phenomena. This report documents experiments conducted in flat basin inside the TOPFLOW pressure chamber aiming on the generation of a database useful for CFD model development and validation. It comprises 3 different setups: condensation at a stratified flow of sub-cooled water, condensation at a sub-cooled water jet and a combination of both phenomena with steam bubble entrainment. The documentation includes all details on the experimental set up, on experimental conditions (experimental matrices), on the conduction of the experiments, on measuring techniques used and on data evaluation procedures. In addition, selected results are presented.

Alignment strategies for the entrainment of music and movement rhythms.

Science.gov (United States)

Moens, Bart; Leman, Marc

2015-03-01

Theories of entrainment assume that spontaneous entrainment emerges from dynamic laws that operate via mediators on interactions, whereby entrainment is facilitated if certain conditions are fulfilled. In this study, we show that mediators can be built that affect the entrainment of human locomotion to music. More specifically, we built D-Jogger, a music player that functions as a mediator between music and locomotion rhythms. The D-Jogger makes it possible to manipulate the timing differences between salient moments of the rhythms (beats and footfalls) through the manipulation of the musical period and phase, which affect the condition in which entrainment functions. We conducted several experiments to explore different strategies for manipulating the entrainment of locomotion and music. The results of these experiments showed that spontaneous entrainment can be manipulated, thereby suggesting different strategies on how to embark. The findings furthermore suggest a distinction among different modalities of entrainment: finding the beat (the most difficult part of entrainment), keeping the beat (easier, as a temporal scheme has been established), and being in phase (no entrainment is needed because the music is always adapted to the human rhythm). This study points to a new avenue of research on entrainment and opens new perspectives for the neuroscience of music. © 2014 New York Academy of Sciences.

Method and apparatus for controlling the flow rate of mercury in a flow system

Science.gov (United States)

Grossman, Mark W.; Speer, Richard

1991-01-01

A method for increasing the mercury flow rate to a photochemical mercury enrichment utilizing an entrainment system comprises the steps of passing a carrier gas over a pool of mercury maintained at a first temperature T1, wherein the carrier gas entrains mercury vapor; passing said mercury vapor entrained carrier gas to a second temperature zone T2 having temperature less than T1 to condense said entrained mercury vapor, thereby producing a saturated Hg condition in the carrier gas; and passing said saturated Hg carrier gas to said photochemical enrichment reactor.

Catalytic combustion of gasified waste - Experimental part. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jaeraas, Sven; Kusar, Henrik [Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm (Sweden). Chemical Engineering and Technology

2003-08-01

This final report covers the work that has been performed within the project P 10547-2, 'Catalytic combustion of gasified waste - system analysis ORWARE'. This project is part of the research programme 'Energy from Waste' financed by the Swedish National Energy Administration. The project has been carried out at the division of Industrial Ecology and at the division of Chemical Technology at Royal Inst. of Technology. The aim of the project has been to study the potentials for catalytic combustion of gasified waste. The supposed end user of the technique is a smaller community in Sweden with 15,000-20,000 inhabitants. The project contains of two sub projects: an experimental part carried out at Chemical Technology and a system analysis carried out at Industrial Ecology. This report covers the experimental part of the project carried out at Chemical Technology. The aim for the experimental part has been to develop and test catalysts with long life-time and a high performance, to reduce the thermal-NO{sub x} below 5 ppm and to significantly reduce NO{sub x} formed from fuel-bound nitrogen. Different experimental studies have been carried out within the project: a set-up of catalytic materials have been tested over a synthetic mixture of the gasified waste, the influence of sulfur present in the gas stream, NO{sub x} formation from fuel bound nitrogen, kinetic studies of CO and H{sub 2} with and without the presence of water and the effects of adding a co-metal to palladium catalysts Furthermore a novel annular reactor design has been used to carry out experiments for kinetic measurements. Real gasification tests of waste pellets directly coupled to catalytic combustion have successfully been performed. The results obtained from the experiments, both the catalytic combustion and from the gasification, have been possible to use in the system analysis. The aim of the system analysis of catalytic combustion of gasified waste takes into consideration

The Design, Construction and Operation of a 75 kW Two-Stage Gasifier

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henriksen, Ulrik Birk; Ahrenfeldt, Jesper; Jensen, Torben Kvist

2003-01-01

The Two-Stage Gasifier was operated for several weeks (465 hours) and of these 190 hours continuously. The gasifier is operated automatically unattended day and night, and only small adjustments of the feeding rate were necessary once or twice a day. The operation was successful, and the output...... as expected. The engine operated well on the produced gas, and no deposits were observed in the engine afterwards. The bag house filter was an excellent and well operating gas cleaning system. Small amounts of deposits consisting of salts and carbonates were observed in the hot gas heat exchangers. The top...

A hybrid model to predict the onset of gas entrainment with surface tension effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saleh, W.; Bowden, R.C.; Hassan, I.G.; Kadem, L.

2008-01-01

The onset of gas entrainment, in a single downward oriented discharge from a stratified gas-liquid region with was modeled. The assumptions made in the development of the model reduced the problem to that of a potential flow. The discharge was modeled as a point-sink. Through use of the Kelvin-Laplace equation the model included the effects of surface tension. The resulting model required further knowledge of the flow field, specifically the dip radius of curvature prior to the onset of gas entrainment. The dip shape and size was investigated experimentally and correlations were provided to characterize the dip in terms of the discharge Froude number. The experimental correlation was used in conjunction with the theoretical model to predict the critical height. The results showed that by including surface tension effects the predicted critical height showed excellent agreement with experimental data. Surface tension reduces the critical height through the Bond number

Simple estimate of entrainment rate of pollutants from a coastal discharge into the surf zone.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Simon H C; Monismith, Stephen G; Boehm, Alexandria B

2013-10-15

Microbial pollutants from coastal discharges can increase illness risks for swimmers and cause beach advisories. There is presently no predictive model for estimating the entrainment of pollution from coastal discharges into the surf zone. We present a novel, quantitative framework for estimating surf zone entrainment of pollution at a wave-dominant open beach. Using physical arguments, we identify a dimensionless parameter equal to the quotient of the surf zone width l(sz) and the cross-flow length scale of the discharge la = M(j) (1/2)/U(sz), where M(j) is the discharge's momentum flux and U(sz) is a representative alongshore velocity in the surf zone. We conducted numerical modeling of a nonbuoyant discharge at an alongshore uniform beach with constant slope using a wave-resolving hydrodynamic model. Using results from 144 numerical experiments we develop an empirical relationship between the surf zone entrainment rate α and l(sz)/(la). The empirical relationship can reasonably explain seven measurements of surf zone entrainment at three diverse coastal discharges. This predictive relationship can be a useful tool in coastal water quality management and can be used to develop predictive beach water quality models.

Validation of Continuous CHP Operation of a Two-Stage Biomass Gasifier

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahrenfeldt, Jesper; Henriksen, Ulrik Birk; Jensen, Torben Kvist

2006-01-01

The Viking gasification plant at the Technical University of Denmark was built to demonstrate a continuous combined heat and power operation of a two-stage gasifier fueled with wood chips. The nominal input of the gasifier is 75 kW thermal. To validate the continuous operation of the plant, a 9-day...... measurement campaign was performed. The campaign verified a stable operation of the plant, and the energy balance resulted in an overall fuel to gas efficiency of 93% and a wood to electricity efficiency of 25%. Very low tar content in the producer gas was observed: only 0.1 mg/Nm3 naphthalene could...... be measured in raw gas. A stable engine operation on the producer gas was observed, and very low emissions of aldehydes, N2O, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were measured....

FY 1989 report on the results of the development of the entrained bed coal gasification power plant. Part 3. Fabrication/installation of pilot plant (Fabrication/installation drawings and fabrication/installation pictures - 1/2); 1989 nendo seika hokokusho. Funryusho sekitan gaska hatsuden plant kaihatsu - Sono 3. Pilot plant seisaku suetsuke hen (Seisaku suetsukezu oyobi seisaku suetsuke shashin) (1/2)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1990-03-01

For the purpose of establishing the technology of the integrated coal gasification combined cycle power generation, the fabrication, installation work, etc. were conducted of a 200t/d entrained bed coal gasification pilot plant, and drawings of fabrication/installation in the FY 1989 were summarized. In fabrication/installation drawings, drawings of the following were included: layout of the total system and the yard, gasifier facilities (assembly drawing of the pressure part of gasifier, drawing of machinery arrangement of gasifier facilities, system diagram of raw coal receiving device, system diagram of pulverized coal feed equipment, system diagram of char feed equipment, etc.), gas refining facilities - dry desulfurizer (assembly drawing of desulfurizing agent carrying filter, assembly drawing of regeneration tower filter, structural drawing of SO{sub 2} reduction tower filter, assembly drawing of start-up heater, etc.), gas refining facilities - dry dust removal system (assembly drawing of No.1 dust separation filter, installation drawing of elevator, etc.), gas turbine facilities (cross section of gas turbine, front view of gas turbine, structural cross section of gas turbogenerator, etc.), actual-pressure/actual-size combustor test equipment (structural drawing of test stand, structural drawing of exhaust temperature reduction device, assembly/sectioned drawing of low-pressure air compressor, etc.) (NEDO)

Gasification of municipal solid waste in a downdraft gasifier: Analysis of tar formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tabitha Geoffrey Etutu

2016-04-01

Full Text Available In this study, municipal solid waste (MSW from a dumpsite was converted into refuse derived fuel (RDF and used as feedstock for an air-blown gasification process. The gasification process was conducted in a 10 kg.hr -1 downdraft gasifier at different air flow rates of 300, 350, 400, 450 and 550 NL.min1 at atmospheric pressure in order to investigate the quantity and quality of tar formed. It was shown that the increase in the air flow rate from 300 NL.min1 to 550 NL.min1 led to an increase in the oxidation temperature from 719°C to 870°C and an increase in the reduction temperature from 585°C to 750°C, respectively. Tar was reduced from 15 g.Nm3 to 4.7 g.Nm3 respectively. Heavy tar compounds (>C17 e.g. pyrene and phenathrene, decreased with the increase in the light tar compounds (

Hydrodynamics of annular-dispersed flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishii, M.; Kataoka, I.

1982-01-01

The interfacial drag, droplet entrainment, and droplet size distributions are important for detailed mechanistic modeling of annular dispersed two-phase flow. In view of this, recently developed correlations for these parameters are presented and discussed in this paper. The drag correlations for multiple fluid particle systems have been developed from a similarity hypothesis based on the mixture viscosity model. The results show that the drag coefficient depends on the particle Reynolds number and droplet concentration. The onset on droplet entrainment significantly alters the mechanisms of mass, momentum, and energy transfer between the film and gas core flow as well as the transfer between the two-phase mixture and the wall. By assuming the roll wave entrainment mechanism, the correlations for the amount of entrained droplet as well as for the droplet size distribution have been obtained from a simple model in collaboration with a large number of data

Fluidised bed gasification of low grade South African coals

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

North, BC

2006-09-01

Full Text Available gasifiers. Fluidised bed Entrained flow Coal particle size 0.5 mm – 5 mm 0 – 0.5 mm Coal moisture Dry Dry/slurry Coal type Non-caking coals Any coal Ash in coal < 60% < 30% Gasification agents Air/steam/oxygen Steam/oxygen Gasification... properties important for fluidised bed gasification are: square4 Coal reactivity in atmospheres of CO2 and H2O square4 Caking index and free swelling index (FSI) square4 Ash fusion temperature (AFT) 5.1 Coal reactivity The gasifcation reactions (1...

Projected entrainment of fish resulting from aggregate dredging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drabble, Ray

2012-01-01

Previous research to assess impacts from aggregate dredging has focussed on infaunal species with few studies made of fish entrainment. Entrainment evidence from hydraulic dredging studies is reviewed to develop a sensitivity index for benthic fish. Environmental monitoring attendant with the granting of new licences in the Eastern Channel Region (ECR) in 2006 offers a unique opportunity to assess the effects of dredging upon fish. Projected theoretical fish entrainment rates are calculated based upon: abundance data from 4m beam trawl sampling of fish species over the period 2005–2008; sensitivity data; and dredging activity and footprint derived from Electronic monitoring System (EMS) data. Results have been compared with actual entrainment rates and also against summary results from independent analysis of the changes in fish population over the period 2005–2008 (). The case is made for entrainment surveys to form part of impact monitoring for marine aggregate dredging.

FPIV study of gas entrainment by a hollow cone spray submitted to variable density

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prosperi, B. [UMR CNRS/INPT-UPS 5502, Institut de Mecanique des Fluides de Toulouse, Toulouse (France); P GS AD INCAS, Siemens VDO Automotive, 1, av Paul Ourliac, BP 1149, Toulouse (France); Delay, G.; Bazile, R. [UMR CNRS/INPT-UPS 5502, Institut de Mecanique des Fluides de Toulouse, Toulouse (France); Helie, J.; Nuglish, H.J. [P GS AD INCAS, Siemens VDO Automotive, 1, av Paul Ourliac, BP 1149, Toulouse (France)

2007-08-15

The gas entrainment in a hollow cone spray submitted to variable density is studied experimentally in order to better understand the effect on mixture formation. Particle image velocimetry on fluorescent tracers, associated with a specific processing of the instantaneous velocity fields have been applied to obtain measurement in the close vicinity of the spray edge. In the ''quasi-steady'' region of the spray, important effect of the ambient density on the mass flow rate of entrained gas (m{sub e}) have been pointed out. The axial evolution of m{sub e} is in good agreement with an integral model that takes the momentum exchange between phases into account. (orig.)

An experimental study of particle-driven gravity currents on steep slopes with entrainment of particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Rastello

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Results of laboratory experiments are presented in which a finite suspension of sawdust particles was released instantaneously into a rectangular channel immersed in a water tank. Two kinds of gravity currents were studied: currents with or without entrainment of particles from the bed. Experiments were repeated for two slopes: 30° and 45°. We observed that the velocity of the front was significantly in-creased as particle entrainment occurred. In addition, our experiments showed that the front kept a quasi-constant velocity for both runs. This might suggest that the flow regime corresponded to the "slumping regime" or "adjustment phase" described earlier by Huppert and Simpson (1980.

Pollutant Removal, Dispersion and Entrainment over Two-Dimensional Idealized Street Canyons: an LES Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, C.; Liu, C.

2010-12-01

Unlike pollutant transport over flat terrain, the mechanism and plume dispersion over urban areas is not well known. This study is therefore conceived to examine how urban morphology modifies the pollutant transport over urban areas. The computational domain and boundary condition used in this study is shown in Figure 1. The LES shows that inside the street canyon, the ground-level pollutants are carried to roof-level by the re-circulating flow, which are then removed from the street canyon to the UBL. Right above the roof level, narrow high-speed air masses in the streamwise flows and intensive downdrafts have been found in the shear layer. Different from the flows over a smooth surface, the maximum turbulence intensities descend that are peaked near the top of the building roughness. The pollutant is rather uniformly distributed inside a street canyon but disperses rapidly over the buildings exhibiting a Gaussian-plume form in the UBL. The mean component of vertical pollutant flux shows that the mean wind contributes to pollutant removal and entrainment simultaneously. Whereas, the fluctuating component demystifies that pollutant removal is mainly governed by atmospheric turbulence. Over the roof level, atmospheric flows slow down rapidly in the wake behind leeward building, suggesting the momentum entrainment into the street canyons. The decelerating streamwise flows in turn lead to upward flows carrying pollutants away from the street canyons, illustrating the basic pollutant removal mechanism in the skimming flow regime. Figure 1: Computational domain and boundary conditions Figure 2: Ensemble average vertical pollutant flux along the roof level. (a). Mean component; (b). turbulent component.

FY 1992 report on the results of the development of an entrained bed coal gasification power plant. Part 4. Operation of pilot plant; 1992 nendo seika hokokusho. Funryusho sekitan gaska hatsuden plant kaihatsu - Sono 4. Pilot plant unten sosa hen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-02-01

A record was summarized of the operation test study in FY 1992 of the 200 t/d entrained bed coal gasification pilot plant that was constructed with the aim of establishing technology of the integrated coal gasification combined cycle power generation. The operating hour of gasifier facilities in FY 1992 was 635 hours 19 minutes, and the number of times of gasification operation was 9. The operating hour of letting gas through to gas refining facilities was 549 hours 14 minutes. The operating hour of gas turbine facilities was 310 hours 18 minutes, and the generated output was 1,366.2 MWh. The operating hour of treatment furnace of safety environment facilities was 1,401 hours 4 minutes, and that of the denitrification system was 621 hours 24 minutes. As to the actual results of the start-up/stop, the paper detailedly recorded those of RUNs 10, 11, 12, 13 and D1. Further, operation manuals were made for the schedule of plant start-up/stop, gasifier facilities, gas refining facilities (dry desulfurization facilities), gas refining facilities (dry dedusting facilities), actual pressure/actual size combustor testing facilities and safety environment facilities. (NEDO)

Development of a program BFQ/VER1 to simulate vapour pull through and liquid entrainment under stratified flow condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majumdar, P.; Mukhopadyay, D.; Lele, H.G.; Gupta, S.K.

2000-08-01

Whether in process industries or nuclear industries, we come across lot of horizontal components, where two-phase or two-component fluids exist in normal or abnormal working conditions. Situations which lead to separation of the phases sees vapour pull through or liquid entrainment phenomena occurring when fluid discharges from horizontal components to the off - take branches. In order to capture the phenomena and applying it to the Indian PHWR during LOCA, a program 'BFQ' has been developed using various models for different fluids and conditions. These models have been validated with various experimental data available in the literature. Smoglie's model has been found to comply with most of the experiments even though it has been developed for air-water system. A modification of the model also been successfully used for feeders located at 45 deg. The result has been well validated with Hassan (1997) experiment for the same configuration. For a typical case of LOCA, RELAP4/MOD6, a widely used Homogenous model for simulating systems, is found to over predict the off-take flow quality from Header under stratified flow condition. (author)

Neural Entrainment to Speech Modulates Speech Intelligibility

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Riecke, Lars; Formisano, Elia; Sorger, Bettina; Baskent, Deniz; Gaudrain, Etienne

2018-01-01

Speech is crucial for communication in everyday life. Speech-brain entrainment, the alignment of neural activity to the slow temporal fluctuations (envelope) of acoustic speech input, is a ubiquitous element of current theories of speech processing. Associations between speech-brain entrainment and

Experiment study on NOx reduction through biomass reburning in an entrained flow reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, P.; Wang, Y.; Lu, F.; Liu, Y. [Nanjing Normal Univ. (China). School of Energy and Mechanical Engineering

2013-07-01

The reburning experiments with six kinds of biomass (including rice straw, wheat straw, maize stalk, cotton stalk, rice husk and bagasse,) and one biochar (wheat straw char) was carried out in an entrained flow reactor. The effects of biomass type, stoichiometric ratio in the reburning-zone (SR2), reaction temperature in the reburning-zone (t{sub 2}), particle sizes of biomass (d{sub p}), and reburning fuel fraction (R{sub ff}) on NO reduction efficiency analysed. The NO heterogeneous reduction contribute of biochar was also analyzed. The results indicate that NO reduction efficiency behaves a trend of first increase and then decrease with decreasing of SR2 or increasing of R{sub ff}. The higher NO reduction efficiency (more than 50%) can be achieved at the range of SR2 = 0.7-0.8 or R{sub ff} = 20-26% during reburning with six tested biomass. Cotton stalk with higher volatiles and the highest contents of K, Na alkali metals behaves the best performance of NO reduction. In the range of t{sub 2} = 900-1,100 C NO reduction efficiency increases with increasing of reburning-zone reaction temperature at the same SR2. NO reduction efficiency increases insignificantly with decreasing of particle size of biomass while d{sub p} < 425{mu}m. The contribution of NO heterogeneous reduction by wheat straw char to the total NO reduction is in the higher range of 59-68% while R{sub ff} = 10-26%.

Dynamic Analysis of a Rotor System Supported on Squeeze Film Damper with Air Entrainment

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wei; Han, Bingbing; Zhang, Kunpeng; Ding, Qian

2017-12-01

Squeeze film dampers (SFDs) are widely used in compressors and turbines to suppress the vibration while traversing critical speeds. In practical applications, air ingestion from the outside environment and cavitation may lead to a foamy lubricant that weakens oil film damping and dynamic performance of rotor system. In this paper, a rigid rotor model is established considering both lateral and pitching vibration under different imbalance excitations to evaluate the effect of air entrainment on rotor system. Tests with three different imbalances are carried out on a rotor-SFD apparatus. Volume controlled air in mixture ranging from pure oil to all air are supplied to the SFD. The transient response of rotor is measured in the experiments. The results show that two-phase flow produces significant influence on the system stability and dynamical response. The damping properties are weakened by entrained air, such as the damping on high frequency components of rolling ball bearing. Super-harmonic resonance and bifurcation are observed, as well as the low frequency components due to air entrainment.

Particle Distribution in a Fixed Bed Down Draft Wood Gasifier

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hindsgaul, Claus

2005-01-01

Char particle samples were collected from six distances above the grate in a fixed bed of a down draft biomass gasifier. Each sample was separated into twelve size fractions by screening through standard sieves in order to determine the local particle size distribution. The ash contents of each...

On a criterion of incipient motion and entrainment into suspension of a particle from cuttings bed in shear flow of non-Newtonian fluid

Science.gov (United States)

Ignatenko, Yaroslav; Bocharov, Oleg; May, Roland

2017-10-01

Solids transport is a major issue in high angle wells. Bed-load forms by sediment while transport and accompanied by intermittent contact with stream-bed by rolling, sliding and bouncing. The study presents the results of a numerical simulation of a laminar steady-state flow around a particle at rest and in free motion in a shear flow of Herschel-Bulkley fluid. The simulation was performed using the OpenFOAM open-source CFD package. A criterion for particle incipient motion and entrainment into suspension from cuttings bed (Shields criteria) based on forces and torques balance is discussed. Deflection of the fluid parameters from the ones of Newtonian fluid leads to decreasing of the drag and lift forces and the hydrodynamic moment. Thus, the critical shear stress (Shields parameter) for the considered non-Newtonian fluid must be greater than the one for a Newtonian fluid.

Assessment of impact due to entrainment of ichthyoplankton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horst, T.J.

1975-01-01

Three approaches to the assessment of impact associated with the entrainment of ichthyoplankton into power stations are discussed. The first is the estimation of the probability of mortality for those organisms entrained. The second is the assessment to the fish populations which have the egg and larvae life stages entrained. The third approach is the assessment of impact to the community or ecosystem. Some models are presented as examples for each of the three approaches. (U.S.)

Observations of debris flows at Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA: Part 1, in-situ measurements of flow dynamics, tracer particle movement and video imagery from the summer of 2009

Science.gov (United States)

McCoy, Scott W.; Coe, Jeffrey A.; Kean, Jason W.; Tucker, Greg E.; Staley, Dennis M.; Wasklewicz, Thad A.

2011-01-01

Debris flows initiated by surface-water runoff during short duration, moderate- to high-intensity rainfall are common in steep, rocky, and sparsely vegetated terrain. Yet large uncertainties remain about the potential for a flow to grow through entrainment of loose debris, which make formulation of accurate mechanical models of debris-flow routing difficult. Using a combination of in situ measurements of debris flow dynamics, video imagery, tracer rocks implanted with passive integrated transponders (PIT) and pre- and post-flow 2-cm resolution digital terrain models (terrain data presented in a companion paper by STALEY et alii, 2011), we investigated the entrainment and transport response of debris flows at Chalk Cliffs, CO, USA. Four monitored events during the summer of 2009 all initiated from surface-water runoff, generally less than an hour after the first measurable rain. Despite reach-scale morphology that remained relatively constant, the four flow events displayed a range of responses, from long-runout flows that entrained significant amounts of channel sediment and dammed the main-stem river, to smaller, short-runout flows that were primarily depositional in the upper basin. Tracer-rock travel-distance distributions for these events were bimodal; particles either remained immobile or they travelled the entire length of the catchment. The long-runout, large-entrainment flow differed from the other smaller flows by the following controlling factors: peak 10-minute rain intensity; duration of significant flow in the channel; and to a lesser extent, peak surge depth and velocity. Our growing database of natural debris-flow events can be used to develop linkages between observed debris-flow transport and entrainment responses and the controlling rainstorm characteristics and flow properties.

Differential entrainment of neuroelectric delta oscillations in developmental dyslexia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fruzsina Soltész

Full Text Available Oscillatory entrainment to the speech signal is important for language processing, but has not yet been studied in developmental disorders of language. Developmental dyslexia, a difficulty in acquiring efficient reading skills linked to difficulties with phonology (the sound structure of language, has been associated with behavioural entrainment deficits. It has been proposed that the phonological 'deficit' that characterises dyslexia across languages is related to impaired auditory entrainment to speech at lower frequencies via neuroelectric oscillations (<10 Hz, 'temporal sampling theory'. Impaired entrainment to temporal modulations at lower frequencies would affect the recovery of the prosodic and syllabic structure of speech. Here we investigated event-related oscillatory EEG activity and contingent negative variation (CNV to auditory rhythmic tone streams delivered at frequencies within the delta band (2 Hz, 1.5 Hz, relevant to sampling stressed syllables in speech. Given prior behavioural entrainment findings at these rates, we predicted functionally atypical entrainment of delta oscillations in dyslexia. Participants performed a rhythmic expectancy task, detecting occasional white noise targets interspersed with tones occurring regularly at rates of 2 Hz or 1.5 Hz. Both groups showed significant entrainment of delta oscillations to the rhythmic stimulus stream, however the strength of inter-trial delta phase coherence (ITC, 'phase locking' and the CNV were both significantly weaker in dyslexics, suggestive of weaker entrainment and less preparatory brain activity. Both ITC strength and CNV amplitude were significantly related to individual differences in language processing and reading. Additionally, the instantaneous phase of prestimulus delta oscillation predicted behavioural responding (response time for control participants only.

Carbon formation and metal dusting in hot-gas cleanup systems of coal gasifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Judkins, R.R.; Tortorelli, P.F.; Judkins, R.R.; DeVan, J.H.; Wright, I.G. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States). Metals and Ceramics Div.

1995-11-01

The product gas resulting from the partial oxidation of Carboniferous materials in a gasifier is typically characterized by high carbon and sulfur, but low oxygen, activities and, consequently, severe degradation of the structural and functional materials can occur. The objective of this task was to establish the potential risks of carbon deposition and metal dusting in advanced coal gasification processes by examining the current state of knowledge regarding these phenomena, making appropriate thermochemical calculations for representative coal gasifiers, and addressing possible mitigation methods. The paper discusses carbon activities, iron-based phase stabilities, steam injection, conditions that influence kinetics of carbon deposition, and influence of system operating parameters on carbon deposition and metal dusting.

Siemens fuel gasification technology for the Canadian oil sands industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morehead, H. [Siemens Energy Inc., Orlando, FL (United States). IGCC and Gasification Sales and Marketing

2010-07-01

The Siemens fuel gasification (SFG) technology can be used to gasify a range of feedstocks, including petcoke, hard coal, lignite, and low-ranking fuels such as biomass and refinery residuals. The technology has recently been applied to a number of projects over the last 3 years. This paper discussed some of the issues related to the technology and it's use at a start-up facility in China. Five entrained-flow gasifiers with a thermal capacity of 500 MW are being installed at a coal gasification plant in northwestern China. The technology's use in hydrogen, steam and power production applications for the oil sands industry was also discussed. Issues related to feedstock quality, process characteristics, and equipment requirements for commercial gasifier systems were reviewed. The paper concluded by observing that improvements in gasification technology will make coal and petcoke gasification feasible options for power generation. IGCC is the most advanced and cost-effective technology for reducing emissions from coal-fired power plants. Gasification-based plants are also able to capture carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) for storage and sequestration. Details of the Siemens gasification test center in Germany were also included. 1 tab., 4 figs.

Production of 800 kW of electrical power using medium calorific gas from a biomass gasifier integrated in a combined cycle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gulyurtlu, I.; Cabrita, I. [Instituto Nacional de Engenharia e Tecnologia Industrial, Lisboa (Portugal)

1993-12-31

An allothermal fluidized bed biomass gasifier is under construction to operate at a pressure slightly above atmospheric to produce a gaseous fuel of medium heating value. The output of the gasifier is 2.5 {times} 10{sup 6} kcal/h and will be attached to a gas turbine that is specifically modified to burn the gas produced. The amount of electricity to be generated will be 800 kW. The gasifying medium used is superheated steam at 2.5 bars and 400{degrees}C and the amount needed will be 280 kg/h. The gasifier will have a cross sectional area of 2.1 m{sup 2} with dimensions of 1 500 mm {times} 1 400 mm. There is a heat exchanger to provide the heat needed for the gasification reactions. The gasifier will operate at about 850{degrees}C and the biomass throughput will be about 950 kg/h. The amount of gas that is to be produced will be about 1 300 kg/h or 1 900 Nm{sup 3}/h. Part of the gas obtained will be burned in an external combustor to provide the heat for the gasifier. The gas turbine to be employed is a single shaft turbine designed to drive 750 kVA electrical generator. The turbine combustion chamber is somewhat modified to allow for the lower heating value of the gas. However, there is no loss of efficiency in the turbine output due to lower calorific value of the fuel. The turbine inlet temperature is 900/{degrees}C and that of the exhaust will be 500{degrees}C. The amount of gas to be used is about 745 Nm{sup 3}/h. The paper reports the experimental results obtained from a pilot-scale gasifier operating under similar conditions. The results of test runs carried out with a gas turbine are also presented.

Nonassociative learning promotes respiratory entrainment to mechanical ventilation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shawna M MacDonald

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Patient-ventilator synchrony is a major concern in critical care and is influenced by phasic lung-volume feedback control of the respiratory rhythm. Routine clinical application of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP introduces a tonic input which, if unopposed, might disrupt respiratory-ventilator entrainment through sustained activation of the vagally-mediated Hering-Breuer reflex. We suggest that this potential adverse effect may be averted by two differentiator forms of nonassociative learning (habituation and desensitization of the Hering-Breuer reflex via pontomedullary pathways. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We tested these hypotheses in 17 urethane-anesthetized adult Sprague-Dawley rats under controlled mechanical ventilation. Without PEEP, phrenic discharge was entrained 1:1 to the ventilator rhythm. Application of PEEP momentarily dampened the entrainment to higher ratios but this effect was gradually adapted by nonassociative learning. Bilateral electrolytic lesions of the pneumotaxic center weakened the adaptation to PEEP, whereas sustained stimulation of the pneumotaxic center weakened the entrainment independent of PEEP. In all cases, entrainment was abolished after vagotomy. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results demonstrate an important functional role for pneumotaxic desensitization and extra-pontine habituation of the Hering-Breuer reflex elicited by lung inflation: acting as buffers or high-pass filters against tonic vagal volume input, these differentiator forms of nonassociative learning help to restore respiratory-ventilator entrainment in the face of PEEP. Such central sites-specific habituation and desensitization of the Hering-Breuer reflex provide a useful experimental model of nonassociative learning in mammals that is of particular significance in understanding respiratory rhythmogenesis and coupled-oscillator entrainment mechanisms, and in the clinical management of mechanical ventilation in

Characterization of liquid entrainment in the AP1000 automatic depressurization system from APEX tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richard F Wright; Terry L Schulz; Jose N Reyes; John Groome

2005-01-01

-phase flow in the ADS-4, and to quantify the liquid entrainment at high decay power conditions representing the time of ADS-4 actuation, and at low decay power conditions representing the time of IRWST and sump injection. For the higher power levels, the tests show that as long as core makeup water is available, the two phase mixture level remains at the hot leg elevation, and a significant amount of liquid is entrained out the ADS-4 lines. As the makeup flow is decreased (at a given power level), the collapsed liquid level decreased as the core exit void fraction increased, but the two-phase level remains in the hot leg. If the makeup flow is stopped, the two-phase level falls below the hot leg elevation, and the liquid entrainment is markedly reduced. At the low power levels, the core makeup flow is sufficient to assure that the two-phase mixture level remains at the hot leg elevation, and significant liquid entrainment is observed even at very low steam velocities. (authors)

Mattagami River Lake sturgeon entrainment : Little Long generating station facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seyler, J.; Evers, J.; McKinley, S.; Evans, R.R.; Prevost, G.; Carson, R.; Phoenix, D.

1996-01-01

This project and publication is the result of a collaborative effort by other Large River Ecosystem Unit of Northeast Science (NEST), Ontario Hydro in Kapuskasing, and the New Post First Nation in Cochrane, Ontario, designed to investigate potential solutions to minimize or eliminate the problem of trapped lake sturgeon in the Adam Creek Diversion. The Adam Creek Dam is used to divert excess water from the Mattagami River hydroelectric complex which consists of the Little Long, Smoky Falls, Harmon and Kipling generating stations. The lake sturgeon entrainment problem in the area was discovered in 1990. Potential solutions to the problem include the redirection of flows to mainstream, the placement of a rope barrier, electrical deterrents, physical/electrical guidance systems, sound deterrents, gate modifications, and the continued relocation of fish. The advantages and disadvantages of each of these potential solutions are discussed. Results of the analysis indicated that perceptual and physical barriers have the greatest potential to minimize lake sturgeon entrainment in Adam Creek. 25 refs., 2 tabs., 3 figs., 6 appendices

Effects of the proposed California WaterFix North Delta Diversion on flow reversals and entrainment of juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) into Georgiana Slough and the Delta Cross Channel, northern California

Science.gov (United States)

Perry, Russell W.; Romine, Jason G.; Pope, Adam C.; Evans, Scott D.

2018-02-27

The California Department of Water Resources and Bureau of Reclamation propose new water intake facilities on the Sacramento River in northern California that would convey some of the water for export to areas south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (hereinafter referred to as the Delta) through tunnels rather than through the Delta. The collection of water intakes, tunnels, pumping facilities, associated structures, and proposed operations are collectively referred to as California WaterFix. The water intake facilities, hereinafter referred to as the North Delta Diversion (NDD), are proposed to be located on the Sacramento River downstream of the city of Sacramento and upstream of the first major river junction where Sutter Slough branches from the Sacramento River. The NDD can divert a maximum discharge of 9,000 cubic feet per second (ft3/s) from the Sacramento River, which reduces the amount of Sacramento River inflow into the Delta.In this report, we conducted three analyses to investigate the effect of the NDD and its proposed operation on entrainment of juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) into Georgiana Slough and the Delta Cross Channel (DCC). Fish that enter the interior Delta (the network of channels to the south of the Sacramento River) through Georgiana Slough and the DCC survive at lower rates than fish that use other migration routes (Sacramento River, Sutter Slough, and Steamboat Slough). Therefore, fisheries managers were concerned about the extent to which operation of the NDD would increase the proportion of the population entering the interior Delta, which, all else being equal, would lower overall survival through the Delta by increasing the fraction of the population subject to lower survival rates. Operation of the NDD would reduce flow in the Sacramento River, which has the potential to increase the magnitude and duration of reverse flows of the Sacramento River downstream of Georgiana Slough.In the first analysis, we

Entrainment and high-density three-dimensional mapping in right atrial macroreentry provide critical complementary information: Entrainment may unmask "visual reentry" as passive.

Science.gov (United States)

Pathik, Bhupesh; Lee, Geoffrey; Nalliah, Chrishan; Joseph, Stephen; Morton, Joseph B; Sparks, Paul B; Sanders, Prashanthan; Kistler, Peter M; Kalman, Jonathan M

2017-10-01

With the recent advent of high-density (HD) 3-dimensional (3D) mapping, the utility of entrainment is uncertain. However, the limitations of visual representation and interpretation of these high-resolution 3D maps are unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the strengths and limitations of both HD 3D mapping and entrainment mapping during mapping of right atrial macroreentry. Fifteen patients were studied. The number and type of circuits accounting for ≥90% of the tachycardia cycle length using HD 3D mapping were verified using systematic entrainment mapping. Entrainment sites with an unexpectedly long postpacing interval despite proximity to the active circuit were evaluated. Based on HD 3D mapping, 27 circuits were observed: 12 peritricuspid, 2 upper loop reentry, 10 lower loop reentry, and 3 lateral wall circuits. With entrainment, 17 of the 27 circuits were active: all 12 peritricuspid and 2 upper loop reentry. However, lower loop reentry was confirmed in only 3 of 10, and none of the 3 lateral wall circuits were present. Mean percentage of tachycardia cycle length covered by active circuits was 98% ± 1% vs 97% ± 2% for passive circuits (P = .09). None of the 345 entrainment runs terminated tachycardia or changed tachycardia mechanism. In 8 of 15 patients, 13 examples of unexpectedly long postpacing interval were observed at entrainment sites located distal to localized zones of slow conduction seen on HD 3D mapping. Using HD 3D mapping, "visual reentry" may be due to passive circuitous propagation rather than a critical reentrant circuit. HD 3D mapping provides new insights into regional conduction and helps explain unusual entrainment phenomena. Copyright © 2017 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Experimental study on the gasification characteristics of coal and orimulsion in 0.5 T/D gasifier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Ho Young; Kim, Jong Young; An, Dal Hong; Park, Tae Jun [Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), Taejon (Korea, Republic of). Research Center

1995-12-31

For the construction of commercial plant for IGCC imported from aboard in near future, it is aimed to get gasification data, practice the gasification design capability, and develop a fundamental key technology through the experiments for different kinds of coals (Datong, Roto, Alaska) by 0.5 T/D gasifier. We performed the experiments for physical properties and reactivities on selected coals by means of Drop Tube Reactor, numerical analysis for the reactor. Throughout the characteristic studies of orimulsion gasification, feasibility studies for orimulsion gasification as a fuel for power plant be performed. With the six experiment runs for the coal gasifier, several problems were found to remedy. After remedies, the gasifier could run at good operating conditions maintaining with 200% design feed rate over 1200-1550 degree. The third and fourth gasification runs with Roto were satisfactorily completed, during which gross heating values from produced gas were 7200-8200 Kcal/Nm{sup 3}. (author). 118 refs., 145 figs.

Experimental study on the gasification characteristics of coal and orimulsion in 0.5 T/D gasifier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Ho Young; Kim, Jong Young; An, Dal Hong; Park, Tae Jun [Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), Taejon (Korea, Republic of). Research Center

1996-12-31

For the construction of commercial plant for IGCC imported from aboard in near future, it is aimed to get gasification data, practice the gasification design capability, and develop a fundamental key technology through the experiments for different kinds of coals (Datong, Roto, Alaska) by 0.5 T/D gasifier. We performed the experiments for physical properties and reactivities on selected coals by means of Drop Tube Reactor, numerical analysis for the reactor. Throughout the characteristic studies of orimulsion gasification, feasibility studies for orimulsion gasification as a fuel for power plant be performed. With the six experiment runs for the coal gasifier, several problems were found to remedy. After remedies, the gasifier could run at good operating conditions maintaining with 200% design feed rate over 1200-1550 degree. The third and fourth gasification runs with Roto were satisfactorily completed, during which gross heating values from produced gas were 7200-8200 Kcal/Nm{sup 3}. (author). 118 refs., 145 figs.

Temperature and pressure distributions in a 400 kW{sub t} fluidized bed straw gasifier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Erguedenler, A.; Ghaly, A.E.; Hamdullahpur, F. [Technical Univ. of Nova Scotia, Halifax (Canada)

1993-12-31

The temperature and pressure distribution characteristics of a 400 kW (thermal) dual-distributor type fluidized bed straw gasifier were investigated. The effects of the bed height, equivalence ratio (actual air-fuel ratio:stoichiometric air-fuel ratio) and fluidization velocity on the temperature and pressure variations in the gasifier were studied. Generally, the bed temperature reached the steady state condition within 15--20 minutes. The average temperature of the dense bed ranged from 649{degrees}C to 875{degrees}C depending on the levels of operating parameters used. The bed temperature increased linearly with increases in the equivalence ratio, higher bed temperatures were observed with lower bed height and no clear trend for the bed temperature with respect to variations in fluidization velocity was observed. The bed height, equivalence ratio and fluidization velocity affected the pressure drop in the fluidized bed gasifier. Increasing the fluidization velocity and/or decreasing the equivalence ratio resulted in higher pressure drops in the dense bed and the freeboard regions whereas increasing the bed height increased the pressure drop only in the dense bed.

Dynamic modeling of IGCC power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casella, F.; Colonna, P.

2012-01-01

Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plants are an effective option to reduce emissions and implement carbon-dioxide sequestration. The combination of a very complex fuel-processing plant and a combined cycle power station leads to challenging problems as far as dynamic operation is concerned. Dynamic performance is extremely relevant because recent developments in the electricity market push toward an ever more flexible and varying operation of power plants. A dynamic model of the entire system and models of its sub-systems are indispensable tools in order to perform computer simulations aimed at process and control design. This paper presents the development of the lumped-parameters dynamic model of an entrained-flow gasifier, with special emphasis on the modeling approach. The model is implemented into software by means of the Modelica language and validated by comparison with one set of data related to the steady operation of the gasifier of the Buggenum power station in the Netherlands. Furthermore, in order to demonstrate the potential of the proposed modeling approach and the use of simulation for control design purposes, a complete model of an exemplary IGCC power plant, including its control system, has been developed, by re-using existing models of combined cycle plant components; the results of a load dispatch ramp simulation are presented and shortly discussed. - Highlights: ► The acausal dynamic model of an entrained gasifier has been developed. ► The model can be used to perform system optimization and control studies. ► The model has been validated using field data. ► Model use is illustrated with an example showing the transient of an IGCC plant.

Annular dispersed flow analysis model by Lagrangian method and liquid film cell method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuura, K.; Kuchinishi, M.; Kataoka, I.; Serizawa, A.

2003-01-01

A new annular dispersed flow analysis model was developed. In this model, both droplet behavior and liquid film behavior were simultaneously analyzed. Droplet behavior in turbulent flow was analyzed by the Lagrangian method with refined stochastic model. On the other hand, liquid film behavior was simulated by the boundary condition of moving rough wall and liquid film cell model, which was used to estimate liquid film flow rate. The height of moving rough wall was estimated by disturbance wave height correlation. In each liquid film cell, liquid film flow rate was calculated by considering droplet deposition and entrainment flow rate. Droplet deposition flow rate was calculated by Lagrangian method and entrainment flow rate was calculated by entrainment correlation. For the verification of moving rough wall model, turbulent flow analysis results under the annular flow condition were compared with the experimental data. Agreement between analysis results and experimental results were fairly good. Furthermore annular dispersed flow experiments were analyzed, in order to verify droplet behavior model and the liquid film cell model. The experimental results of radial distribution of droplet mass flux were compared with analysis results. The agreement was good under low liquid flow rate condition and poor under high liquid flow rate condition. But by modifying entrainment rate correlation, the agreement become good even under high liquid flow rate. This means that basic analysis method of droplet and liquid film behavior was right. In future work, verification calculation should be carried out under different experimental condition and entrainment ratio correlation also should be corrected

Computer simulation of a downdraft wood gasifier for tea drying

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jayah, T.H.; Lu Aye; Fuller, R.J.; Stewart, D.F. [University of Melbourne, Victoria (Australia). International Technologies Centre, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

2003-10-01

A gasifier has been fabricated on Sri Lanka for the tea industry, but there is a lack of knowledge of the effect of certain key operating parameters and design features on its performance. Experimental testing of the design under various conditions has produced data that has been used to calibrate a computer program, developed to investigate the impact of those parameters and features on conversion efficiency. The program consists of two sub-models of the pyrolysis and gasification zones, respectively. The pyrolysis sub-model has been used to determine the maximum temperature and the composition of the gas entering the gasification zone. The gasification zone sub-model has been calibrated using data gathered from the experiments. It was found that a wood chip size of 3-5 cm with a moisture content below 15% (d.b.) should be used in this gasifier. Feed material with a fixed carbon content of higher than 30% and heat losses of more than 15% should be avoided. For the above parameters, the gasification zone should be 33 cm long to achieve an acceptable conversion efficiency. (author)

Conversion of forest residues to a clean gas for fuel or synthesis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feldmann, H.F.; Liu, K.T.; Longanbach, J.R.; Curran, L.M.; Chauhan, S.P.

1979-01-01

A program is described for developing a gasification system specifically for wood and other biomass materials which allows greatly increased gasifier throughputs and direct catalysis of wood. Wood ash, which is a by-product of a wood gasification plant, can be used as a gasification catalyst for wood, as it increases gasification rates and promotes the water-gas shift reaction. The high reactivity of even uncatalyzed biomass allows the potential of very high gasifier throughputs. However, the achievement of this potential requires that the gasifier operate at gas velocities higher than those attainable in conventional reactor systems. Stable and very smooth fluidization with uniform mixing and distribution of chips throughout the bed was observed on addition of an entrained sand phase to a fluidized bed of alumina and wood chips. Economc feasibility studies based on utilization of a proprietary Battelle gasification system which utilizes an entrained-phase heat carrier indicated that an intermediate-Btu gas can be produced in 1000 ton/day plants at a price competitive with liquefied natural gas and No. 2 heating oil.

Aerosol entrainment from a sparged non-Newtonian slurry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fritz, Brad G.

2006-01-01

Aerosol measurements were conducted above a half-scale air sparged mixing tank filled with simulated waste slurry. Three aerosol size fractions were measured at three sampling heights at three different sparging rates using a filter based ambient air sampling technique. Aerosol concentrations in the head space above the closed tank demonstrated a wide range, varying between 97 ?g m-3 for PM2.5 and 5650 ?g m-3 for TSP. The variation in concentrations was a function of sampling heights, size fraction and sparging rate. Measured aerosol entrainment coefficients showed good agreement with existing entrainment models. The models evaluated generally over predicted the entrainment, but were within a factor of two of the measured entrainment. This indicates that the range of applicability of the models may be extendable to include sparged slurries with Bingham plastic rheological properties

Broadening of cloud droplet spectra through turbulent entrainment and eddy hopping

Science.gov (United States)

Abade, Gustavo; Grabowski, Wojciech; Pawlowska, Hanna

2017-11-01

This work discusses the effect of cloud turbulence and turbulent entrainment on the evolution of the cloud droplet-size spectrum. We simulate an ensemble of idealized turbulent cloud parcels that are subject to entrainment events, modeled as a random Poisson process. Entrainment events, subsequent turbulent mixing inside the parcel, supersaturation fluctuations, and the resulting stochastic droplet growth by condensation are simulated using a Monte Carlo scheme. Quantities characterizing the turbulence intensity, entrainment rate and the mean fraction of environmental air entrained in an event are specified as external parameters. Cloud microphysics is described by applying Lagrangian particles, the so-called superdroplets. They are either unactivated cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) or cloud droplets that form from activated CCN. The model accounts for the transport of environmental CCN into the cloud by the entraining eddies at the cloud edge. Turbulent mixing of the entrained dry air with cloudy air is described using a linear model. We show that turbulence plays an important role in aiding entrained CCN to activate, providing a source of small cloud droplets and thus broadening the droplet size distribution. Further simulation results will be reported at the meeting.

Comparison of mass and energy balances for air blown and thermally ballasted fluidized bed gasifiers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lysenko, Steve; Sadaka, Samy; Brown, Robert C.

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to compare the mass and energy balances for a conventional air blown fluidized bed gasifier and a ballasted fluidized bed gasifier developed at Iowa State University. The ballasted gasifier is an indirectly heated gasifier that uses a single reactor for both combustion and pyrolysis. Heat accumulated in high-temperature phase change material during the combustion phase is released during the pyrolysis phase to generate producer gas. Gas composition, tar and char contents, cold gas efficiency, carbon conversion, and hydrogen yield per unit biomass input were determined as part of these evaluation. During the pyrolysis phase of ballasted gasification, higher volumetric concentrations of hydrogen and methane were obtained than during air blown gasification. Hydrogen yield for ballasted gasification was 14 g kg −1 of biomass, which was about 20% higher than that obtained during air blown gasification. The higher heating value of the producer gas also reached higher levels during the ballasted pyrolysis phase than that of air blown gasification. Heating value for air blown gasification was 5.2 MJ m −3 whereas the heating value for the ballasted pyrolysis phase averaged 5.5 MJ m −3 , reaching a maximum of 8.0 MJ m −3 . The ballasted gasifier was expected to yield producer gas with average heating value as high as 15 MJ m −3 but excessive use of nitrogen to purge and cool the fuel feeder system greatly diluted the producer gas. Relatively simple redesign of the feeder system would greatly reduce the use of purge gas and may increase the heating values to about 17.5 MJ m −3 . Higher char production per kilogram of biomass was associated with the ballasted system, producing 140 g kg −1 of biomass compared to only 53 g kg −1 of biomass during air blown gasification. On the other hand, tar concentrations in the producer gas were 6.0 g m −3 for ballasted gasification compared to 11.7 g m −3 for air blown gasification. On

Thermodynamic Model of a Very High Efficiency Power Plant based on a Biomass Gasifier, SOFCs, and a Gas Turbine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P V Aravind

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Thermodynamic calculations with a power plant based on a biomass gasifier, SOFCs and a gas turbine are presented. The SOFC anode off-gas which mainly consists of steam and carbon dioxides used as a gasifying agent leading to an allothermal gasification process for which heat is required. Implementation of heat pipes between the SOFC and the gasifier using two SOFC stacks and intercooling the fuel and the cathode streams in between them has shown to be a solution on one hand to drive the allothermal gasification process and on the other hand to cool down the SOFC. It is seen that this helps to reduce the exergy losses in the system significantly. With such a system, electrical efficiency around 73% is shown as achievable.

Experimental comparison of MCFC performance using three different biogas types and methane

Science.gov (United States)

Bove, Roberto; Lunghi, Piero

Biogas recovery is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective practice that is getting consensus in both the scientific and industrial community, as the growing number of projects demonstrate. The use of fuel cells as energy conversion systems increases the conversion efficiency, as well as the environmental benefits. Molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) operate at a temperature of about 650 °C, thus presenting a high fuel flexibility, compared to low temperature fuel cells. Aim of the present study is to compare the performance of an MCFC single cell, fuelled with different biogas types as well as methane. The biogases considered are derived from the following processes: (1) steam gasification in an entrained flow gasifier; (2) steam gasification in a duel interconnect fluidized bed gasifier; (3) biogas from an anaerobic digestion process. The performances are evaluated for different fuel utilization and current densities. The results are an essential starting point for a complete system design and demonstration.

Tar Removal from Biomass Producer Gas by Using Biochar

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ravenni, Giulia; Henriksen, Ulrik Birk; Ahrenfeldt, Jesper

2017-01-01

The biomass-derived char (biochar) produced in the gasifier as a residue, is a potential solution for removing tars from producer gas. This work investigates the interaction between tar compounds and biochar. Residual biochar from a TwoStage gasifier was tested as bed material in a laboratory setup....... Phenol and naphthalene were chosen as model tars, and entrained in a nitrogen flow. The gaseous stream was sampled before and after the biochar bed to evaluate the extent of conversion. The biochar bed (30g) was tested at 250°C, 500°C and 600°C, with for 3 consecutive hours. The compounds concentration...... in the gas phase was quantified by stable isotope dilution analysis, using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Results showed a significant effect of biochar on the removal of phenol, at all temperatures. Naphthalene was removed less efficiently at higher temperature, and this trend was even more...

FY 1990 report on the results of the development of the entrained bed coal gasification power plant. Part 2. Fabrication/installation of pilot plant; 1990 nendo seika hokokusho. Funryusho sekitan gaska hatsuden plant kaihatsu - Sono 2. Pilot plant seisaku suetsuke hen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1991-03-01

For the purpose of establishing the technology of the integrated coal gasification combined cycle power generation, fabrication/installation work, etc. were made for a pilot plant of 200t/d entrained bed coal gasification power generation, and the FY 1990 results were summarized. Construction work of a pilot plant of coal gasification power generation was at its peak in April 1990, and installation/piping work for each facility/equipment was carried out. In May, transportation/installation of gas turbine and generator were started. In June, installation of equipment of the 66kV special high voltage switching station was conducted, and the initial power receiving of 6.9kV was conducted. In August, inspection before use was made of the main piping of the gasifier equipment, gas refining equipment and gas turbine equipment. In December, trial unit operation of each equipment and interlock test were carried out. 'The integrated plant protection interlock test' was made from January 21 to February 21, 1991, and the favorable results were obtained. On February 28, a ceremony to celebrate the completion of all facilities of pilot plant was made. In March, drying of gasifier and initial firing by light oil were conducted, and all the work was completed on March 25. (NEDO)

FY 1990 report on the results of the development of the entrained bed coal gasification power plant. Part 2. Fabrication/installation of pilot plant; 1990 nendo seika hokokusho. Funryusho sekitan gaska hatsuden plant kaihatsu - Sono 2. Pilot plant seisaku suetsuke hen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1991-03-01

For the purpose of establishing the technology of the integrated coal gasification combined cycle power generation, fabrication/installation work, etc. were made for a pilot plant of 200t/d entrained bed coal gasification power generation, and the FY 1990 results were summarized. Construction work of a pilot plant of coal gasification power generation was at its peak in April 1990, and installation/piping work for each facility/equipment was carried out. In May, transportation/installation of gas turbine and generator were started. In June, installation of equipment of the 66kV special high voltage switching station was conducted, and the initial power receiving of 6.9kV was conducted. In August, inspection before use was made of the main piping of the gasifier equipment, gas refining equipment and gas turbine equipment. In December, trial unit operation of each equipment and interlock test were carried out. 'The integrated plant protection interlock test' was made from January 21 to February 21, 1991, and the favorable results were obtained. On February 28, a ceremony to celebrate the completion of all facilities of pilot plant was made. In March, drying of gasifier and initial firing by light oil were conducted, and all the work was completed on March 25. (NEDO)

Performance of a pilot-scale, steam-blown, pressurized fluidized bed biomass gasifier

Science.gov (United States)

Sweeney, Daniel Joseph

With the discovery of vast fossil resources, and the subsequent development of the fossil fuel and petrochemical industry, the role of biomass-based products has declined. However, concerns about the finite and decreasing amount of fossil and mineral resources, in addition to health and climate impacts of fossil resource use, have elevated interest in innovative methods for converting renewable biomass resources into products that fit our modern lifestyle. Thermal conversion through gasification is an appealing method for utilizing biomass due to its operability using a wide variety of feedstocks at a wide range of scales, the product has a variety of uses (e.g., transportation fuel production, electricity production, chemicals synthesis), and in many cases, results in significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions. In spite of the advantages of gasification, several technical hurdles have hindered its commercial development. A number of studies have focused on laboratory-scale and atmospheric biomass gasification. However, few studies have reported on pilot-scale, woody biomass gasification under pressurized conditions. The purpose of this research is an assessment of the performance of a pilot-scale, steam-blown, pressurized fluidized bed biomass gasifier. The 200 kWth fluidized bed gasifier is capable of operation using solid feedstocks at feedrates up to 65 lb/hr, bed temperatures up to 1600°F, and pressures up to 8 atm. Gasifier performance was assessed under various temperatures, pressure, and feedstock (untreated woody biomass, dark and medium torrefied biomass) conditions by measuring product gas yield and composition, residue (e.g., tar and char) production, and mass and energy conversion efficiencies. Elevated temperature and pressure, and feedstock pretreatment were shown to have a significant influence on gasifier operability, tar production, carbon conversion, and process efficiency. High-pressure and temperature gasification of dark torrefied biomass

Sampling of contaminants from product gases of biomass gasifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Staahlberg, P.; Lappi, M.; Kurkela, E.; Simell, P.; Oesch, P.; Nieminen, M. [VTT Energy, Espoo (Finland). New Energy Technologies

1998-12-01

Reliable sampling and analysis of products from biomass gasification are essential for the successful process development and economical operation of commercial gasifiers. One of the most important and most difficult analytical tasks is to characterise the emissions from the gasifiers. This report presents a review of the sampling and analytical systems employed and developed when doing research on coal and biomass gasification. In addition to the sampling systems published in the literature, experiences obtained in various biomass gasification R and D projects of VTT in 1985-1995 are described. The present sampling methods used for different gas contaminants at VTT are also briefly presented. This report focuses mainly on the measurement of tars, nitrogen compounds and sulphur gases. Isokinetic and non-isokinetic sampling train systems are described and, in addition, special sampling apparatus based on liquid-quenched probe and gas dilution is briefly outlined. Sampling of tars with impinger systems and sampling of heavy tars with filter techniques are described in detail. Separate sampling of particulates is briefly discussed. From inorganic compounds the sampling systems used for H{sub 2}S and other sulphur gases, NH{sub 3} and HCN and HCl are presented. Proper storage of the samples is also included in the report. (orig.) 90 refs.

Gas generation by co-gasification of biomass and coal in an autothermal fluidized bed gasifier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Li-Qun; Chen, Zhao-Sheng

2013-01-01

In this study, thermochemical biomass and coal co-gasification were performed on an autothermal fluidized bed gasifier, with air and steam as oxidizing and gasifying media. The experiments were completed at reaction temperatures of 875 °C–975 °C, steam-to-biomass ratio of 1.2, and biomass-to-coal ratio of 4. This research aims to determine the effects of reaction temperature on gas composition, lower heating value (LHV), as well as energy and exergy efficiencies, of the product gas. Over the ranges of the test conditions used, the product gas LHV varies between 12 and 13.8 MJ/Nm 3 , and the exergy and energy efficiencies of the product gas are in the ranges of 50.7%–60.8% and 60.3%–85.1%, respectively. The results show that high reaction temperature leads to higher H 2 and CO contents, as well as higher exergy and energy efficiencies of the product gas. In addition, gas LHV decreases with temperature. The molar ratio of H 2 /CO is larger than 1 at temperatures above 925 °C. Our experimental analysis shows that co-gasification of biomass and coal in an autothermal fluidized bed gasifier for gas production is feasible and promising. -- Highlights: • An innovative steam co-gasification process for gas production was proposed. • Co-gasification of biomass and coal in an autothermal fluidized bed gasifier was tested. • High temperature favors H 2 production. • H 2 and CO contents increase, whereas CO 2 and CH 4 levels decrease with increase in T. • Exergy and energy efficiencies of gases increase with increase in T

Sustainable model for financial viability of decentralized biomass gasifier based power projects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Palit, D.; Malhotra, R.; Kumar, Atul

2011-01-01

This paper made a modest attempt for designing a sustainable model for financial viability of biomass gasifier power projects for enhancing electricity access in India and other developing countries. For long term sustainability of distributed generation projects in remote rural areas, viability

Musical Entrainment Subsumes Bodily Gestures – Its Definition Needs a Spatiotemporal Dimension

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marc Leman

2012-09-01

Full Text Available In his paper “What is entrainment? Definition and applications in musical research” (this issue, M. Clayton offers a definition of entrainment that is based on a timing dimension (relative phase relationships. However, this definition may be too limited when applied to musical entrainment. Based on the idea that human engagement with music is embodied and that gestures may condition entrainment, I suggest that the definition of entrainment be broadened so as to include a spatiotemporal dimension.

Speech Entrainment Compensates for Broca's Area Damage

Science.gov (United States)

Fridriksson, Julius; Basilakos, Alexandra; Hickok, Gregory; Bonilha, Leonardo; Rorden, Chris

2015-01-01

Speech entrainment (SE), the online mimicking of an audiovisual speech model, has been shown to increase speech fluency in patients with Broca's aphasia. However, not all individuals with aphasia benefit from SE. The purpose of this study was to identify patterns of cortical damage that predict a positive response SE's fluency-inducing effects. Forty-four chronic patients with left hemisphere stroke (15 female) were included in this study. Participants completed two tasks: 1) spontaneous speech production, and 2) audiovisual SE. Number of different words per minute was calculated as a speech output measure for each task, with the difference between SE and spontaneous speech conditions yielding a measure of fluency improvement. Voxel-wise lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM) was used to relate the number of different words per minute for spontaneous speech, SE, and SE-related improvement to patterns of brain damage in order to predict lesion locations associated with the fluency-inducing response to speech entrainment. Individuals with Broca's aphasia demonstrated a significant increase in different words per minute during speech entrainment versus spontaneous speech. A similar pattern of improvement was not seen in patients with other types of aphasia. VLSM analysis revealed damage to the inferior frontal gyrus predicted this response. Results suggest that SE exerts its fluency-inducing effects by providing a surrogate target for speech production via internal monitoring processes. Clinically, these results add further support for the use of speech entrainment to improve speech production and may help select patients for speech entrainment treatment. PMID:25989443

Results from tests of a Stirling engine and wood chips gasifier plant

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carlsen, Henrik; Bovin, Jonas Kabell; Werling, J.

2002-01-01

The combination of thermal gasification and a Stirling engine is an interesting concept for use in small Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants based on biomass, because the need for gas cleaning is eliminated and problems with fouling of the Stirling engine heater are considerably reduced....... Furthermore, the overall electric efficiency of the system can be improved. At the Technical University of Denmark a small CHP plant based on a Stirling engine and an updraft gasifier has been developed and tested successfully. The advantages of updraft gasifiers are the simplicity and that the amount...... of the Stirling engine reduces the problems with tar to a minor problem in the design of the burner. The Stirling engine, which has an electric power output of 35 kW, is specifically designed for utilisation of fuels with a content of particles. The gas burner for the engine is designed for low specific energy...

Kinetics of devolatilization and oxidation of a pulverized biomass in an entrained flow reactor under realistic combustion conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jimenez, Santiago [LITEC-CSIC (Spanish Council for Scientific Research), Maria de Luna 10, 50018 Zaragoza (Spain); Remacha, Pilar; Ballester, Javier [LITEC-CSIC (Spanish Council for Scientific Research), Maria de Luna 10, 50018 Zaragoza (Spain); Fluid Mechanics Group, University of Zaragoza, Maria de Luna 3, 50018 Zaragoza (Spain); Ballesteros, Juan C.; Gimenez, Antonio [ENDESA GENERACION, S.A., Ribera del Loira 60, 28042 Madrid (Spain)

2008-03-15

In this paper the results of a complete set of devolatilization and combustion experiments performed with pulverized ({proportional_to}500 {mu}m) biomass in an entrained flow reactor under realistic combustion conditions are presented. The data obtained are used to derive the kinetic parameters that best fit the observed behaviors, according to a simple model of particle combustion (one-step devolatilization, apparent oxidation kinetics, thermally thin particles). The model is found to adequately reproduce the experimental trends regarding both volatile release and char oxidation rates for the range of particle sizes and combustion conditions explored. The experimental and numerical procedures, similar to those recently proposed for the combustion of pulverized coal [J. Ballester, S. Jimenez, Combust. Flame 142 (2005) 210-222], have been designed to derive the parameters required for the analysis of biomass combustion in practical pulverized fuel configurations and allow a reliable characterization of any finely pulverized biomass. Additionally, the results of a limited study on the release rate of nitrogen from the biomass particle along combustion are shown. (author)

Cortical entrainment to music and its modulation by expertise.

Science.gov (United States)

Doelling, Keith B; Poeppel, David

2015-11-10

Recent studies establish that cortical oscillations track naturalistic speech in a remarkably faithful way. Here, we test whether such neural activity, particularly low-frequency (music and whether experience modifies such a cortical phenomenon. Music of varying tempi was used to test entrainment at different rates. In three magnetoencephalography experiments, we recorded from nonmusicians, as well as musicians with varying years of experience. Recordings from nonmusicians demonstrate cortical entrainment that tracks musical stimuli over a typical range of tempi, but not at tempi below 1 note per second. Importantly, the observed entrainment correlates with performance on a concurrent pitch-related behavioral task. In contrast, the data from musicians show that entrainment is enhanced by years of musical training, at all presented tempi. This suggests a bidirectional relationship between behavior and cortical entrainment, a phenomenon that has not previously been reported. Additional analyses focus on responses in the beta range (∼15-30 Hz)-often linked to delta activity in the context of temporal predictions. Our findings provide evidence that the role of beta in temporal predictions scales to the complex hierarchical rhythms in natural music and enhances processing of musical content. This study builds on important findings on brainstem plasticity and represents a compelling demonstration that cortical neural entrainment is tightly coupled to both musical training and task performance, further supporting a role for cortical oscillatory activity in music perception and cognition.

A financial evaluation of biomass-gasifier-based power generation in India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tripathi, A.K.; Iyer, P.V.R.; Kandpal, T.C.

1997-01-01

A preliminary financial evaluation of biomass-gasifier-based power generation in India was undertaken. Simple cost functions were developed and used for this purpose. The unit cost of electricity has been estimated for a variety of scenarios taking into account some of the uncertainties associated with this emerging technology in India. (author)

[Tampa Electric Company IGCC project]. 1996 DOE annual technical report, January--December 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-12-31

Tampa Electric Company`s Polk Power Station Unit 1 (PPS-1) Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) demonstration project uses a Texaco pressurized, oxygen-blown, entrained-flow coal gasifier to convert approximately 2,000 tons per day of coal to syngas. The gasification plant is coupled with a combined cycle power block to produce a net 250 MW electrical power output. Coal is slurried in water, combined with 95% pure oxygen from an air separation unit, and sent to the gasifier to produce a high temperature, high pressure, medium-Btu syngas with a heat content of about 250 BTUs/cf (HHV). The syngas then flows through a high temperature heat recovery unit which cools the syngas prior to its entering the cleanup systems. Molten coal ash flows from the bottom of the high temperature heat recovery unit into a water-filled quench chamber where it solidifies into a marketable slag by-product. Approximately 10% of the raw, hot syngas at 900 F is designed to pass through an intermittently moving bed of metal-oxide sorbent which removes sulfur-bearing compounds from the syngas. PPS-1 will be the first unit in the world to demonstrate this advanced metal oxide hot gas desulfurization technology on a commercial unit. The emphasis during 1996 centered around start-up activities.

Two-phase flow through small branches in a horizontal pipe with stratified flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smoglie, C.

1984-12-01

This report presents the description and results of experiments designed to determine the mass flow rate and quality through a small break at the bottom, the top or the side of a main pipe with stratified gas-liquid flow. If the interface level is far below (above) the branch, only single-phase gas (liquid) flow enters the branch. For smaller distances the interface is locally deformed because of the pressure decrease due to the fluid acceleration near the branch inlet (Bernoulli effect) and liquid (gas) can be entrained. This report contains photographs illustrating the flow phenomena as well as a general correlation to determine the beginning of entrainment. Results are presented on the branch mass flow rate and quality as a function of a normalized distance between the interface and the branch inlet. A model was developed which enables to predict the branch quality and mass flux. Results from air-water flow through horizontal branches, were extrapolated for steam water flow at high pressure with critical branch mass flux. (orig./HP) [de

Cost and operational acceptability improvements to gasifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Connor, A.

2003-07-01

This work reports on the operation of two gasifiers by Biomass Engineering Ltd. in Northern Ireland, and the simplification of their gas conditioning system. Details are given of the high tar destruction levels achieved, the locally available wood waste and pallet wood, and the use of a back-pulsable dry ceramic filtration system for removing trace organics and particulates from the resulting gas prior to gas cooling, final filtration and use in a gas engine. The results of a techno-economic assessment of the original scrubbing system and the new ceramic filtration system indicating cost savings are presented. Further work to optimise the parameters of the filters is planned.

Tuning Neural Phase Entrainment to Speech.

Science.gov (United States)

Falk, Simone; Lanzilotti, Cosima; Schön, Daniele

2017-08-01

Musical rhythm positively impacts on subsequent speech processing. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are so far unclear. We investigated whether carryover effects from a preceding musical cue to a speech stimulus result from a continuation of neural phase entrainment to periodicities that are present in both music and speech. Participants listened and memorized French metrical sentences that contained (quasi-)periodic recurrences of accents and syllables. Speech stimuli were preceded by a rhythmically regular or irregular musical cue. Our results show that the presence of a regular cue modulates neural response as estimated by EEG power spectral density, intertrial coherence, and source analyses at critical frequencies during speech processing compared with the irregular condition. Importantly, intertrial coherences for regular cues were indicative of the participants' success in memorizing the subsequent speech stimuli. These findings underscore the highly adaptive nature of neural phase entrainment across fundamentally different auditory stimuli. They also support current models of neural phase entrainment as a tool of predictive timing and attentional selection across cognitive domains.

Water Entrainment in Concrete

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Ole Mejlhede; Hansen, Per Freiesleben

This report gives a survey of different techniques for incorporation of designed, water-filled cavities in concrete: Water entrainment. Also an estimate of the optimum size of the water inclusions is given. Water entrainment can be used to avoid self-desiccation and self-desiccation shrinkage...... during hydration [1,26]. What is needed is some sort of container which retains the shape of the water when mixed into the concrete. The container may function based on several different physical or chemical principles. Cells and gels are examples of containers found in nature. A cell membrane provides...... a boundary to water, whereas a polymer network incorporates water in its intersticious space with its affinity due to interaction energy and polymer entropy. Such containers allow water to be stored as an entity. In relation to concrete the water encapsulation may be accomplished either before or after start...

The Role of Oscillatory Phase in Determining the Temporal Organization of Perception: Evidence from Sensory Entrainment.

Science.gov (United States)

Ronconi, Luca; Melcher, David

2017-11-01

Recent behavioral, neuroimaging, and neurophysiological studies have renewed the idea that the information processing within different temporal windows is linked to the phase and/or frequency of the ongoing oscillations, predominantly in the theta/alpha band (∼4-7 and 8-12 Hz, respectively). However, being correlational in nature, this evidence might reflect a nonfunctional byproduct rather than having a causal role. A more direct link can be shown with methods that manipulate oscillatory activity. Here, we used audiovisual entrainment at different frequencies in the prestimulus period of a temporal integration/segregation task. We hypothesized that entrainment would align ongoing oscillations and drive them toward the stimulation frequency. To reveal behavioral oscillations in temporal perception after the entrainment, we sampled the segregation/integration performance densely in time. In Experiment 1, two groups of human participants (both males and females) received stimulation either at the lower or the upper boundary of the alpha band (∼8.5 vs 11.5 Hz). For both entrainment frequencies, we found a phase alignment of the perceptual oscillation across subjects, but with two different power spectra that peaked near the entrainment frequency. These results were confirmed when perceptual oscillations were characterized in the time domain with sinusoidal fittings. In Experiment 2, we replicated the findings in a within-subject design, extending the results for frequencies in the theta (∼6.5 Hz), but not in the beta (∼15 Hz), range. Overall, these findings show that temporal segregation can be modified by sensory entrainment, providing evidence for a critical role of ongoing oscillations in the temporal organization of perception. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The continuous flow of sensory input is not processed in an analog fashion, but rather is grouped by the perceptual system over time. Recent studies pinpointed the phase and/or frequency of the neural

The Low temperature CFB gasifier

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stoholm, P.; Nielsen, Rasmus Glar; Fock, Martin W.

2003-01-01

%) particle separation by the hot secondary cyclone. The next LT-CFB experiment, currently under preparation, is expected to be on either municipal/industrial waste or animal manure. Eventually a 500 kW LT-CFB test plant scheduled for commission during summer 2003, and the anticipated primary LT......The Low Temperature Circulating Fluidised Bed (LT-CFB) gasification process aims at avoiding problems due to ash deposition and agglomeration when using difficult fuels such as agricultural biomass and many waste materials. This, as well as very simple gas cleaning, is achieved by pyrolysing...... the fuel at around 650?C in a CFB reaction chamber and subsequently gasifying the char at around 730oC in a slowly fluidised bubbling bed chamber located in the CFB particle recirculation path. In this paper the novel LT-CFB concept is further described together with the latest test results from the 50 k...

Mixing of high density solution in vertical upward flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumamaru, Hiroshige; Hosogi, Nobuyoshi; Komada, Toshiaki; Fujiwara, Yoshiki

1999-01-01

Experimental and analytical studies have been performed in order to provide fundamental data and a numerical calculation model on the mixing of boric acid solution, injected from the standby liquid control system (SLCS), under a low natural circulation flow during an ATWS in a BWR. First, fundamental experiments on the mixing of high-density solution in vertically-upward water flow have been performed by using a small apparatus. Mixing patterns observed in the experiments have been classified to two groups, i.e. complete mixing (entrainment) and incomplete mixing (entrainment). In the complete mixing, the injected high-density solution is mixed (entrained) completely into the vertically-upward water flow. From the experiments, the minimum water flow rates in which the complete mixing (entrainment) is achieved have been obtained for various solution densities and solution injection rates. Secondly, two-dimensional numerical calculations have been performed. A continuity equation for total fluid, momentum equations in two directions and a continuity equation for solute are solved by using the finite difference method for discretization method and by following the MAC method for solution procedure. The calculations have predicted nearly the minimum water flow rate in which the complete mixing is achieved, while the calculations have been performed only for one combination of the solution density and solution injection rate until now. (author)

Sensory Entrainment Mechanisms in Auditory Perception: Neural Synchronization Cortico-Striatal Activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sameiro-Barbosa, Catia M; Geiser, Eveline

2016-01-01

The auditory system displays modulations in sensitivity that can align with the temporal structure of the acoustic environment. This sensory entrainment can facilitate sensory perception and is particularly relevant for audition. Systems neuroscience is slowly uncovering the neural mechanisms underlying the behaviorally observed sensory entrainment effects in the human sensory system. The present article summarizes the prominent behavioral effects of sensory entrainment and reviews our current understanding of the neural basis of sensory entrainment, such as synchronized neural oscillations, and potentially, neural activation in the cortico-striatal system.

Sensory Entrainment Mechanisms in Auditory Perception: Neural Synchronization Cortico-Striatal Activation

Science.gov (United States)

Sameiro-Barbosa, Catia M.; Geiser, Eveline

2016-01-01

The auditory system displays modulations in sensitivity that can align with the temporal structure of the acoustic environment. This sensory entrainment can facilitate sensory perception and is particularly relevant for audition. Systems neuroscience is slowly uncovering the neural mechanisms underlying the behaviorally observed sensory entrainment effects in the human sensory system. The present article summarizes the prominent behavioral effects of sensory entrainment and reviews our current understanding of the neural basis of sensory entrainment, such as synchronized neural oscillations, and potentially, neural activation in the cortico-striatal system. PMID:27559306

Holistic analysis of thermochemical processes by using solid biomass for fuel production in Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henssler, Martin

2015-01-01

According to the German act ''Biokraftstoff-Nachhaltigkeitsverordnung'', biofuels must show a CO 2eq -reduction compared to the fossil reference fuel (83.8 g CO 2eq /MJ fuel /Richtlinie 98/70/EG/) of 35 % beginning with 2011. In new plants, which go into operation after the 31.12.2016 the CO 2eq -savings must be higher than 50 % in 2017 and higher than 60 % in 2018 /Biokraft-NachV/. The biofuels (methyl ester of rapeseed, bioethanol and biomethane) considered in this study do not meet these requirements for new plants. To comply with these rules new processes must be deployed. Alternative thermochemical generated fuels could be an option. The aim of this work is to evaluate through a technical, ecological and economic analysis (Well-to-Wheel) whether and under what conditions the thermochemical production of Fischer-Tropsch-diesel or -gasoline, hydrogen (H 2 ) and Substitute Natural Gas (SNG) complies with the targets. Four different processes are considered (fast pyrolysis and torrefaction with entrained flow gasifier, CHOREN Carbo-V registered -gasifier, Absorption Enhanced Reforming (AER-) gasifier). Beside residues such as winter wheat straw and residual forest wood, wood from short-rotation plantations is taken into account. The technical analysis showed that at present status (2010) two and in 2050 six plants can be operated energy-self-sufficient. The overall efficiency of the processes is in the range of 41.5 (Fischer-Tropsch-diesel or -gasoline) and 59.4 % (H 2 ). Furthermore, it was found that for 2010, all thermochemical produced fuels except the H 2 -production from wood from short-rotation plantations in decentralised or central fast pyrolysis and in decentralised torrefactions with entrained flow gasifier keep the required CO 2eq -saving of 60 %. In 2050, all thermochemical produced fuels will reach these limits. The CO 2eq -saving is between 72 (H 2 ) and 95 % (Fischer-Tropsch-diesel or -gasoline). When the production costs of the

Holistic analysis of thermochemical processes by using solid biomass for fuel production in Germany; Ganzheitliche Analyse thermochemischer Verfahren bei der Nutzung fester Biomasse zur Kraftstoffproduktion in Deutschland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henssler, Martin

2015-04-28

According to the German act ''Biokraftstoff-Nachhaltigkeitsverordnung'', biofuels must show a CO{sub 2eq}-reduction compared to the fossil reference fuel (83.8 g CO{sub 2eq}/MJ{sub fuel} /Richtlinie 98/70/EG/) of 35 % beginning with 2011. In new plants, which go into operation after the 31.12.2016 the CO{sub 2eq}-savings must be higher than 50 % in 2017 and higher than 60 % in 2018 /Biokraft-NachV/. The biofuels (methyl ester of rapeseed, bioethanol and biomethane) considered in this study do not meet these requirements for new plants. To comply with these rules new processes must be deployed. Alternative thermochemical generated fuels could be an option. The aim of this work is to evaluate through a technical, ecological and economic analysis (Well-to-Wheel) whether and under what conditions the thermochemical production of Fischer-Tropsch-diesel or -gasoline, hydrogen (H{sub 2}) and Substitute Natural Gas (SNG) complies with the targets. Four different processes are considered (fast pyrolysis and torrefaction with entrained flow gasifier, CHOREN Carbo-V {sup registered} -gasifier, Absorption Enhanced Reforming (AER-) gasifier). Beside residues such as winter wheat straw and residual forest wood, wood from short-rotation plantations is taken into account. The technical analysis showed that at present status (2010) two and in 2050 six plants can be operated energy-self-sufficient. The overall efficiency of the processes is in the range of 41.5 (Fischer-Tropsch-diesel or -gasoline) and 59.4 % (H{sub 2}). Furthermore, it was found that for 2010, all thermochemical produced fuels except the H{sub 2}-production from wood from short-rotation plantations in decentralised or central fast pyrolysis and in decentralised torrefactions with entrained flow gasifier keep the required CO{sub 2eq}-saving of 60 %. In 2050, all thermochemical produced fuels will reach these limits. The CO{sub 2eq}-saving is between 72 (H{sub 2}) and 95 % (Fischer

Ground tests of 120 kW(heat) biomass fired gasifier diesel installation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zyssin, L.V.; Maronet, I.J.; Morshin, V.N. [Energotechnology Ltd., St. Petersburg (Russian Federation)

1996-12-31

For the 1 MW and less power range diesel gasifier power plants could be considered as one of the main energy sources. The brief information about works carried out in Russia according to this direction is presented. Data of preliminary tests for gas diesel installations are presented. (orig.)

Ground tests of 120 kW(heat) biomass fired gasifier diesel installation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zyssin, L V; Maronet, I J; Morshin, V N [Energotechnology Ltd., St. Petersburg (Russian Federation)

1997-12-31

For the 1 MW and less power range diesel gasifier power plants could be considered as one of the main energy sources. The brief information about works carried out in Russia according to this direction is presented. Data of preliminary tests for gas diesel installations are presented. (orig.)

The effects of a flow obstacle on liquid film flowing concurrently with air in a horizontal rectangular duct

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukano, Tohru; Tominaga, Akira; Morikawa, Kengo.

1986-01-01

The aspect of a liquid film flowing near a flat plate type obstacle was observed, and the liquid film thickness and the entrainment were measured under a wide range of gas and liquid flow rates. The results are summarized as follows: (1) The configurations of film flows near the obstacle are classified according to whether (a) the liquid film climbs over the obstacle or not, (b) the air flows under the obstacle or not, or (c) the liquid film swells or sinks just upstream or downstream of the obstacle. (2) The lower the liquid flow rate, the larger the effect of the obstacle on the film thickness. (3) The generation of entrainment is regulated by the obstacle when the air volumetric flux is high and by the disturbance wave when it is low. (author)

Method for online measurement of the CHON composition of raw gas from biomass gasifier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neves, Daniel; Thunman, Henrik; Tarelho, Luís; Larsson, Anton; Seemann, Martin; Matos, Arlindo

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Measuring the CHON composition of a raw gas by current methods is challenging. • An alternative method is to burn the raw gas before measuring the CHON composition. • The CHON contents of the raw gas can be accurately measured by the alternative method. • Measuring the CHON contents of the raw gas is now performed in a “one-step” analysis. • The new method is used to evaluate the operation of a dual fluidised bed gasifier. - Abstract: For unattended biomass gasification processes, rapid methods for monitoring the elemental composition (CHON) of the raw gas leaving the gasifier are needed. Conventional methods rely on time-consuming and costly laboratory procedures for analysing the condensable part of the raw gas. An alternative method, presented in this work, assesses the CHON composition of raw gas in a “one step” analysis without the need to previously characterise its chemical species composition. Our method is based on the quantitative conversion of a raw gas of complex chemical composition into CO 2 , H 2 O, and N 2 in a small combustor. The levels of these simple species can be measured with high accuracy and good time resolution, and the CHON composition of the raw gas can be determined from the mass balance across the combustor. To evaluate this method, an online combustion facility was built and used to analyse the raw gas from the Chalmers 2-MW th dual fluidised bed steam gasifier. Test runs of the developed facility demonstrated complete combustion of the raw gas and the measurements were both fast and reliable. The new method used in combination with zero-dimensional reactor modelling provides valuable data for the operational monitoring of gasification processes, such as the degree of fuel conversion, composition of the char exiting the gasifier, oxygen transport by catalytic bed material, and amount of condensables in raw gas

BtL. The bioliq {sup registered} process at KIT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kolb, T. [Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie (KIT), Engler-Bunte-Institut, Karlsruhe (Germany). Div. Fuel Chemistry and Technology (EBI ceb); Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie (KIT), Karlsruhe (Germany). Inst. fuer Technical Chemistry (ITC); Eberhard, M.; Leibold, H.; Seifert, H.; Zimmerlin, B. [Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie (KIT), Karlsruhe (Germany). Inst. fuer Technical Chemistry (ITC); Dahmen, N.; Sauer, J. [Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie (KIT), Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany). Inst. of Catalysis Research and Technology (IKFT); Neuberger, M. [Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie (KIT), Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany). Project Management and Quality Assurance Service Unit (PMQ)

2013-11-01

Synthetic fuels from biomass may contribute to the future motor fuel supply to a considerable extent. To overcome the logistical hurdles connected with the industrial use of large quantities of biomass, the de-central/central bioliq {sup registered} concept has been developed. It is based on a regional pre-treatment of biomass for energy densification by fast pyrolysis. The intermediate referred to as biosyncrude enables an economic long-range transportation. Collected from a number of those pyrolysis plants, the biosyncrude is converted into synthesis gas, which is cleaned, conditioned and further converted to fuels or chemicals in a central plant of reasonable industrial size. Gasification is performed in an entrained flow gasifier at pressures adjusted to the subsequent chemical synthesis. For increased fuel flexibility and utilization of ash rich feed materials, the gasifier is equipped with a cooling screen operated in slagging mode. At the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, KIT, a bioliq {sup registered} pilot plant has been erected for demonstration of the whole process chain. The 2 MW{sub th} fast pyrolysis plant is in operation since 2009; the 5 MW{sub th} / 80 bars gasifier, the hot gas cleaning section and the gasoline synthesis via DME were erected in 2011/12. Commissioning of that plant complex was completed in 2013. (orig.)

Modeling the emissions of a dual fuel engine coupled with a biomass gasifier-supplementing the Wiebe function.

Science.gov (United States)

Vakalis, Stergios; Caligiuri, Carlo; Moustakas, Konstantinos; Malamis, Dimitris; Renzi, Massimiliano; Baratieri, Marco

2018-03-12

There is a growing market demand for small-scale biomass gasifiers that is driven by the economic incentives and the legislative framework. Small-scale gasifiers produce a gaseous fuel, commonly referred to as producer gas, with relatively low heating value. Thus, the most common energy conversion systems that are coupled with small-scale gasifiers are internal combustion engines. In order to increase the electrical efficiency, the operators choose dual fuel engines and mix the producer gas with diesel. The Wiebe function has been a valuable tool for assessing the efficiency of dual fuel internal combustion engines. This study introduces a thermodynamic model that works in parallel with the Wiebe function and calculates the emissions of the engines. This "vis-à-vis" approach takes into consideration the actual conditions inside the cylinders-as they are returned by the Wiebe function-and calculates the final thermodynamic equilibrium of the flue gases mixture. This approach aims to enhance the operation of the dual fuel internal combustion engines by identifying the optimal operating conditions and-at the same time-advance pollution control and minimize the environmental impact.

Numerical investigation on the gas entrainment rate on ventilated supercavity body

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

WuGang Yang

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The supercavitation technique provides a means of significantly increasing the velocity of an underwater vehicle. This technique involves essentially the creation of stable supercavity shape. The method of artificial ventilation is most effective for generating and dominating the supercavity. This paper focuses on the numerical simulation of flow field around three-dimensional body. The method is based on the multiphase computational fluid dynamics model combined with the turbulence model and the full cavity model. The fundamental similarity parameters of ventilated supercavity flows that include cavitation number, Froude number Fr, entrainment rate CQ, and drag coefficient Cx are all investigated numerically in the case of steady flow and gravity field. We discuss the following simulations results in three parts: (1 the variations of the cavitation number and the supercavity’s relative diameter with entrainment rate; (2 the drag coefficient versus the cavitation number; and (3 deformation of supercavity axis caused by gravitational effect for three different fixed three Froude numbers. In the full paper, we give the comparison results of the drag reduction ratio among numerical simulation and experiment conducted in hydrodynamic tunnel and towing tank, respectively. We summarize our discussion of gravitational effect on the axis deformation of supercavity as follows: in the case of smaller Froude number, the inclination of the cavity axis increases monotonously with increasing horizontal length and reaches its maximal value at the end of supercavity; this deformation can be almost completely negligible when the Froude number Fr is larger than 7.0. The comparisons with the experimental data in the hydrodynamic tunnel and the towing tank indicate that the present method is effective for predicting the flows around ventilated supercavity; that the numerical results is in good agreement with the experimental ones and that the maximal value of the

FY 1992 report on the results of the development of an entrained bed coal gasification power plant. Part 3. Operation test of pilot plant (1/2); 1992 nendo seika hokokusho. Funryusho sekitan gaska hatsuden plant kaihatsu - Sono 3. Pilot plant unten shiken hen (1/2)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-02-01

The study of operation test was made of the 200 t/d entrained bed coal gasification pilot plant that was constructed with the aim of establishing technology of the integrated coal gasification combined cycle power generation, and the details of the FY 1992 results were summarized. At RUN 10, conducted were the confirmation of the quantity of state of gasifier in the coal-fired high load operation and coal-fired constant load operation, and slagging survey. At RUN 11, the evaluation made after the work for prevention of slagging, and confirmation of the quantity of state of gasifier at a load of 80% heat input. At RUN 12, the evaluation of the measures taken against slagging, and test on the high load stable operation. At RUN 13, the evaluation of the measures taken against slagging, and large combustor response/total pressure control response tests. At RUN D1, test on the change of coal kind from A coal to D coal, and test on the initial adjusting operation of D coal. In the trial operation of these, the following were generated and the preventive measures were studied: impossibility of circulation of desulfurizing agent in gas refining facilities (dry desulfurizing system), bolt fracture of gas refining facilities (separator of dedusting facilities). (NEDO)

Ash behavior and de-fluidization in low temperature circulating fluidized bed biomass gasifier

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Narayan, Vikas

ensures that high-alkali biomass fuels can be used without risks of bed de-fluidization. This thesis aims to understand the behavior of alkali metals and ash in the LTCFB system. The thesis work involved measurements made on bed material and product gas dust samples on a 100kW LTCFB gasifier placed......Biomass is increasingly used as a fuel for power generation. Herbaceous fuels however, contain high amounts of alkali metals which get volatilized at high temperatures and forms salts with low melting points and thus condense on pipelines, reactor surfaces and may cause de-fluidization. A Low......-Temperature Circulating Fluidized Bed System (LTCFB) gasifier allows pyrolysis and gasification of biomass to occur at low temperatures thereby improving the retention of alkali and other ash species within the system and minimizing the amount of ash species in the product gas. In addition, the low reactor temperature...

Oxy-coal combustion in an entrained flow reactor: Application of specific char and volatile combustion and radiation models for oxy-firing conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Álvarez, L.; Yin, Chungen; Riaza, J.

2013-01-01

The deployment of oxy-fuel combustion in utility boilers is one of the major options for CO2 capture. However, combustion under oxy-firing conditions differs from conventional air-firing combustion, e.g., in the aspect of radiative heat transfer, coal conversion and pollutants formation....... In this work, a numerical study on pulverised coal combustion was conducted to verify the applicability and accuracy of several sub-models refined for oxy-fuel conditions, e.g., gaseous radiative property model, gas-phase combustion mechanism and heterogeneous char reaction model. The sub-models were...... implemented in CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations of combustion of three coals under air-firing and various oxy-firing (21-35% vol O2 in O2/CO2 mixture) conditions in an EFR (entrained flow reactor). The predicted coal burnouts and gaseous emissions were compared against experimental results...

Doing Duo – a Case Study of Entrainment in William Forsythe’s Choreography Duo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth eWaterhouse

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Entrainment theory focuses on processes in which interacting (i.e. coupled rhythmic systems stabilize, producing synchronization in the ideal sense, and forms of phase related rhythmic coordination in complex cases. In human action, entrainment involves spatiotemporal and social aspects, characterizing the meaningful activities of music, dance, and communication. How can the phenomenon of human entrainment be meaningfully studied in complex situations such as dance? We present an in-progress case study of entrainment in William Forsythe's choreography Duo, a duet in which coordinated rhythmic activity is achieved without an external musical beat and without touch-based interaction. Using concepts of entrainment from different disciplines as well as insight from Duo performer Riley Watts, we question definitions of entrainment in the context of dance. The functions of chorusing, turn-taking, complementary action, cues and alignments are discussed and linked to supporting annotated video material. While Duo challenges the definition of entrainment in dance as coordinated response to an external musical or rhythmic signal, it supports the definition of entrainment as coordinated interplay of motion and sound production by active agents (i.e., dancers in the field. Agreeing that human entrainment should be studied on multiple levels, we suggest that entrainment between the dancers in Duo is elastic in time and a propose how to test this hypothesis empirically. We do not claim that our proposed model of elasticity is applicable to all forms of human entrainment nor to all to examples of entrainment in dance. Rather, we suggest studying higher order phase correction (the stabilizing tendency of entrainment as a potential aspect to be incorporated into other models.

Behaviour of heavy metals during the thermal conversion of sawdust in an entrained flow reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klensch, S.; Reimert, R. [Engler-Bunte-Inst., Bereich Gas, Erdoel und Kohle, Univ. Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe (Germany)

1999-07-01

Since its utilization is nearly CO{sub 2}-neutral, biomass represents a major alternative energy carrier in comparison with fossil fuels in CO{sub 2} reduction scenarios frequently discussed. Decentral generation of power and heat in medium sized plants could develop as a preferred application in future. During thermal conversion (gasification and combustion) of biomass the inorganic matter including the heavy metals will be found in the solid residues, i. e. slags and ashes, and in very low concentrations in the product gas (fuel or flue gas). The ashes should be returned to the forests and the agricultural areas respectively to avoid the use of industrial fertilizers. However, for this purpose the heavy metal concentrations of ashes may not exceed specific limit values, otherwise the returned ashes can lead to harmful effects on the ecological system. In awareness of this problem, in Austria some limit values for the concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in returned ashes are valid since 1997. No danger for the environment can be expected by slags containing heavy metals. The heavy metals are fixed environmentally neutral in the glass matrix as has been proven for coal and for residue gasification many times. Dividing the total of the residues into such two streams (returned ash and slag) avoids the disposal of the ashes. The heavy metal behaviour during the thermal conversion of sawdust was investigated in a bench scale plant. In essence, the plant consists of an entrained flow reactor (length of reaction zone: 2,500 mm; inner diameter: 70 mm) and a candle barrier filter with 6 rigid ceramic filter elements (DIA-Schumalith 10-20). The biomass flow rate is as high as 6 kg/h and the operating pressure is about 0.12 MPa. Experimental results show the influences of the conversion temperature (1100 - 1300 C), of the dedusting temperature (350 - 800 C), and of the gas atmosphere (reducing, oxidising) on the heavy metal concentrations of the slag and of the fly

Investigation of sewage sludge gasification with use of flue gas as a gasifying agent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maj Izabella

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents results of investigation of low-temperature sewage sludge gasification with use of flue gas as a gasifying agent. Tests were conducted in a laboratory stand, equipped with a gasification reactor designed and constructed specifically for this purpose. During presented tests, gas mixture with a composition of typical flue gases was used as a gasifying agent. The measuring system ensures online measurements of syngas composition: CO, CO2, H2, CH4. As a result of gasification process a syngas with combustible components has been obtained. The aim of the research was to determine the usability of sewage sludge for indirect cofiring in power boilers with the use of flue gas from the boiler as a gasifying agent and recirculating the syngas to the boiler’s combustion chamber. Results of presented investigation will be used as a knowledge base for industrial-scale sewage sludge gasification process. Furthermore, toxicity of solid products of the process has been determined by the use of Microtox bioassay. Before tests, solid post-gasification residues have been ground to two particle size fractions and extracted into Milli-Q water. The response of test organisms (bioluminescent Aliivibrio fischeri bacteria in reference to a control sample (bacteria exposed to 2% NaCl solution was measured after 5 and 15 minutes of exposure. The obtained toxicity results proved that thermal treatment of sewage sludge by their gasification reduces their toxicity relative to water organisms.

Two-phase flow through small branches in a horizontal pipe with stratified flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smoglie, C.

1985-02-01

In the field of reactor safety the occurrence of a small break in a horizontal primary coolant pipe is of great importance. This report presents the description and results of experiments designed to determine the mass flow rate and quality through a small break at the bottom, the top or the side of a main pipe with stratified gas-liquid flow. If the interface level is far below (above) the branch, only single-phase gas (liquid) flow enters the branch. For smaller distances the interface is locally deformed because of the pressure decrease due to the fluid acceleration near the branch inlet (Bernoulli effect) and liquid (gas) can be entrained. This report contains photographs illustrating the flow phenomena as well as a general correlation to determine the beginning of entrainment. Results are presented on the branch mass flow rate and quality as a function of a normalized distance between the interface and the branch inlet. A model was developed which enables to predict the branch quality and mass flux. Results from air-water flow through horizontal branches, were extrapolated for steam water flow at high pressure with critical branch mass flux. (orig./HS) [de

Comparison of ORC Turbine and Stirling Engine to Produce Electricity from Gasified Poultry Waste

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franco Cotana

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The Biomass Research Centre, section of CIRIAF, has recently developed a biomass boiler (300 kW thermal powered, fed by the poultry manure collected in a nearby livestock. All the thermal requirements of the livestock will be covered by the heat produced by gas combustion in the gasifier boiler. Within the activities carried out by the research project ENERPOLL (Energy Valorization of Poultry Manure in a Thermal Power Plant, funded by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, this paper aims at studying an upgrade version of the existing thermal plant, investigating and analyzing the possible applications for electricity production recovering the exceeding thermal energy. A comparison of Organic Rankine Cycle turbines and Stirling engines, to produce electricity from gasified poultry waste, is proposed, evaluating technical and economic parameters, considering actual incentives on renewable produced electricity.

Entrainment of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat Fibroblasts by Temperature Cycles

Science.gov (United States)

Sládek, Martin; Sumová, Alena

2013-01-01

The functional state of the circadian system of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) differs in several characteristics from the functional state of normotensive Wistar rats. Some of these changes might be due to the compromised ability of the central pacemaker to entrain the peripheral clocks. Daily body temperature cycles represent one of the important cues responsible for the integrity of the circadian system, because these cycles are driven by the central pacemaker and are able to entrain the peripheral clocks. This study tested the hypothesis that the aberrant peripheral clock entrainment of SHR results from a compromised peripheral clock sensitivity to the daily temperature cycle resetting. Using cultured Wistar rat and SHR fibroblasts transfected with the circadian luminescence reporter Bmal1-dLuc, we demonstrated that two consecutive square-wave temperature cycles with amplitudes of 2.5°C are necessary and sufficient to restart the dampened oscillations and entrain the circadian clocks in both Wistar rat and SHR fibroblasts. We also generated a phase response curve to temperature cycles for fibroblasts of both rat strains. Although some of the data suggested a slight resistance of SHR fibroblasts to temperature entrainment, we concluded that the overall effect it too weak to be responsible for the differences between the SHR and Wistar in vivo circadian phenotype. PMID:24116198

The performative pleasure of imprecision: a diachronic study of entrainment in music performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew eGeeves

2014-10-01

Full Text Available This study focuses in on a moment of live performance in which the entrainment amongst a musical quartet is threatened. Entrainment is asymmetric in so far as there is an ensemble leader who improvises and expands the structure of a last chorus of a piece of music beyond the limits tacitly negotiated during prior rehearsals and performances. Despite the risk of entrainment being disturbed and performance interrupted, the other three musicians in the quartet follow the leading performer and smoothly transition into unprecedented performance territory. We use this moment of live performance to work back through the fieldwork data, building a diachronic study of the development and bases of entrainment in live music performance. We introduce the concept of entrainment and profile previous theory and research relevant to entrainment in music performance. After outlining our methodology, we trace the evolution of the structure of the piece of music from first rehearsal to final performance. Using video clip analysis, interviews and field notes we consider how entrainment shaped and was shaped by the moment of performance in focus. The sense of trust between quartet musicians is established through entrainment processes, is consolidated via smooth adaptation to the threats of disruption. Nonverbal communicative exchanges, via eye contact, gesture and spatial proximity, sustain entrainment through phase shifts occurring swiftly and on the fly in performance contexts. These exchanges permit smooth adaptation promoting trust. This frees the quartet members to play with the potential disturbance of equilibrium inherent in entrained relationships and to play with this tension in an improvisatory way that enhances audience engagement and the live quality of performance.

Correction of Dynamic Characteristics of SAR Cryogenic GTE on Consumption of Gasified Fuel

Science.gov (United States)

Bukin, V. A.; Gimadiev, A. G.; Gangisetty, G.

2018-01-01

When the gas turbine engines (GTE) NK-88 were developed for liquid hydrogen and NK-89 for liquefied natural gas, performance of the systems with a turbo-pump unitary was improved and its proved without direct regulation of the flow of a cryogenic fuel, which was supplied by a centrifugal pump of the turbo-pump unit (TPU) Command from the “kerosene” system. Such type of the automatic control system (SAR) has the property of partial “neutralization” of the delay caused by gasification of the fuel. This does not require any measurements in the cryogenic medium, and the failure of the centrifugal cryogenic pump does not lead to engine failure. On the other hand, the system without direct regulation of the flow of cryogenic fuel has complex internal dynamic connections, their properties are determined by the characteristics of the incoming units and assemblies, and it is difficult to maintain accurate the maximum boundary level and minimum fuel consumption due to the influence of a booster pressure change. Direct regulation of the consumption of cryogenic fuel (prior to its gasification) is the preferred solution, since for using traditional liquid and gaseous fuels this is the main and proven method. The scheme of correction of dynamic characteristics of a single-loop SAR GTE for the consumption of a liquefied cryogenic fuel with a flow rate correction in its gasified state, which ensures the dynamic properties of the system is not worse than for NK-88 and NK-89 engines.

Causticizing for Black Liquor Gasifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scott Sinquefeld; James Cantrell; Xiaoyan Zeng; Alan Ball; Jeff Empie

2009-01-07

The cost-benefit outlook of black liquor gasification (BLG) could be greatly improved if the smelt causticization step could be achieved in situ during the gasification step. Or, at a minimum, the increase in causticizing load associated with BLG could be mitigated. A number of chemistries have been proven successful during black liquor combustion. In this project, three in situ causticizing processes (titanate, manganate, and borate) were evaluated under conditions suitable for high temperature entrained flow BLG, and low temperature steam reforming of black liquor. The evaluation included both thermodynamic modeling and lab experimentation. Titanate and manganate were tested for complete direct causticizing (to thus eliminate the lime cycle), and borates were evaluated for partial causticizing (to mitigate the load increase associated with BLG). Criteria included high carbonate conversion, corresponding hydroxide recovery upon hydrolysis, non process element (NPE) removal, and economics. Of the six cases (three chemistries at two BLG conditions), only two were found to be industrially viable: titanates for complete causticizing during high temperature BLG, and borates for partial causticizing during high temperature BLG. These two cases were evaluated for integration into a gasification-based recovery island. The Larsen [28] BLG cost-benefit study was used as a reference case for economic forecasting (i.e. a 1500 tpd pulp mill using BLG and upgrading the lime cycle). By comparison, using the titanate direct causticizing process yielded a net present value (NPV) of $25M over the NPV of BLG with conventional lime cycle. Using the existing lime cycle plus borate autocausticizing for extra capacity yielded a NPV of $16M.

Distributed Fiber Optic Sensor for On-Line Monitoring of Coal Gasifier Refractory Health

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Anbo [Center for Photonics Technology, Blacksburgh, VA (United States); Yu, Zhihao [Center for Photonics Technology, Blacksburgh, VA (United States)

2015-11-30

This report summarizes technical progress on the program “Distributed Fiber Optic Sensor for On-Line Monitoring of Coal Gasifier Refractory Health,” funded by the National Energy Technology Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, and performed by the Center for Photonics Technology of the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech. The scope of work entails analyses of traveling grating generation technologies in an optical fiber, as well as the interrogation of the gratings to infer a distributed temperature along the fiber, for the purpose of developing a real-time refractory health condition monitoring technology for coal gasifiers. During the project period, which is from 2011-2015, three different sensing principles were studied, including four-wave mixing (FWM), coherent optical time-domain reflectometer (C-OTDR) and Brillouin optical time-domain analysis (BOTDA). By comparing the three methods, the BOTDA was selected for further development into a complete bench-top sensing system for the proposed high-temperature sensing application. Based on the input from Eastman Chemical, the industrial collaborator on this project, a cylindrical furnace was designed and constructed to simulate typical gasifier refractory temperature conditions in the laboratory, and verify the sensor’s capability to fully monitor refractory conditions on the back-side at temperatures up to 1000°C. In the later stages of the project, the sensing system was tested in the simulated environment for its sensing performance and high-temperature survivability. Through theoretical analyses and experimental research on the different factors affecting the sensor performance, a sensor field deployment strategy was proposed for possible future sensor field implementations.

What is the functional relevance of prefrontal cortex entrainment to hippocampal theta rhythms?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James Michael Hyman

2011-03-01

Full Text Available There has been considerable interest in the importance of oscillations in the brain and in how these oscillations relate to the firing of single neurons. Recently a number of studies have shown that the spiking of individual neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC become entrained to the hippocampal (HPC theta rhythm. We recently showed that theta-entrained mPFC cells lost theta-entrainment specifically on error trials even though the firing rates of these cells did not change (Hyman et al., 2010. This implied that the level of HPC theta-entrainment of mPFC units was more predictive of trial outcome than differences in firing rates and that there is more information encoded by the mPFC on working memory tasks than can be accounted for by a simple rate code. Nevertheless, the functional meaning of mPFC entrainment to HPC theta remains a mystery. It is also unclear as to whether there are any differences in the nature of the information encoded by theta-entrained and non-entrained mPFC cells. In this review we discuss mPFC entrainment to HPC theta within the context of previous results as well as provide a more detailed analysis of the Hyman et al. (2010 data set. This re-analysis revealed that theta-entrained mPFC cells selectively encoded a variety of task relevant behaviors and stimuli while never theta-entrained mPFC cells were most strongly attuned to errors or the lack of expected rewards. In fact, these error responsive neurons were responsible for the error representations exhibited by the entire ensemble of mPFC neurons. A theta reset was also detected in the post-error period. While it is becoming increasingly evident that mPFC neurons exhibit correlates to virtually all cues and behaviors, perhaps phase-locking directs attention to the task-relevant representations required to solve a spatially based working memory task while the loss of theta-entrainment at the start of error trials may represent a shift of attention away from

CFD Analysis of Coal and Heavy Oil Gasification for Syngas Production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sreedharan, Vikram

2012-01-01

This work deals with the gasification of coal and heavy oil for syngas production using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Gasification which includes complex physical and chemical processes such as turbulence, multiphase flow, heat and mass transfer and chemical reactions has been modeled using...... phases. Gasification consists of the processes of passive heating, devolatilization, volatiles oxidation, char gasification and gas phase reactions. Attention is given here to the chemical kinetics of the gasification processes. The coal gasification model has been validated for entrained-flow gasifiers...... a discrete phase model. In this model, the continuous phase is described by Eulerian conservation equations and the discrete phase is described by tracking individual particles in a Lagrangian framework. A two-way coupling accounts for momentum, heat and mass transfer between the continuous and discrete...

Microparticle Flow Sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Morrison, Dennis R.

2005-01-01

The microparticle flow sensor (MFS) is a system for identifying and counting microscopic particles entrained in a flowing liquid. The MFS includes a transparent, optoelectronically instrumented laminar-flow chamber (see figure) and a computer for processing instrument-readout data. The MFS could be used to count microparticles (including micro-organisms) in diverse applications -- for example, production of microcapsules, treatment of wastewater, pumping of industrial chemicals, and identification of ownership of liquid products.

Study on the effect of free acidity and entrained TBP in UNPS on the quality of ADU powder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prudhvi Raju, P.V.S.N.; Mandal, D.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: From the experimental study it was found that mean particle size of precipitated Ammonium Di-Uranate (ADU) depends on the free acidity content and entrained TBP in Uranyl Nitrate Pure Solution (UNPS). It was found that as the free acidity as well as the entrained TBP content in UNPS increases, mean particle size of precipitated ADU decreases. Based on the experimental results two correlations were developed as shown in below figures. - Highlights: • The mean particle size of precipitated ADU depends on the free acidity in UNPS. • The mean particle size of precipitated ADU also depends on the entrained TBP in UNPS. • As free acidity in UNPS increases, mean particle size of precipitated ADU decreases. • As entrained TBP in UNPS increases, particle size of precipitated ADU decreases. • Based on the experimental results two correlations were developed to find d p of ADU. - Abstract: The mean particle size and size distribution of Ammonium Di-Uranate (ADU) particles, precipitated during the precipitation reaction of Uranyl Nitrate Pure Solution (UNPS) with ammonia play an important role on the sintered density of UO 2 pellets. The quality of precipitated ADU depends on number of process parameters viz., pH of UNPS, concentration of uranium in UNPS, flow rate of ammonium hydroxide, temperature etc. However, the effects of the presence of free acid and entrained Tri-Butyl-Phosphate (TBP) in UNPS on the quality of ADU powder were not studied till date. Experiments were conducted to study the effect of free acidity and the presence of entrained TBP on the quality of precipitated ADU particles. It was found that as the concentration of free acid as well as the concentration of entrained TBP in UNPS increases, the particle size of precipitated ADU decreases. Based on the experimental results two correlations were developed to determine the mean particle size of ADU; one is based on the free acid content of UNPS and the other is based on the

Study on the effect of free acidity and entrained TBP in UNPS on the quality of ADU powder

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prudhvi Raju, P.V.S.N. [Nuclear Fuel Complex, Hyderabad 500 062 (India); Mandal, D., E-mail: dmandal@barc.gov.in [Chemical Engineering Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085 (India)

2015-09-15

Graphical abstract: From the experimental study it was found that mean particle size of precipitated Ammonium Di-Uranate (ADU) depends on the free acidity content and entrained TBP in Uranyl Nitrate Pure Solution (UNPS). It was found that as the free acidity as well as the entrained TBP content in UNPS increases, mean particle size of precipitated ADU decreases. Based on the experimental results two correlations were developed as shown in below figures. - Highlights: • The mean particle size of precipitated ADU depends on the free acidity in UNPS. • The mean particle size of precipitated ADU also depends on the entrained TBP in UNPS. • As free acidity in UNPS increases, mean particle size of precipitated ADU decreases. • As entrained TBP in UNPS increases, particle size of precipitated ADU decreases. • Based on the experimental results two correlations were developed to find d{sub p} of ADU. - Abstract: The mean particle size and size distribution of Ammonium Di-Uranate (ADU) particles, precipitated during the precipitation reaction of Uranyl Nitrate Pure Solution (UNPS) with ammonia play an important role on the sintered density of UO{sub 2} pellets. The quality of precipitated ADU depends on number of process parameters viz., pH of UNPS, concentration of uranium in UNPS, flow rate of ammonium hydroxide, temperature etc. However, the effects of the presence of free acid and entrained Tri-Butyl-Phosphate (TBP) in UNPS on the quality of ADU powder were not studied till date. Experiments were conducted to study the effect of free acidity and the presence of entrained TBP on the quality of precipitated ADU particles. It was found that as the concentration of free acid as well as the concentration of entrained TBP in UNPS increases, the particle size of precipitated ADU decreases. Based on the experimental results two correlations were developed to determine the mean particle size of ADU; one is based on the free acid content of UNPS and the other is based on

Impact of Air Entraining Method on the Resistance of Concrete to Internal Cracking

Science.gov (United States)

Wawrzeńczyk, Jerzy; Molendowska, Agnieszka

2017-10-01

This paper presents the test results of air entrained concrete mixtures made at a constant W/C ratio of 0.44. Three different air entraining agents were used: polymer microspheres, glass microspheres and a conventional air entraining admixture. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the air entraining methods. Concrete mixture tests were performed for consistency (slump test), density and, in the case of AEA series, air content by pressure method. Hardened concrete tests were performed for compressive strength, water absorption, resistance to chloride ingress, and freeze-thaw durability - resistance to internal cracking tests were conducted in accordance with PN-88/B-06250 on cube specimens and with the modified ASTM C666 A test method on beam specimens; porosity characteristics (A, A300, \\bar L) were determined to PN-EN 480-11:1998. No significant mass and length changes were recorded for the concrete air entrained with the conventional methods or with polymer microspheres. The results indicate that polymer microspheres are a very good alternative to traditional air entraining methods for concrete, providing effective air entrainment and protection from freezing and thawing. The glass microsphere-based concretes showed insufficient freeze-thaw resistance. The test results indicate that both the conventional methods (AEA) and the air entrainment by polymer microspheres are effective air entraining methods. It has to be noted that in the case of the use of polymer microspheres, a comparable value of \\bar L and a very good freeze-thaw resistance can be achieved at a noticeably lower air and micropore contents and at lower strength loss.

Neurobiological foundations of neurologic music therapy: rhythmic entrainment and the motor system.

Science.gov (United States)

Thaut, Michael H; McIntosh, Gerald C; Hoemberg, Volker

2014-01-01

Entrainment is defined by a temporal locking process in which one system's motion or signal frequency entrains the frequency of another system. This process is a universal phenomenon that can be observed in physical (e.g., pendulum clocks) and biological systems (e.g., fire flies). However, entrainment can also be observed between human sensory and motor systems. The function of rhythmic entrainment in rehabilitative training and learning was established for the first time by Thaut and colleagues in several research studies in the early 1990s. It was shown that the inherent periodicity of auditory rhythmic patterns could entrain movement patterns in patients with movement disorders (see for a review: Thaut et al., 1999). Physiological, kinematic, and behavioral movement analysis showed very quickly that entrainment cues not only changed the timing of movement but also improved spatial and force parameters. Mathematical models have shown that anticipatory rhythmic templates as critical time constraints can result in the complete specification of the dynamics of a movement over the entire movement cycle, thereby optimizing motor planning and execution. Furthermore, temporal rhythmic entrainment has been successfully extended into applications in cognitive rehabilitation and speech and language rehabilitation, and thus become one of the major neurological mechanisms linking music and rhythm to brain rehabilitation. These findings provided a scientific basis for the development of neurologic music therapy.

Neurobiological foundations of neurologic music therapy: rhythmic entrainment and the motor system

Science.gov (United States)

Thaut, Michael H.; McIntosh, Gerald C.; Hoemberg, Volker

2015-01-01

Entrainment is defined by a temporal locking process in which one system’s motion or signal frequency entrains the frequency of another system. This process is a universal phenomenon that can be observed in physical (e.g., pendulum clocks) and biological systems (e.g., fire flies). However, entrainment can also be observed between human sensory and motor systems. The function of rhythmic entrainment in rehabilitative training and learning was established for the first time by Thaut and colleagues in several research studies in the early 1990s. It was shown that the inherent periodicity of auditory rhythmic patterns could entrain movement patterns in patients with movement disorders (see for a review: Thaut et al., 1999). Physiological, kinematic, and behavioral movement analysis showed very quickly that entrainment cues not only changed the timing of movement but also improved spatial and force parameters. Mathematical models have shown that anticipatory rhythmic templates as critical time constraints can result in the complete specification of the dynamics of a movement over the entire movement cycle, thereby optimizing motor planning and execution. Furthermore, temporal rhythmic entrainment has been successfully extended into applications in cognitive rehabilitation and speech and language rehabilitation, and thus become one of the major neurological mechanisms linking music and rhythm to brain rehabilitation. These findings provided a scientific basis for the development of neurologic music therapy. PMID:25774137

Neurobiological Foundations of Neurologic Music Therapy: Rhythmic Entrainment and the Motor System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael eThaut

2015-02-01

Full Text Available AbstractEntrainment is defined by a temporal locking process in which one system’s motion or signal frequency entrains the frequency of another system. This process is a universal phenomenon that can be observed in physical (e.g., pendulum clocks and biological systems (e.g. fire flies. However, entrainment can also be observed between human sensory and motor systems. The function of rhythmic entrainment in rehabilitative training and learning was established for the first time by Thaut and colleagues in several research studies in the early 1990s. It was shown that the inherent periodicity of auditory rhythmic patterns could entrain movement patterns in patients with movement disorders (see for a review: Thaut et al, 1999. Physiological, kinematic and behavioral movement analysis showed very quickly that entrainment cues not only changed the timing of movement but also improved spatial and force parameters. Mathematical models have shown that anticipatory rhythmic templates as critical time constraints can result in the complete specification of the dynamics of a movement over the entire movement cycle, thereby optimizing motor planning and execution. Furthermore, temporal rhythmic entrainment has been successfully extended into applications in cognitive rehabilitation and speech and language rehabilitation, and thus become one of the major neurological mechanisms linking music and rhythm to brain rehabilitation. These findings provided a scientific basis for the development of Neurologic Music Therapy.

Speech Rate Entrainment in Children and Adults With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Wynn, Camille J; Borrie, Stephanie A; Sellers, Tyra P

2018-05-03

Conversational entrainment, a phenomenon whereby people modify their behaviors to match their communication partner, has been evidenced as critical to successful conversation. It is plausible that deficits in entrainment contribute to the conversational breakdowns and social difficulties exhibited by people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study examined speech rate entrainment in children and adult populations with and without ASD. Sixty participants including typically developing children, children with ASD, typically developed adults, and adults with ASD participated in a quasi-conversational paradigm with a pseudoconfederate. The confederate's speech rate was digitally manipulated to create slow and fast speech rate conditions. Typically developed adults entrained their speech rate in the quasi-conversational paradigm, using a faster rate during the fast speech rate conditions and a slower rate during the slow speech rate conditions. This entrainment pattern was not evident in adults with ASD or in children populations. Findings suggest that speech rate entrainment is a developmentally acquired skill and offers preliminary evidence of speech rate entrainment deficits in adults with ASD. Impairments in this area may contribute to the conversational breakdowns and social difficulties experienced by this population. Future work is needed to advance this area of inquiry.

Gasification of solid waste — potential and application of co-current moving bed gasifiers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groeneveld, M.J.; van Swaaij, Willibrordus Petrus Maria

1979-01-01

A review is given of gasification processes for solid fuels with special emphasis on waste gasification. Although the co-current moving bed gasifier has not been under consideration for a long time, it offers interesting possibilities for waste gasification. Some operational data are given. Two

Bed-material entrainment and associated transportation infrastructure problems in streams of the Edwards Plateau, central Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Heitmuller, Franklin T.; Asquith, William H.

2008-01-01

The Texas Department of Transportation commonly builds and maintains low-water crossings (LWCs) over streams in the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. LWCs are low-height structures, typically constructed of concrete and asphalt, that provide acceptable passage over seasonal rivers or streams with relatively low normal-depth flow. They are designed to accommodate flow by roadway overtopping during high-flow events. The streams of the Edwards Plateau are characterized by cobble- and gravel-sized bed material and highly variable flow regimes. Low base flows that occur most of the time occasionally are interrupted by severe floods. The floods entrain and transport substantial loads of bed material in the stream channels. As a result, LWCs over streams in the Edwards Plateau are bombarded and abraded by bed material during floods and periodically must be maintained or even replaced.

Gasification and co-gasification of biomass wastes: Effect of the biomass origin and the gasifier operating conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lapuerta, Magin; Hernandez, Juan J.; Pazo, Amparo; Lopez, Julio [Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales (Edificio Politecnico), Avenida Camilo Jose Cela s/n. 13071 Ciudad Real (Spain)

2008-09-15

Air gasification of different biomass fuels, including forestry (pinus pinaster pruning) and agricultural (grapevine and olive tree pruning) wastes as well as industry wastes (sawdust and marc of grape), has been carried out in a circulating flow gasifier in order to evaluate the potential of using these types of biomass in the same equipment, thus providing higher operation flexibility and minimizing the effect of seasonal fuel supply variations. The potential of using biomass as an additional supporting fuel in coal fuelled power plants has also been evaluated through tests involving mixtures of biomass and coal-coke, the coke being a typical waste of oil companies. The effect of the main gasifier operating conditions, such as the relative biomass/air ratio and the reaction temperature, has been analysed to establish the conditions allowing higher gasification efficiency, carbon conversion and/or fuel constituents (CO, H{sub 2} and CH{sub 4}) concentration and production. Results of the work encourage the combined use of the different biomass fuels without significant modifications in the installation, although agricultural wastes (grapevine and olive pruning) could to lead to more efficient gasification processes. These latter wastes appear as interesting fuels to generate a producer gas to be used in internal combustion engines or gas turbines (high gasification efficiency and gas yield), while sawdust could be a very adequate fuel to produce a H{sub 2}-rich gas (with interest for fuel cells) due to its highest reactivity. The influence of the reaction temperature on the gasification characteristics was not as significant as that of the biomass/air ratio, although the H{sub 2} concentration increased with increasing temperature. (author)

Queueing-Based Synchronization and Entrainment for Synthetic Gene Oscillators

Science.gov (United States)

Mather, William; Butzin, Nicholas; Hochendoner, Philip; Ogle, Curtis

Synthetic gene oscillators have been a major focus of synthetic biology research since the beginning of the field 15 years ago. They have proven to be useful both for biotechnological applications as well as a testing ground to significantly develop our understanding of the design principles behind synthetic and native gene oscillators. In particular, the principles governing synchronization and entrainment of biological oscillators have been explored using a synthetic biology approach. Our work combines experimental and theoretical approaches to specifically investigate how a bottleneck for protein degradation, which is present in most if not all existing synthetic oscillators, can be leveraged to robustly synchronize and entrain biological oscillators. We use both the terminology and mathematical tools of queueing theory to intuitively explain the role of this bottleneck in both synchronization and entrainment, which extends prior work demonstrating the usefulness of queueing theory in synthetic and native gene circuits. We conclude with an investigation of how synchronization and entrainment may be sensitive to the presence of multiple proteolytic pathways in a cell that couple weakly through crosstalk. This work was supported by NSF Grant #1330180.

Gasification of peat and biomass in suspension flow 2; Turpeen ja biomassan suspensiokaasutus 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurkela, E.; Hepola, J. [VTT Energy, Espoo (Finland); Haukka, P.; Raiko, R. [Helsinki Univ. of Technology, Otaniemi (Finland). Lab. of Thermal Engineering

1995-11-01

This project is an extension of the earlier Liekki-project 402, which was carried out in 1993-1994 in the Department of Thermal Engineering of Tampere University of Technology (TUT). In the previous project the feasibility of a two-stage entrained-flow gasification was studied by the means of process modeling and pyrolysis experiments. The present project carried out in cooperation with the Gasification Research Group of VTT and TUT. The aims of the project are: (a) to study the formation of blematic tar/soot compounds and nitrogen compounds in the conditions entrained flow gasification of biomass and peat, (b) to study the product yields and kinetics of pyrolysis and (c) to develop simulation methods for entrained flow pyrolysis and gasification. (author)

Investigation of the liquid film flow rate in an annular two phase flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandraker, D.K.; Dasgupta, A.; Vijayan, P.K.; Aritomi, M.

2011-01-01

An accurate knowledge of the liquid film flow is essential in most thermal-hydraulic predictions, including the onset of dryout in boiling channels and post-dryout heat transfer during transient and accident scenarios. The determination of the film flow is an important aspect of the dryout analysis in the boiling channel. Dryout is caused due to the disappearance of the liquid film on the heated surface. Mechanistic prediction of dryout involves the modeling of the physical phenomenon of the processes like entrainment and deposition rate of droplets. In the nuclear reactor systems analytical prediction of the thermal hydraulic parameters is always desirable to avoid generation of exhaustive and expensive experimental data for optimizing the design parameters. Good constitutive models for entrainment and deposition are vital for an accurate prediction of the film flow rate and hence dryout in a fuel bundle. This paper attempts a comprehensive review of the dryout analysis involving application of the constitutive models for the film flow rate. Validation of these models against various experimental data has also been presented in this paper. (author)

Is the food-entrainable circadian oscillator in the digestive system?

Science.gov (United States)

Davidson, A. J.; Poole, A. S.; Yamazaki, S.; Menaker, M.

2003-01-01

Food-anticipatory activity (FAA) is the increase in locomotion and core body temperature that precedes a daily scheduled meal. It is driven by a circadian oscillator but is independent of the suprachiasmatic nuclei. Recent results that reveal meal-entrained clock gene expression in rat and mouse peripheral organs raise the intriguing possibility that the digestive system is the site of the feeding-entrained oscillator (FEO) that underlies FAA. We tested this possibility by comparing FAA and Per1 rhythmicity in the digestive system of the Per1-luciferase transgenic rat. First, rats were entrained to daytime restricted feeding (RF, 10 days), then fed ad libitum (AL, 10 days), then food deprived (FD, 2 days). As expected FAA was evident during RF and disappeared during subsequent AL feeding, but returned at the correct phase during deprivation. The phase of Per1 in liver, stomach and colon shifted from a nocturnal to a diurnal peak during RF, but shifted back to nocturnal phase during the subsequent AL and remained nocturnal during food deprivation periods. Second, rats were entrained to two daily meals at zeitgeber time (ZT) 0400 and ZT 1600. FAA to both meals emerged after about 10days of dual RF. However, all tissues studied (all five liver lobes, esophagus, antral stomach, body of stomach, colon) showed entrainment consistent with only the night-time meal. These two results are inconsistent with the hypothesis that FAA arises as an output of rhythms in the gastrointestinal (GI) system. The results also highlight an interesting diversity among peripheral oscillators in their ability to entrain to meals and the direction of the phase shift after RF ends.

Laboratory study of orographic cloud-like flow

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Kanwar Nain; Sreenivas, K. R.

2013-11-01

Clouds are one of the major sources of uncertainty in climate prediction, listed in ``the most urgent scientific problems requiring attention'' IPCC. Also, convective clouds are of utmost importance to study the dynamics of tropical meteorology and therefore, play a key role in understanding monsoons. The present work is to study the dynamics of orographic clouds. Parameterization of these clouds will help in forecasting the precipitation accurately. Also, one could validate laboratory results from our study by actually measuring cloud development along a sloping terrain. In this context a planar buoyant turbulent wall jet is considered as an appropriate low order fluid-dynamical model for studying the turbulence and entrainment in orographic-clouds. Flow is volumetrically heated to mimic the latent heat release due to condensation in an actual cloud. This is the first step in studying the entrainment dynamics of the evolving orographic cloud. We are going to present some results on the cloud development using techniques that allows us to construct a 3-dimensional flow field at each instance and its development over the time. By combining velocity field from PIV and flow volume from PLIF at successive instances, we estimate the entrainment coefficient. Since the life-cycle of a cloud is determined by the entrainment of ambient air, these results could be extremely helpful in understanding the dynamics of the clouds. Detailed results will be presented at the conference.

The role of high-level processes for oscillatory phase entrainment to speech sound

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benedikt eZoefel

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Constantly bombarded with input, the brain has the need to filter out relevant information while ignoring the irrelevant rest. A powerful tool may be represented by neural oscillations which entrain their high-excitability phase to important input while their low-excitability phase attenuates irrelevant information. Indeed, the alignment between brain oscillations and speech improves intelligibility and helps dissociating speakers during a cocktail party. Although well-investigated, the contribution of low- and high-level processes to phase entrainment to speech sound has only recently begun to be understood. Here, we review those findings, and concentrate on three main results: (1 Phase entrainment to speech sound is modulated by attention or predictions, likely supported by top-down signals and indicating higher-level processes involved in the brain’s adjustment to speech. (2 As phase entrainment to speech can be observed without systematic fluctuations in sound amplitude or spectral content, it does not only reflect a passive steady-state ringing of the cochlea, but entails a higher-level process. (3 The role of intelligibility for phase entrainment is debated. Recent results suggest that intelligibility modulates the behavioral consequences of entrainment, rather than directly affecting the strength of entrainment in auditory regions. We conclude that phase entrainment to speech reflects a sophisticated mechanism: Several high-level processes interact to optimally align neural oscillations with predicted events of high relevance, even when they are hidden in a continuous stream of background noise.

Potential of synthesis gas production from rubber wood chip gasification in a bubbling fluidised bed gasifier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaewluan, Sommas; Pipatmanomai, Suneerat

2011-01-01

Experiments of rubber wood chip gasification were carried out in a 100-kW th bubbling fluidised bed gasifier to investigate the effect of air to fuel ratio (represented as equivalence ratio - ER) on the yield and properties of synthesis gas. For all experiments, the flow rate of ambient air was fixed, while the feed rate of rubber wood chip was adjusted to vary ER in the range of 0.32-0.43. Increasing ER continuously raised the bed temperature, which resulted in higher synthesis gas yield and lower yield of ash and tar. However, higher ER generally gave synthesis gas of lower heating value, partly due to the dilution of N 2 . Considering the energy efficiency of the process, the optimum operation was achieved at ER = 0.38, which yielded 2.33 Nm 3 of synthesis gas per kg of dry biomass at the heating value of 4.94 MJ/Nm 3 . The calculated carbon conversion efficiency and gasification efficiency were 97.3% and 80.2%, respectively. The mass and energy balance of the gasification process showed that the mass and energy distribution was significantly affected by ER and that the energy losses accounted for ∼25% of the total output energy. The economical assessment of synthesis gas utilisation for heat and electricity production based on a 1-MW th bubbling fluidised bed gasifier and the operational data resulting from the rubber wood chip gasification experiments in this study clearly demonstrated the attractiveness of replacing heavy fuel oil and natural gas by the synthesis gas for heat applications in terms of 70% and 50% annual saving of fuel cost, respectively. However, the case of electricity production does not seem a preferable option due to its current technical and non-technical barriers.

Efficiency tests on the pyrolysis gasifier stove Peko Pe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Per Sieverts

1996-01-01

This paper presents results from water boiling tests on the pyrolysis gasifier stove Peko Pe, which has been developed by the Norwegian Paal Wendelbo. The stove efficiency determined vary between 21 and 29% when burning dry Danish woodchips (10% moisture) with an estimated caloric value of 16 MJ...... the water content in the grass. In Adjumani refugee camp it was furthermore found that the stove was able to provide sufficient energy from solid combustion, after the pyrolysis was stopped, to boil water for additional 25-30 minutes with lid. This effect was not seen in the tests on woodchips in Denmark...

Evaluation of energy plantation crops in a high-throughput indirectly heated biomass gasifier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paisley, M.A.; Litt, R.D. [Battelle, Columbus, OH (United States)

1993-12-31

Experiments were run in Battelle`s 10 ton per day Process Research Unit (PRU) gasifier using two high-growth, energy plantation crops -- hybrid poplar -- and an herbaceous biomass crop -- switch grass. The results show that both feedstocks provide gas production rates, product gas compositions, and heating value similar to other biomass feedstocks tested in the Battelle gasification process. The ash compositions of the switch grass and hybrid poplar feedstocks were high in potassium relative to previously tested biomass feedstocks. High growth biomass species tend to concentrate minerals such as potassium in the ash. The higher potassium content in the ash can then cause agglomeration problems in the gasification system. A method for controlling this agglomeration through the addition of small amounts (approximately 2 percent of the wood feed rate) of an additive could adequately control the agglomeration tendency of the ash. During the testing program in the PRU, approximately 50 tons of hybrid poplar and 15 tons of switch grass were gasified to produce a medium Btu product gas.

Adoption and use of a semi-gasifier cooking and water heating stove and fuel intervention in the Tibetan Plateau, China

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, S.; Carter, E.; Shan, M.; Ni, K.; Niu, H.; Tseng, J. T. W.; Pattanayak, S. K.; Jeuland, M.; Schauer, J. J.; Ezzati, M.; Wiedinmyer, C.; Yang, X.; Baumgartner, J.

2017-07-01

Improved cookstoves and fuels, such as advanced gasifier stoves, carry the promise of improving health outcomes, preserving local environments, and reducing climate-forcing air pollutants. However, low adoption and use of these stoves in many settings has limited their benefits. We aimed to improve the understanding of improved stove use by describing the patterns and predictors of adoption of a semi-gasifier stove and processed biomass fuel intervention in southwestern China. Of 113 intervention homes interviewed, 79% of homes tried the stove, and the majority of these (92%) continued using it 5-10 months later. One to five months after intervention, the average proportion of days that the semi-gasifier stove was in use was modest (40.4% [95% CI 34.3-46.6]), and further declined over 13 months. Homes that received the stove in the first batch used it more frequently (67.2% [95% CI 42.1-92.3] days in use) than homes that received it in the second batch (29.3% [95% CI 13.8-44.5] days in use), likely because of stove quality and user training. Household stove use was positively associated with reported cooking needs and negatively associated with age of the main cook, household socioeconomic status, and the availability of substitute cleaner-burning stoves. Our results show that even a carefully engineered, multi-purpose semi-gasifier stove and fuel intervention contributed modestly to overall household energy use in rural China.

Searching for roots of entrainment and joint action in early musical interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica ePhillips-Silver

2012-02-01

Full Text Available When people play music and dance together, they engage in forms of musical joint action that are often characterized by a shared sense of rhythmic timing and affective state (i.e., temporal and affective entrainment. In order to understand the origins of musical joint action, we propose a model in which entrainment is linked to dual mechanisms (motor resonance and action simulation, which in turn support musical behavior (imitation and complementary joint action. To illustrate this model, we consider two generic forms of joint musical behavior: chorusing and turn-taking. We explore how these common behaviors can be founded on entrainment capacities established early in human development, specifically during musical interactions between infants and their caregivers. If the roots of entrainment are found in early musical interactions which are practiced from childhood into adulthood, then we propose that the rehearsal of advanced musical ensemble skills can be considered to be a refined, mimetic form of temporal and affective entrainment whose evolution begins in infancy.

The value of high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy after extubation in patients with acute respiratory failure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong-Zhuan Song

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy after extubation in patients with acute respiratory failure. METHODS: A single-center, prospective, randomized, controlled pilot trial was conducted between January 2013 and December 2014. Sixty enrolled patients were randomized immediately after extubation into either a high-flow nasal cannula group (n=30 or an air entrainment mask group (n=30 at a fixed inspired oxygen fraction (40%. The success rate of oxygen therapy, respiratory and hemodynamic parameters and subjective discomfort (using a visual analogue scale were assessed at 24h after extubation. RESULTS: The two groups were comparable at extubation. A total of 46 patients were successfully treated including 27 patients in the high-flow nasal cannula group and 19 patients in the air entrainment mask group. Compared to the air entrainment mask group, the success rate of oxygen therapy and the partial pressure of arterial oxygen were significantly higher and the respiratory rate was lower in the high-flow nasal cannula group. In addition, less discomfort related to interface displacement and airway dryness was observed in the high-flow nasal cannula group than in the air entrainment mask group. CONCLUSIONS: At a fixed inspired oxygen fraction, the application of a high-flow nasal cannula after extubation achieves a higher success rate of oxygen therapy and less discomfort at 24h than an air entrainment mask in patients with acute respiratory failure.

Process for gasifying fuels with the recovery of rich gases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jahns, F

1921-04-10

A process for gasifying fuels with recovery of water-free, rich-in-tar gases in a ring-gas-producer characterized by hot-gas-stream arising from the gasification bed of a fresh chamber in the known way is divided. One part is conducted through an old chamber, the other part is led first during the drying through the fresh fuel and with the received water-vapor also through the old chamber and then during the carbonization with the carbonization products is led to the carbonization-gas conduit.

Uncertainty Quantification Analysis of Both Experimental and CFD Simulation Data of a Bench-scale Fluidized Bed Gasifier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shahnam, Mehrdad [National Energy Technology Lab. (NETL), Morgantown, WV (United States). Research and Innovation Center, Energy Conversion Engineering Directorate; Gel, Aytekin [ALPEMI Consulting, LLC, Phoeniz, AZ (United States); Subramaniyan, Arun K. [GE Global Research Center, Niskayuna, NY (United States); Musser, Jordan [National Energy Technology Lab. (NETL), Morgantown, WV (United States). Research and Innovation Center, Energy Conversion Engineering Directorate; Dietiker, Jean-Francois [West Virginia Univ. Research Corporation, Morgantown, WV (United States)

2017-10-02

Adequate assessment of the uncertainties in modeling and simulation is becoming an integral part of the simulation based engineering design. The goal of this study is to demonstrate the application of non-intrusive Bayesian uncertainty quantification (UQ) methodology in multiphase (gas-solid) flows with experimental and simulation data, as part of our research efforts to determine the most suited approach for UQ of a bench scale fluidized bed gasifier. UQ analysis was first performed on the available experimental data. Global sensitivity analysis performed as part of the UQ analysis shows that among the three operating factors, steam to oxygen ratio has the most influence on syngas composition in the bench-scale gasifier experiments. An analysis for forward propagation of uncertainties was performed and results show that an increase in steam to oxygen ratio leads to an increase in H2 mole fraction and a decrease in CO mole fraction. These findings are in agreement with the ANOVA analysis performed in the reference experimental study. Another contribution in addition to the UQ analysis is the optimization-based approach to guide to identify next best set of additional experimental samples, should the possibility arise for additional experiments. Hence, the surrogate models constructed as part of the UQ analysis is employed to improve the information gain and make incremental recommendation, should the possibility to add more experiments arise. In the second step, series of simulations were carried out with the open-source computational fluid dynamics software MFiX to reproduce the experimental conditions, where three operating factors, i.e., coal flow rate, coal particle diameter, and steam-to-oxygen ratio, were systematically varied to understand their effect on the syngas composition. Bayesian UQ analysis was performed on the numerical results. As part of Bayesian UQ analysis, a global sensitivity analysis was performed based on the simulation results, which shows

Aviary heating: control of air temperature heated by a set biomass gasifier-combustor in a co-current flow, using a frequency inverter; Aquecimento de aviarios: controle da temperatura do ar aquecido por um conjunto gaseificador-combustor de biomassa de fluxo concorrente, utilizando um inversor de frequencia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santos, William Rosario dos [Universidade Presidente Antonio Carlos (UNIPAC), Ponte Nova, MG (Brazil); Silva, Jadir Nogueira; Oliveira Filho, Delly; Martins, Marcio Aredes; Oliveira, Jofran Luiz de [Universidade Federal de Vicosa (UFV), MG (Brazil)], Emails: jadir@ufv.br, delly@ufv.br, aredes@ufv.br, jofran.oliveira@ufv.br

2009-07-01

One of the problems with using the gasifier for heating purposes in poultry facilities is the waste of energy during the day, once the equipment does not have control of the thermal and power generated. During this period, the difference in temperature between the air and the standard for the birds inside the building is lower than when compared with the nocturnal period. During the day, the temperature inside the poultry house is controlled by curtains, which occurs without diminishing the biomass burning. Another way to control the temperature is the shutdown of the system, which requires the constant attention of the operator. In this way, there is a potential for energy savings if the thermal power could be controlled according to the demand, which can be represented by the temperature gradient. The purpose of this study was to control the temperature of exhaustion air from a set combustor-gasifier (down draft), based on the model developed by Martin et al. (2006), through the control of speed of the fan engine and also controlling the flow contributions of primary and secondary air in the combustor. The experiment was carried out in the Energy and Pre-processing of Agricultural Products areas, at the Department of Agricultural Engineering - Federal University of Vicosa. (author)

Analysis of clad motion observed in loss of flow accident simulation experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henkel, P.R.

1987-01-01

The clad motion observed in the first two STAR experiments is analysed. The movies reveal that at moderate temperatures molten cladding does not wet fresh fuel (within an argon gas atmosphere). The prevailing flow regime consists of single waves contacting the fuel pins and entrained drops. Entrainment is possible already at gas velocities of order 40-50 m/s. A multichannel clad motion model is presented that accounts for both flow modes. (author)

Freeze-thaw durability of air-entrained concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Shang, Huai-Shuai; Yi, Ting-Hua

2013-01-01

One of the most damaging actions affecting concrete is the abrupt temperature change (freeze-thaw cycles). The types of deterioration of concrete structures by cyclic freeze-thaw can be largely classified into surface scaling (characterized by the weight loss) and internal crack growth (characterized by the loss of dynamic modulus of elasticity). The present study explored the durability of concrete made with air-entraining agent subjected to 0, 100, 200, 300, and 400 cycles of freeze-thaw. The experimental study of C20, C25, C30, C40, and C50 air-entrained concrete specimens was completed according to "the test method of long-term and durability on ordinary concrete" GB/T 50082-2009. The dynamic modulus of elasticity and weight loss of specimens were measured after different cycles of freeze-thaw. The influence of freeze-thaw cycles on the relative dynamic modulus of elasticity and weight loss was analyzed. The findings showed that the dynamic modulus of elasticity and weight decreased as the freeze-thaw cycles were repeated. They revealed that the C30, C40, and C50 air-entrained concrete was still durable after 300 cycles of freeze-thaw according to the experimental results.

Advances in field and analytical methods for estimating entrainment mortality factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muessig, P.H.; Young, J.R.; Vaughan, D.S.; Smith, B.A.

1988-01-01

The hearings and settlement negotiations in the Hudson River case focused on various modeling input factors for calculating reduction in year-class strength of important fish species in the Hudson River due to power plant operations. One of the inputs that received considerable attention, and about which the various parties to the case came to general agreement, was the entrainment mortality factor, or f-factor, the probability that an entrained live organism will be killed as a result of its passage through a power plant in the condenser cooling water. Entrainment mortality includes death due to temperature increases and death due to mechanical processes. The convergence of views about the f-factor arose from increased understanding of the sources of estimation error, improvements in gear for collection of fish larvae, and development of a model for the thermal component of entrainment mortality. Improvements in sampling-gear design reduced potential biases in mortality estimates, reduced estimates of mechanical mortality from 0.923 to 0.412, and improved the statistical power to detect entrainment mortality and the precision of mortality estimates. 20 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab

A COMPUTATIONAL WORKBENCH ENVIRONMENT FOR VIRTUAL POWER PLANT SIMULATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mike Bockelie; Dave Swensen; Martin Denison

2002-01-01

This is the fifth Quarterly Technical Report for DOE Cooperative Agreement No: DE-FC26-00NT41047. The goal of the project is to develop and demonstrate a computational workbench for simulating the performance of Vision 21 Power Plant Systems. Within the last quarter, our efforts have become focused on developing an improved workbench for simulating a gasifier based Vision 21 energyplex. To provide for interoperability of models developed under Vision 21 and other DOE programs, discussions have been held with DOE and other organizations developing plant simulator tools to review the possibility of establishing a common software interface or protocol to use when developing component models. A component model that employs the CCA protocol has successfully been interfaced to our CCA enabled workbench. To investigate the software protocol issue, DOE has selected a gasifier based Vision 21 energyplex configuration for use in testing and evaluating the impacts of different software interface methods. A Memo of Understanding with the Cooperative Research Centre for Coal in Sustainable Development (CCSD) in Australia has been completed that will enable collaborative research efforts on gasification issues. Preliminary results have been obtained for a CFD model of a pilot scale, entrained flow gasifier. A paper was presented at the Vision 21 Program Review Meeting at NETL (Morgantown) that summarized our accomplishments for Year One and plans for Year Two and Year Three

The role of the endocrine system in feeding-induced tissue-specific circadian entrainment.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Miho; Murakami, Mariko; Node, Koichi; Matsumura, Ritsuko; Akashi, Makoto

2014-07-24

The circadian clock is entrained to environmental cycles by external cue-mediated phase adjustment. Although the light input pathway has been well defined, the mechanism of feeding-induced phase resetting remains unclear. The tissue-specific sensitivity of peripheral entrainment to feeding suggests the involvement of multiple pathways, including humoral and neuronal signals. Previous in vitro studies with cultured cells indicate that endocrine factors may function as entrainment cues for peripheral clocks. However, blood-borne factors that are well characterized in actual feeding-induced resetting have yet to be identified. Here, we report that insulin may be involved in feeding-induced tissue-type-dependent entrainment in vivo. In ex vivo culture experiments, insulin-induced phase shift in peripheral clocks was dependent on tissue type, which was consistent with tissue-specific insulin sensitivity, and peripheral entrainment in insulin-sensitive tissues involved PI3K- and MAPK-mediated signaling pathways. These results suggest that insulin may be an immediate early factor in feeding-mediated tissue-specific entrainment. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

CFD Simulation of Entrained Flow Gasification With Improved Devolatilization and Char Consumption Submodels

KAUST Repository

Kumar, Mayank; Zhang, Cheng; Monaghan, Rory F. D.; Singer, Simcha L.; Ghoniem, Ahmed F.

2009-01-01

In this work, we use a CFD package to model the operation of a coal gasifier with the objective of assessing the impact of devolatilization and char consumption models on the accuracy of the results. Devolatilization is modeled using the Chemical Percolation Devolitilization (CPD) model. The traditional CPD models predict the rate and the amount of volatiles released but not their species composition. We show that the knowledge of devolatilization rates is not sufficient for the accurate prediction of char consumption and a quantitative description of the devolatilization products, including the chemical composition of the tar, is needed. We incorporate experimental data on devolatilization products combined with modeling of the tar composition and reactions to improve the prediction of syngas compositions and carbon conversion. We also apply the shrinking core model and the random pore model to describe char consumption in the CFD simulations. Analysis of the results indicates distinct regimes of kinetic and diffusion control depending on the particle radius and injection conditions for both char oxidation and gasification reactions. The random pore model with Langmuir-Hinshelwood reaction kinetics are found to be better at predicting carbon conversion and exit syngas composition than the shrinking core model with Arrhenius kinetics. In addition, we gain qualitative and quantitative insights into the impact of the ash layer surrounding the char particle on the reaction rate. Copyright © 2010 by ASME.

The effect of low-NOx combustion on residual carbon in fly ash and its adsorption capacity for air entrainment admixtures in concrete

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Kim Hougaard; Jensen, Anker Degn; Dam-Johansen, Kim

2010-01-01

been combusted in an entrained flow reactor to test the impact of changes in operating conditions and fuel type on the AEA adsorption of ash and NOx formation. Increased oxidizing conditions, obtained by improved fuel-air mixing or higher excess air, decreased the AEA requirements of the produced ash......Fly ash from pulverized coal combustion contains residual carbon that can adsorb the air-entraining admixtures (AEAs) added to control the air entrainment in concrete. This is a problem that has increased by the implementation of low-NOx combustion technologies. In this work, pulverized fuel has...... by up to a factor of 25. This was due to a lower carbon content in the ash and a lower specific AEA adsorptivity of the carbon. The latter was suggested to be caused by changes in the adsorption properties of the unburned char and a decreased formation of soot, which was found to have a large AEA...

Timescales of Massive Human Entrainment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fusaroli, Riccardo; Perlman, Marcus; Mislove, Alan

2014-01-01

of distinct scales, in an exquisitely time locked fashion. Using a large scale database of human communication data, we analyze and describe three different time scales of human entrainment in electronic media. We sought a distinct shared experience that provided a test bed for quantifying large scale human...

Green power production by co-gasification of biomass in coal-fired oxygen-blown entrained-flow based IGCC processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Ree, R; Korbee, R; De Smidt, R P; Jansen, D [ECN Fuels Conversion and Environment, Petten (Netherlands); Baumann, H R; Ullrich, N [Krupp Uhde, Dortmund (Germany); Haupt, G; Zimmerman, [Siemens, Erlangen (Germany)

1998-11-01

The use of coal for large scale power production meets a growing environmental concern. In spite of the fact that clean coal conversion technologies integrated with high-efficiency power production facilities, such as IGCC, are developed, the aim for sustainable development strives for a power production system based on renewable energy sources. One of the most promising renewable energy sources that can be used in the Netherlands is biomass, i.e. organic waste materials and/or energy crops. To accelerate the introduction of this material, in a technical and economically acceptable way, co-gasification with fossil fuels, in particular coal, in large scale IGCC processes is considered. In this paper the technical feasibility, economic profitability, and environmental acceptability of co-gasification of biomass in coal-fired oxygen-blown entrained-flow based IGM is discussed. Both a base-case coal-fired oxygen-blown entrained-flow based IGCC process - showing strong resemblance to the Puertollano IGCC plant in Spain - and three co-gasification concepts, viz.: (1) a concept with separate dry coal and biomass feeding systems, (2) a concept with a combined dry coal/biomass-derived pyrolysis char feeding system, and (3) a concept with parallel biomass pre-treatment/gasification and combined fuel gas clean-up/power production, were defined for further consideration. The base-case system and the co-gasification concepts as well are modelled in the flowsheet simulation package ASPEN{sup +}. Steady-state integral system calculations resulted in an overall net electrical plant efficiency for the base-case system of 50. 1 %LHV (48.3 %HHV). Replacing about 10 % of the total thermal plant input (coal) by biomass (willow) resulted in a decrease of the overall net electrical plant efficiency of 1.4 to 2.1 %-points LHV, avoided specific CO2 emissions of 40-49 g/kWh{sub e}, and total avoided CO2 emissions of about 129 to 159 kt/a, all depending on the co-gasification concept

Flooding and flow reversal of two-phase annular flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asahi, Y.

1978-01-01

The flooding and flow reversal conditions of two-phase annular flow are mathematically defined in terms of a characteristic function representing a force balance. Sufficiently below the flooding point in counter-current flow, the interface is smooth and the characteristic equation reduces to the Nusselt relationship. Just below flooding point and above the flow reversal point in cocurrent flow, the interface is 'wavy', so that the interfacial shear effect plays an important role. The theoretical analysis is compared with experimental results by others. It is suggested that the various length effects which have been experimentally observed may be accounted for by the spatial variation of the droplet entrainment. (Auth.)

New insights on entrainment and condensation in volcanic plumes: Constraints from independent observations of explosive eruptions and implications for assessing their impacts

Science.gov (United States)

Aubry, Thomas J.; Jellinek, A. Mark

2018-05-01

The turbulent entrainment of atmosphere and the condensation of water vapor govern the heights of explosive volcanic plumes. These processes thus determine the delivery and the lifetime of volcanic ash and aerosols into the atmosphere. Predictions of plume heights using one-dimensional "integral" models of volcanic plumes, however, suffer from very large uncertainties, related to parameterizations for entrainment and condensation. In particular, the wind entrainment coefficient β, which governs the contribution of crosswinds to turbulent entrainment, is subject to uncertainties of one order of magnitude, leading to relative uncertainties of the order of 50% on plume height. In this study, we use a database of 94 eruptive phases with independent estimates of mass eruption rate and plume height to constrain and evaluate four popular 1D models. We employ re-sampling methods to account for observational uncertainties. We show that plume height predictions are significantly improved when: i) the contribution of water vapor condensation to the plume buoyancy flux is excluded; and ii) the wind entrainment coefficient β is held constant between 0.1 and 0.4. We explore implications of these results for predicting the climate impacts of explosive eruptions and the likelihood that eruptions will form stable umbrella clouds or devastating pyroclastic flows. Last, we discuss the sensitivity of our results to the definition of plume height in the model in light of a recent set of laboratory experiments and draw conclusions for improving future databases of eruption parameters.

Estimation of convective entrainment properties from a cloud-resolving model simulation during TWP-ICE

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Guang J.; Wu, Xiaoqing; Zeng, Xiping; Mitovski, Toni

2016-10-01

The fractional entrainment rate in convective clouds is an important parameter in current convective parameterization schemes of climate models. In this paper, it is estimated using a 1-km-resolution cloud-resolving model (CRM) simulation of convective clouds from TWP-ICE (the Tropical Warm Pool-International Cloud Experiment). The clouds are divided into different types, characterized by cloud-top heights. The entrainment rates and moist static energy that is entrained or detrained are determined by analyzing the budget of moist static energy for each cloud type. Results show that the entrained air is a mixture of approximately equal amount of cloud air and environmental air, and the detrained air is a mixture of ~80 % of cloud air and 20 % of the air with saturation moist static energy at the environmental temperature. After taking into account the difference in moist static energy between the entrained air and the mean environment, the estimated fractional entrainment rate is much larger than those used in current convective parameterization schemes. High-resolution (100 m) large-eddy simulation of TWP-ICE convection was also analyzed to support the CRM results. It is shown that the characteristics of entrainment rates estimated using both the high-resolution data and CRM-resolution coarse-grained data are similar. For each cloud category, the entrainment rate is high near cloud base and top, but low in the middle of clouds. The entrainment rates are best fitted to the inverse of in-cloud vertical velocity by a second order polynomial.

A dual fired downdraft gasifier system to produce cleaner gas for power generation: Design, development and performance analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raman, P.; Ram, N.K.; Gupta, Ruchi

2013-01-01

The existing biomass gasifier systems have several technical challenges, which need to be addressed. They are reduction of impurities in the gas, increasing the reliability of the system, easy in operation and maintenance. It is also essential to have a simple design of gasifier system for power generation, which can work even in remote locations. A dual fired downdraft gasifier system was designed to produce clean gas from biomass fuel, used for electricity generation. This system is proposed to overcome a number of technical challenges. The system is equipped with dry gas cleaning and indirect gas cooling equipment. The dry gas cleaning system completely eliminates wet scrubbers that require large quantities of water. It also helps to do away with the disposal issues with the polluted water. With the improved gasifier system, the tar level in the raw gas is less than 100 mg Nm −3 .Cold gas efficiency has improved to 89% by complete gasification of biomass and recycling of waste heat into the reactor. Several parameters, which are considered in the design and development of the reactors, are presented in detail with their performance indicators. - Highlights: • Hot air injection in dual fired reactor reduces the tar content to less than 100 mg Nm −3 . • In clean gas the tar content is 35 mg Nm −3 and the dust content is nil. • The specific gasification rate is 2.8 Nm 3 kg −1 of fuel wood and cold gas efficiency is 89.7%. • CV of the gas: 5.3 MJ Nm −3 , SFC: 1.1 kg kWh −1 and wood to power efficiency: 21%. • Cold gas efficiency is improved by optimizing the reactor's design and recycling the waste heat from hot gas

Development of a modified equilibrium model for biomass pilot-scale fluidized bed gasifier performance predictions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez-Alejandro, David A.; Nam, Hyungseok; Maglinao, Amado L.; Capareda, Sergio C.; Aguilera-Alvarado, Alberto F.

2016-01-01

The objective of this work is to develop a thermodynamic model considering non-stoichiometric restrictions. The model validation was done from experimental works using a bench-scale fluidized bed gasifier with wood chips, dairy manure, and sorghum. The model was used for a further parametric study to predict the performance of a pilot-scale fluidized biomass gasifier. The Gibbs free energy minimization was applied to the modified equilibrium model considering a heat loss to the surroundings, carbon efficiency, and two non-equilibrium factors based on empirical correlations of ER and gasification temperature. The model was in a good agreement with RMS <4 for the produced gas. The parametric study ranges were 0.01 < ER < 0.99 and 500 °C < T < 900 °C to predict syngas concentrations and its LHV (lower heating value) for the optimization. Higher aromatics in tar were contained in WC gasification compared to manure gasification. A wood gasification tar simulation was produced to predict the amount of tars at specific conditions. The operating conditions for the highest quality syngas were reconciled experimentally with three biomass wastes using a fluidized bed gasifier. The thermodynamic model was used to predict the gasification performance at conditions beyond the actual operation. - Highlights: • Syngas from experimental gasification was used to create a non-equilibrium model. • Different types of biomass (HTS, DM, and WC) were used for gasification modelling. • Different tar compositions were identified with a simulation of tar yields. • The optimum operating conditions were found through the developed model.

A combined system comprising a biomass gasifier and a Stirling engine. Design and optimisation for continuous operation; Eine Anlagenkombination aus Biomassevergaser und Stirlingmotor. Anlagendesign und Auslegung fuer den Dauerbetrieb

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huelscher, Manfred [Qalovis Farmer Automatic Energy GmbH, Laer (Germany)

2010-07-01

Conventional wood gasifiers consist of a gasifier, gas filter, and internal combustion engine. The contribution presents a novel system comprising a gasifier, burner, and Stirling engine. To enhance the electric efficiency, the burner is operated with air preheated via reculperation. The Stirling characteristic is known, and the gasification/combustion system can be calculated and designed on the basis of the Stirling data. The dust problem of the Stirling heat exchanger is solved by an automatic filter system, so that low-maintenance long-term operation becomes possible.

Cyclonic entrainment of preconditioned shelf waters into a frontal eddy

Science.gov (United States)

Everett, J. D.; Macdonald, H.; Baird, M. E.; Humphries, J.; Roughan, M.; Suthers, I. M.

2015-02-01

The volume transport of nutrient-rich continental shelf water into a cyclonic frontal eddy (entrainment) was examined from satellite observations, a Slocum glider and numerical simulation outputs. Within the frontal eddy, parcels of water with temperature/salinity signatures of the continental shelf (18-19°C and >35.5, respectively) were recorded. The distribution of patches of shelf water observed within the eddy was consistent with the spiral pattern shown within the numerical simulations. A numerical dye tracer experiment showed that the surface waters (≤50 m depth) of the frontal eddy are almost entirely (≥95%) shelf waters. Particle tracking experiments showed that water was drawn into the eddy from over 4° of latitude (30-34.5°S). Consistent with the glider observations, the modeled particles entrained into the eddy sunk relative to their initial position. Particles released south of 33°S, where the waters are cooler and denser, sunk 34 m deeper than their release position. Distance to the shelf was a critical factor in determining the volume of shelf water entrained into the eddy. Entrainment reduced to 0.23 Sv when the eddy was furthest from the shelf, compared to 0.61 Sv when the eddy was within 10 km of the shelf. From a biological perspective, quantifying the entrainment of shelf water into frontal eddies is important, as it is thought to play a significant role in providing an offshore nursery habitat for coastally spawned larval fish.

Incipient motion in gravel bed rivers due to energetic turbulent flow events

Science.gov (United States)

Valyrakis, Manousos

2013-04-01

This contribution reviews recent developments and contributions in the field of incipient motion and entrainment of coarse sediment grains due to the action of near bed turbulent flows. Specifically, traditional shear based spatio-temporally averaged concepts and instantaneous stress tensor criteria are contrasted to the newly proposed flow event based impulse and energy criteria. The energy criterion, suggests that only sufficiently energetic turbulent events can remove a particle from its resting position on the bed surface and result on its entrainment downstream. While the impulse and energy criteria are interconnected through the energy-impulse equation, the later appears to be more versatile and appropriate for generalising to sediment transport. These flow event based criteria have a sound physical basis for describing the intermittent character of particle entrainment as inherited by near boundary turbulence at near threshold conditions. These criteria can be derived from fundamental laws of physics such as Newtonian classical mechanics and the Lagrange equations respectively. The energetic events that are capable of performing geomorphic work at the scale of individual particles are shown to follow a power law, meaning that more energetic events (capable of removing larger stones) are expected to occur less frequently. In addition, this paper discusses the role of the coefficient of energy transfer efficiency introduced in the energy equation for particle entrainment. A preliminary investigation from analysis of a series of mobile grain flume experiments illustrates that different signatures of turbulence or sequence of flow structures may have different effectiveness towards particle transport. Characteristic cases of specific energetic flow events and the associated particle response are shown and classified with regard to the time required for complete entrainment. Finally these findings are commented with respect to the implications for sediment

Effectiveness factors for a commercial steam reforming (Ni) catalyst and for a calcined dolomite used downstream biomass gasifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corella, J; Narvaez, I; Orio, A [Madrid Univ. (Spain). Dept. of Chem. Eng.

1997-12-31

A commercial steam reforming catalyst from BASF, the G1-25 S one, and a calcined dolomite, Norte-1, from Cantabria-Spain, have been used, once crushed and sieved to different particle fractions between 1.0 and 4.0 mm. The materials have been tested downstream small pilot biomass gasifiers, bubbling fluidized bed type, gasifying with air and with steam. The Thiele modulus and the effectiveness factor have been calculated at temperatures of 750-850 deg C. It is experimentally shown that diffusion control plays an important part when particle size is larger than ca. 0.5 mm. This has to be taken into account when comparing the quality of the solids for tar elimination. (author) (5 refs.)

Effectiveness factors for a commercial steam reforming (Ni) catalyst and for a calcined dolomite used downstream biomass gasifiers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corella, J.; Narvaez, I.; Orio, A. [Madrid Univ. (Spain). Dept. of Chem. Eng.

1996-12-31

A commercial steam reforming catalyst from BASF, the G1-25 S one, and a calcined dolomite, Norte-1, from Cantabria-Spain, have been used, once crushed and sieved to different particle fractions between 1.0 and 4.0 mm. The materials have been tested downstream small pilot biomass gasifiers, bubbling fluidized bed type, gasifying with air and with steam. The Thiele modulus and the effectiveness factor have been calculated at temperatures of 750-850 deg C. It is experimentally shown that diffusion control plays an important part when particle size is larger than ca. 0.5 mm. This has to be taken into account when comparing the quality of the solids for tar elimination. (author) (5 refs.)

Optimal operation for 3 control parameters of Texaco coal-water slurry gasifier with MO-3LM-CDE algorithms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cao, Cuiwen; Zhang, Yakun; Gu, Xingsheng [Ministry of Education, East China Univ. of Science and Technology, Shanghai (China). Key Lab. of Advanced Control and Optimization for Chemical Processes

2013-07-01

Optimizing operation parameters for Texaco coal-water slurry gasifier with the consideration of multiple objectives is a complicated nonlinear constrained problem concerning 3 BP neural networks. In this paper, multi-objective 3-layer mixed cultural differential evolution (MO-3LM-CDE) algorithms which comprise of 4 multi-objective strategies and a 3LM-CDE algorithm are firstly presented. Then they are tested in 6 benchmark functions. Finally, the MO-3LM-CDE algorithms are applied to optimize 3 control parameters of the Texaco coal-water slurry gasifier in methanol production of a real-world chemical plant. The simulation results show that multi-objective optimal results are better than the respective single-objective optimal operations.

Gasified rice hull biochar affects nutrition and growth of five horticulture crops in container culture

Science.gov (United States)

Phosphate fertilizers used in the production of greenhouse crops can be problematic if released into the environment. Furthermore, the price of phosphate is increasing as demand increases and world supplies decrease. The objective of this research was to determine if gasified rice hull biochar (GR...

The influence of Savannah River discharge and changing SRS cooling water requirements on the potential entrainment of ichthyoplankton at the SRS Savannah River intakes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paller, M.H.

1992-08-01

Entrainment (i.e., withdrawal of fish larvae and eggs in cooling water) at the SRS Savannah River intakes is greatest when periods of high river water usage coincide with low river dischargeduring the spawning season. American shad and striped bass are the two species of greatest concern because of their recreational and/or commercial importance and because they produce drifting eggs and larvae vulnerable to entrainment. In the mid-reaches of the Savannah River, American shad and striped bass spawn primarily during April and May. An analysis of Savannah River discharge during April and May 1973--1989 indicated the potential for entrainment of 4--18% of the American shad and striped bass larvae and eggs that drifted past the SRS. This analysis assumed the concurrent operation of L-, K-, and P-Reactors. Additional scenarios investigated were: (1) shutting down L- and P-Reactors, and operating K-Reactor with a recycle cooling tower; and (2) shutting down L- and P-Reactors, eliminating minimum flows to Steel Creek, and operating K-Reactor with a recycle cooling tower. The former scenario reduced potential entrainment to 0.7--3.3%, and the latter scenario reduced potential entrainment to 0.20.8%. Thus, the currently favored scenario of operating K-Reactor with a cooling tower and not operating L- and P-Reactors represents a significant lessening of the impact of SRS operations

Word-by-word entrainment of speech rhythm during joint story building

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tommi eHimberg

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Movements and behaviour synchronise during social interaction at many levels, often unintentionally. During smooth conversation, for example, participants adapt to each others' speech rates. Here we aimed to find out to which extent speakers adapt their turn-taking rhythms during a story-building game.Nine sex-matched dyads of adults (12 males, 6 females created two 5-min stories by contributing to them alternatingly one word at a time. The participants were located in different rooms, with audio connection during one story and audiovisual during the other. They were free to select the topic of the story.Although the participants received no instructions regarding the timing of the story building, their word rhythms were highly entrained (R ̅ = 0.70, p < 0.001 even though the rhythms as such were unstable (R ̅ = 0.14 for pooled data. Such high entrainment in the absence of steady word rhythm occurred in every individual story, independently of whether the subjects were connected via audio-only or audiovisual link.The observed entrainment was of similar strength as typical entrainment in finger-tapping tasks where participants are specifically instructed to synchronize their behaviour. Thus speech seems to spontaneously induce strong entrainment between the conversation partners, likely reflecting automatic alignment of their semantic and syntactic processes.

Reducing the Entrainment of Gangue Fines in Low Grade Microcrystalline Graphite Ore Flotation Using Multi-Stage Grinding-Flotation Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoqing Weng

2017-03-01

Full Text Available A suitable grinding fineness and flow-sheet could potentially reduce the mechanical entrainment of gangue minerals in the flotation process of microcrystalline graphite. In this study, the suitable grinding fineness of a commercial graphite ore was estimated by mineralogy analysis and laboratory grind-flotation tests. The target grind size of this ore should be 92% passing 74 μm based on the mineralogical evaluation and the flotation performance. A comparison of a single-stage and a three-stage grinding circuit was conducted. Experimental results demonstrated that the three-stage grinding circuit could effectively improve the separation effect, which was attributed to the reduction of slimes. In the end, a more desirable beneficiation result was obtained with the application of three-stage grinding-flotation process by minimizing gangue entrainment.

Neural entrainment to the rhythmic structure of music.

Science.gov (United States)

Tierney, Adam; Kraus, Nina

2015-02-01

The neural resonance theory of musical meter explains musical beat tracking as the result of entrainment of neural oscillations to the beat frequency and its higher harmonics. This theory has gained empirical support from experiments using simple, abstract stimuli. However, to date there has been no empirical evidence for a role of neural entrainment in the perception of the beat of ecologically valid music. Here we presented participants with a single pop song with a superimposed bassoon sound. This stimulus was either lined up with the beat of the music or shifted away from the beat by 25% of the average interbeat interval. Both conditions elicited a neural response at the beat frequency. However, although the on-the-beat condition elicited a clear response at the first harmonic of the beat, this frequency was absent in the neural response to the off-the-beat condition. These results support a role for neural entrainment in tracking the metrical structure of real music and show that neural meter tracking can be disrupted by the presentation of contradictory rhythmic cues.

New models of droplet deposition and entrainment for prediction of CHF in cylindrical rod bundles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Haibin, E-mail: hb-zhang@xjtu.edu.cn [School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College, London SW7 2BY (United Kingdom); Hewitt, G.F. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College, London SW7 2BY (United Kingdom)

2016-08-15

Highlights: • New models of droplet deposition and entrainment in rod bundles is developed. • A new phenomenological model to predict the CHF in rod bundles is described. • The present model is well able to predict CHF in rod bundles. - Abstract: In this paper, we present a new set of model of droplet deposition and entrainment in cylindrical rod bundles based on the previously proposed model for annuli (effectively a “one-rod” bundle) (2016a). These models make it possible to evaluate the differences of the rates of droplet deposition and entrainment for the respective rods and for the outer tube by taking into account the geometrical characteristics of the rod bundles. Using these models, a phenomenological model to predict the CHF (critical heat flux) for upward annular flow in vertical rod bundles is described. The performance of the model is tested against the experimental data of Becker et al. (1964) for CHF in 3-rod and 7-rod bundles. These data include tests in which only the rods were heated and data for simultaneous uniform and non-uniform heating of the rods and the outer tube. It was shown that the predicted CHFs by the present model agree well with the experimental data and with the experimental observation that dryout occurred first on the outer rods in 7-rod bundles. It is expected that the methodology used will be generally applicable in the prediction of CHF in rod bundles.

Freeze-Thaw Durability of Air-Entrained Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huai-Shuai Shang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available One of the most damaging actions affecting concrete is the abrupt temperature change (freeze-thaw cycles. The types of deterioration of concrete structures by cyclic freeze-thaw can be largely classified into surface scaling (characterized by the weight loss and internal crack growth (characterized by the loss of dynamic modulus of elasticity. The present study explored the durability of concrete made with air-entraining agent subjected to 0, 100, 200, 300, and 400 cycles of freeze-thaw. The experimental study of C20, C25, C30, C40, and C50 air-entrained concrete specimens was completed according to “the test method of long-term and durability on ordinary concrete” GB/T 50082-2009. The dynamic modulus of elasticity and weight loss of specimens were measured after different cycles of freeze-thaw. The influence of freeze-thaw cycles on the relative dynamic modulus of elasticity and weight loss was analyzed. The findings showed that the dynamic modulus of elasticity and weight decreased as the freeze-thaw cycles were repeated. They revealed that the C30, C40, and C50 air-entrained concrete was still durable after 300 cycles of freeze-thaw according to the experimental results.

Rewetting and liquid entrainment during reflooding: state of the art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elias, E.; Yadigaroglu, G.

1977-05-01

Considerable interest has recently been generated in the problems of surface rewetting and the physics of liquid droplet entrainment due to their role in light water nuclear reactor safety. Published models of the rewetting process include simple one-dimensional solutions in two axial regions, one-dimensional solutions in three axial regions with or without precursory cooling, one- and two-dimensional numerical-difference techniques using temperature dependent heat transfer coefficients, and analytical two-dimensional solutions. The basic assumptions of these models and the numerical values assigned to the various parameters, as well as empirical rewetting correlations, are discussed. The various mechanisms for liquid droplet entrainment and analytical formulations of the critical gas velocity and of the droplet diameter at the onset of entrainment are reviewed

Assessment of ichthyoplankton entrainment at Pickering 'A' NGS using a pump/net in lake system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKinley, R.S.

1985-03-01

Annual entrainment at Pickering 'A' NGS was estimated for alewife as 13.6 X 10 6 larvae and 409 X 10 6 eggs. A substantial portion of eggs and larvae entering the intake were dead due to natural mortality (41%-81%) prior to entrainment. Viable eggs and larvae, immediately following entrainment showed mortalities of 54% and 44% respectively. The latent mortality of entrained eggs was 100% (48 h)

Large Eddy Simulations of sediment entrainment induced by a lock-exchange gravity current

Science.gov (United States)

Kyrousi, Foteini; Leonardi, A.; Roman, F.; Armenio, V.; Zanello, F.; Zordan, J.; Juez, C.; Falcomer, L.

2018-04-01

Large Eddy simulations of lock-exchange gravity currents propagating over a mobile reach are presented. The numerical setting allows to investigate the sediment pick up induced by the currents and to study the underlying mechanisms leading to sediment entrainment for different Grashof numbers and grain sizes. First, the velocity field and the bed shear-stress distribution are investigated, along with turbulent structures formed in the flow, before the current reaches the mobile bed. Then, during the propagation of the current above the erodible section of the bed the contour plots of the entrained material are presented as well as the time evolution of the areas covered by the current and by the sediment at this section. The numerical outcomes are compared with experimental data showing a very good agreement. Overall, the study confirms that sediment pick up is prevalent at the head of the current where the strongest turbulence occurs. Further, above the mobile reach of the bed, settling process seems to be of minor importance, with the entrained material being advected downstream by the current. Additionally, the study shows that, although shear stress is the main mechanism that sets particles in motion, turbulent bursts as well as vertical velocity fluctuations are also necessary to counteract the falling velocity of the particles and maintain them into suspension. Finally, the analysis of the stability conditions of the current shows that, from one side, sediment concentration gives a negligible contribution to the stability of the front of the current and from the other side, the stability conditions provided by the current do not allow sediments to move into the ambient fluid.

The entrainment of air by water jet impinging on a free surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soh, Wee King [University of Wollongong, School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronics Engineering, Northfields Ave, NSW (Australia); Khoo, Boo Cheong [National University of Singapore, Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering, 10 Kent Ridge Crescent (Singapore); Yuen, W.Y. Daniel [BlueScope Steel Research, Port Kembla, NSW (Australia)

2005-09-01

High-speed cine and video photographs were used to capture the flow patterns of a column of water jet impinging into a pool of water. The impact results in air entrainment into water in the form of a void with no mixing between the water in the jet and the surrounding water. Conservation of fluid momentum shows that the rate of increase of the height of the air void depends on the drag coefficient of the jet front. By neglecting the frictional losses, the application of energy conservation yields an expression that relates the maximum height of the air void with the properties of the water jet. (orig.)

CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF NON-IDEAL MIXTURE SEPARATION WITH LIGHT ENTRAINERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Shen

Full Text Available Abstract A method is proposed to study the separation of minimum-, maximum-boiling azeotropic, and low volatility mixtures with a light entrainer, to investigate feasible regions of the key operating parameters reboil ratio (S and entrainer - feed flowrate ratio (FE/F for continuous processes. The thermodynamic topological predictions are carried out for 1.0-2, 1.0-1a, and 0.0-1 Serafimov's class diagrams. It relies upon the knowledge of residue curve maps, along with the univolatility line, and it enables the prediction of possible products at the bottom of the column and limiting values of FE/F. The profiles of the stripping, extractive, and rectifying sections are calculated by equations considering S and FE/F, and they bring information about the location of singular points and possible composition profile separatrices that could impair process feasibility. Providing specified product composition and recovery, the approximate calculations are compared with rigorous simulations of extractive distillation processes. Separating non-ideal mixtures using a light entrainer provides more opportunities for the case when it is not easy to find an appropriate heavy or intermediate entrainer.

Neural entrainment to rhythmically-presented auditory, visual and audio-visual speech in children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan James Power

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Auditory cortical oscillations have been proposed to play an important role in speech perception. It is suggested that the brain may take temporal ‘samples’ of information from the speech stream at different rates, phase-resetting ongoing oscillations so that they are aligned with similar frequency bands in the input (‘phase locking’. Information from these frequency bands is then bound together for speech perception. To date, there are no explorations of neural phase-locking and entrainment to speech input in children. However, it is clear from studies of language acquisition that infants use both visual speech information and auditory speech information in learning. In order to study neural entrainment to speech in typically-developing children, we use a rhythmic entrainment paradigm (underlying 2 Hz or delta rate based on repetition of the syllable ba, presented in either the auditory modality alone, the visual modality alone, or as auditory-visual speech (via a talking head. To ensure attention to the task, children aged 13 years were asked to press a button as fast as possible when the ba stimulus violated the rhythm for each stream type. Rhythmic violation depended on delaying the occurrence of a ba in the isochronous stream. Neural entrainment was demonstrated for all stream types, and individual differences in standardized measures of language processing were related to auditory entrainment at the theta rate. Further, there was significant modulation of the preferred phase of auditory entrainment in the theta band when visual speech cues were present, indicating cross-modal phase resetting. The rhythmic entrainment paradigm developed here offers a method for exploring individual differences in oscillatory phase locking during development. In particular, a method for assessing neural entrainment and cross-modal phase resetting would be useful for exploring developmental learning difficulties thought to involve temporal sampling

Gasification of torrefied Miscanthus × giganteus in an air-blown bubbling fluidized bed gasifier.

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, G; Kwapinska, M; Horvat, A; Kwapinski, W; Rabou, L P L M; Dooley, S; Czajka, K M; Leahy, J J

2014-05-01

Torrefaction is suggested to be an effective method to improve the fuel properties of biomass and gasification of torrefied biomass should provide a higher quality product gas than that from unprocessed biomass. In this study, both raw and torrefied Miscanthus × giganteus (M×G) were gasified in an air-blown bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) gasifier using olivine as the bed material. The effects of equivalence ratio (ER) (0.18-0.32) and bed temperature (660-850°C) on the gasification performance were investigated. The results obtained suggest the optimum gasification conditions for the torrefied M × G are ER 0.21 and 800°C. The product gas from these process conditions had a higher heating value (HHV) of 6.70 MJ/m(3), gas yield 2m(3)/kg biomass (H2 8.6%, CO 16.4% and CH4 4.4%) and cold gas efficiency 62.7%. The comparison between raw and torrefied M × G indicates that the torrefied M × G is more suitable BFB gasification. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulating the impact of the entrainment of winter flounder larvae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hess, K.W.; Sissenwine, M.P.; Saila, S.B.

1975-01-01

The transport of winter flounder larvae around the Millstone Point, Conn. Area by the action of tidal currents and diffusion was simulated by computer to predict the numbers which could be entrained during the operation of a local nuclear power station. A tidal hydrodynamic model with variable depth was employed to simulate currents and water levels. These techniques provided input to a transport model which simulated the concentration of larvae. A larval source in a tributary river was simulated for twenty tidal cycles, with and without entrainment. The results indicated that the reduction in winter flounder larvae near Millstone Point at the end of the pelagic stage (period during which larvae are likely to be entrained) was less than 1 percent when it was assumed that larvae have little chance of returning once lost from Millstone bight. In order to assess the effect of a 1 percent reduction in recruitment of winter flounder larvae to the benthic phase of their life cycle, the local population was simulated by a model in which year-classes and the total egg production were represented by compartments. Each year-class grew, produced eggs, suffered natural and fishing mortality according to information derived from the literature. The effect of power plant entrainment was incorporated by reducing the number of recruits to year-class I that would normally result from a specific level of egg production. For a 1 percent reduction in recruitment due to power plant entrainment, a potential 6 percent decrease in total population size following 35 years of operation was indicated. (U.S.)

Combustion performance of cellulosic biomass in a gasifier-based cookstove

Science.gov (United States)

Sulaiman, Shaharin A.; Romli, Raffisyazana

2012-06-01

Depletion in fossil fuel and increase in the world population may change the trend in future kitchens in households. Cooking with LPG fuel may one day become impossible and households would have to consider alternatives such as electric stoves. One other solution to this problem is through the use of biomass cook stoves. However, traditional cook stoves, predominantly used in the households, are not efficient and its utilizations for domestic cooking have been a major contributor to the ill effects related in respiratory and other health problem. Improved cook stoves programs implemented in the developing world attempt to address these problems. Biomass gasification appears to have significant potential in Asia for domestic cooking applications. Gasifier-based cook stoves are fuel efficient in comparison to traditional cook stove. The objective of this paper is to study the performance of various type of cellulosic biomass in a gasifier-based cook stove. The biomass considered in this study are oil palm fronds, dried leaves, wood sticks, coconut shells, bagasse, charcoal, and saw dust. The samples are analyzed in order to study their chemical properties. The thermochemical properties of the biomass were characterized. The performance of the each of the samples is studied by observing the time taken to boil water. It is found that oil palm fronds are the best type of biomass for the gasifer cook stove. It is also concluded that the higher the carbon content and the calorific value in a biomass, the lesser the time taken to boil the water.

Getting the beat: entrainment of brain activity by musical rhythm and pleasantness.

Science.gov (United States)

Trost, Wiebke; Frühholz, Sascha; Schön, Daniele; Labbé, Carolina; Pichon, Swann; Grandjean, Didier; Vuilleumier, Patrik

2014-12-01

Rhythmic entrainment is an important component of emotion induction by music, but brain circuits recruited during spontaneous entrainment of attention by music and the influence of the subjective emotional feelings evoked by music remain still largely unresolved. In this study we used fMRI to test whether the metric structure of music entrains brain activity and how music pleasantness influences such entrainment. Participants listened to piano music while performing a speeded visuomotor detection task in which targets appeared time-locked to either strong or weak beats. Each musical piece was presented in both a consonant/pleasant and dissonant/unpleasant version. Consonant music facilitated target detection and targets presented synchronously with strong beats were detected faster. FMRI showed increased activation of bilateral caudate nucleus when responding on strong beats, whereas consonance enhanced activity in attentional networks. Meter and consonance selectively interacted in the caudate nucleus, with greater meter effects during dissonant than consonant music. These results reveal that the basal ganglia, involved both in emotion and rhythm processing, critically contribute to rhythmic entrainment of subcortical brain circuits by music. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of standardized air-blown coal gasifier/gas turbine concepts for future electric power systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1990-07-01

CRS Sirrine (CRSS) is evaluating a novel IGCC process in which gases exiting the gasifier are burned in a gas turbine combustion system. The turbine exhaust gas is used to generate additional power in a conventional steam generator. This results in a significant increase in efficiency. However, the IGCC process requires development of novel approaches to control SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x} emissions and alkali vapors which can damage downstream turbine components. Ammonia is produced from the reaction of coal-bound nitrogen with steam in the reducing zone of any fixed bed coal gasifier. This ammonia can be partially oxidized to NO{sub x} when the product gas is oxidized in a gas turbine combustor. Alkali metals vaporize in the high-temperature combustion zone of the gasifier and laser condense on the surface of small char or ash particles or on cooled metal surfaces. It these alkali-coated materials reach the gas turbine combustor, the alkali will revaporize condense on turbine blades and cause rapid high temperature corrosion. Efficiency reduction will result. PSI Technology Company (PSIT) was contracted by CRSS to evaluate and recommend solutions for NO{sub x} emissions and for alkali metals deposition. Various methods for NO{sub x} emission control and the potential process and economic impacts were evaluated. This included estimates of process performance, heat and mass balances around the combustion and heat transfer units and a preliminary economic evaluation. The potential for alkali metal vaporization and condensation at various points in the system was also estimated. Several control processes and evaluated, including an order of magnitude cost for the control process.

Nonphotic entrainment in a diurnal mammal, the European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hut, Roelof A.; Mrosovsky, N.; Daan, Serge

1999-01-01

Entrainment by nonphotic, activity-inducing stimuli has been investigated in detail in nocturnal rodents, but little is known about nonphotic entrainment in diurnal animals. Comparative studies would offer the opportunity to distinguish between two possibilities. (1) If nonphotic phase shifts depend

CHP from Updraft Gasifier and Stirling Engine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, N.; Werling, J.; Carlsen, Henrik

2002-01-01

The combination of thermal gasification with a Stirling engine is an interesting concept for use in small combined heat and power plants based on biomass. By combining the two technologies a synergism can potentially be achieved. Technical problems, e.g. gas cleaning and fouling of the Stirling...... engine heat exchanger, can be eliminated and the overall electric efficiency of the system can be improved. At the Technical University of Denmark a Stirling engine fueled by gasification gas has been developed. In this engine the combustion system and the geometry of the hot heat exchanger...... of the Stirling engine has been adapted to the use of a gas with a low specific energy content and a high content of tar and particles. In the spring of 2001 a demonstration plant has been built in the western part of Denmark where this Stirling engine is combined with an updraft gasifier. A mathematical...

Speech entrainment enables patients with Broca’s aphasia to produce fluent speech

Science.gov (United States)

Hubbard, H. Isabel; Hudspeth, Sarah Grace; Holland, Audrey L.; Bonilha, Leonardo; Fromm, Davida; Rorden, Chris

2012-01-01

A distinguishing feature of Broca’s aphasia is non-fluent halting speech typically involving one to three words per utterance. Yet, despite such profound impairments, some patients can mimic audio-visual speech stimuli enabling them to produce fluent speech in real time. We call this effect ‘speech entrainment’ and reveal its neural mechanism as well as explore its usefulness as a treatment for speech production in Broca’s aphasia. In Experiment 1, 13 patients with Broca’s aphasia were tested in three conditions: (i) speech entrainment with audio-visual feedback where they attempted to mimic a speaker whose mouth was seen on an iPod screen; (ii) speech entrainment with audio-only feedback where patients mimicked heard speech; and (iii) spontaneous speech where patients spoke freely about assigned topics. The patients produced a greater variety of words using audio-visual feedback compared with audio-only feedback and spontaneous speech. No difference was found between audio-only feedback and spontaneous speech. In Experiment 2, 10 of the 13 patients included in Experiment 1 and 20 control subjects underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging to determine the neural mechanism that supports speech entrainment. Group results with patients and controls revealed greater bilateral cortical activation for speech produced during speech entrainment compared with spontaneous speech at the junction of the anterior insula and Brodmann area 47, in Brodmann area 37, and unilaterally in the left middle temporal gyrus and the dorsal portion of Broca’s area. Probabilistic white matter tracts constructed for these regions in the normal subjects revealed a structural network connected via the corpus callosum and ventral fibres through the extreme capsule. Unilateral areas were connected via the arcuate fasciculus. In Experiment 3, all patients included in Experiment 1 participated in a 6-week treatment phase using speech entrainment to improve speech production

Allothermal steam gasification of biomass in cyclic multi-compartment bubbling fluidized-bed gasifier/combustor - new reactor concept.

Science.gov (United States)

Iliuta, Ion; Leclerc, Arnaud; Larachi, Faïçal

2010-05-01

A new reactor concept of allothermal cyclic multi-compartment fluidized bed steam biomass gasification is proposed and analyzed numerically. The concept combines space and time delocalization to approach an ideal allothermal gasifier. Thermochemical conversion of biomass in periodic time and space sequences of steam biomass gasification and char/biomass combustion is simulated in which the exothermic combustion compartments provide heat into an array of interspersed endothermic steam gasification compartments. This should enhance unit heat integration and thermal efficiency and procure N(2)-free biosyngas with recourse neither to oxygen addition in steam gasification nor contact between flue and syngas. The dynamic, one-dimensional, multi-component, non-isothermal model developed for this concept accounts for detailed solid and gas flow dynamics whereupon gasification/combustion reaction kinetics, thermal effects and freeboard-zone reactions were tied. Simulations suggest that allothermal operation could be achieved with switch periods in the range of a minute supporting practical feasibility for portable small-scale gasification units. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermodynamic modelling of an onsite methanation reactor for upgrading producer gas from commercial small scale biomass gasifiers.

Science.gov (United States)

Vakalis, S; Malamis, D; Moustakas, K

2018-06-15

Small scale biomass gasifiers have the advantage of having higher electrical efficiency in comparison to other conventional small scale energy systems. Nonetheless, a major drawback of small scale biomass gasifiers is the relatively poor quality of the producer gas. In addition, several EU Member States are seeking ways to store the excess energy that is produced from renewables like wind power and hydropower. A recent development is the storage of energy by electrolysis of water and the production of hydrogen in a process that is commonly known as "power-to-gas". The present manuscript proposes an onsite secondary reactor for upgrading producer gas by mixing it with hydrogen in order to initiate methanation reactions. A thermodynamic model has been developed for assessing the potential of the proposed methanation process. The model utilized input parameters from a representative small scale biomass gasifier and molar ratios of hydrogen from 1:0 to 1:4.1. The Villar-Cruise-Smith algorithm was used for minimizing the Gibbs free energy. The model returned the molar fractions of the permanent gases, the heating values and the Wobbe Index. For mixtures of hydrogen and producer gas on a 1:0.9 ratio the increase of the heating value is maximized with an increase of 78%. For ratios higher than 1:3, the Wobbe index increases significantly and surpasses the value of 30 MJ/Nm 3 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of Two-Phase Flow Regime Maps for Development of Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis Codes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyung Doo; Kim, Byoung Jae; Lee, Seong Wook

2010-04-01

This reports is a literature survey on models and correlations for determining flow pattern that are used to simulate thermal-hydraulics in nuclear reactors. Determination of flow patterns are a basis for obtaining physical values of wall/interfacial friction, wall/interfacial heat transfer, and droplet entrainment/de-entrainment. Not only existing system codes, such as RELAP5-3D, TRAC-M, MARS, TRACE, CATHARE) but also up-to-date researches were reviewed to find models and correlations

Efficiency of brainwave entrainment by binaural beats in reducing anxiety

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Alipoor

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Anxiety is a fundamental phenomenon that is a common symptom in all mental disorders. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of brainwave entrainment on anxiety reduction using binaural beats. Methods: In this experimental double-blind study, 30 employees were selected from an engineering research firm through random sampling and replacement and divided into two groups: control group and experimental group. All participants completed the Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI. Then, the experimental group listened to binaural beats which was recorded on a non-vocal piece of music for 4 weeks, 3 sessions each week. Each session lasted about 20 minutes. At the same time, the control group listened to the background music without any entrainment sound. At the end, both groups completed the anxiety questionnaire and the anxiety scores of both groups obtained before and after intervention were analyzed by ANCOVA. Results: The findings showed that the brainwave entrainment using binaural beats led to the significant reduction of state anxiety (P<0.001 and trait anxiety (P<0.018. Conclusion: Brainwave entrainment using binaural beats is an effective factor in decreasing state and trait anxiety; so, it can be used to reduce anxiety in mental health centers.

Air entrainment by plunging water jets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van de Sande, E.

1974-01-01

Gas entrainment caused by the impact of liquid jets upon liquid pool surfaces is a subject which has received too little attention. This well-known phenomenon,which occurs In nature and in numerous industrial operations, has only recently received interest from scientific workers. The influence on

Uncertainty associated with convective wet removal of entrained aerosols in a global climate model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Croft

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The uncertainties associated with the wet removal of aerosols entrained above convective cloud bases are investigated in a global aerosol-climate model (ECHAM5-HAM under a set of limiting assumptions for the wet removal of the entrained aerosols. The limiting assumptions for the wet removal of entrained aerosols are negligible scavenging and vigorous scavenging (either through activation, with size-dependent impaction scavenging, or with the prescribed fractions of the standard model. To facilitate this process-based study, an explicit representation of cloud-droplet-borne and ice-crystal-borne aerosol mass and number, for the purpose of wet removal, is introduced into the ECHAM5-HAM model. This replaces and is compared with the prescribed cloud-droplet-borne and ice-crystal-borne aerosol fraction scavenging scheme of the standard model.

A 20% to 35% uncertainty in simulated global, annual mean aerosol mass burdens and optical depth (AOD is attributed to different assumptions for the wet removal of aerosols entrained above convective cloud bases. Assumptions about the removal of aerosols entrained above convective cloud bases control modeled upper tropospheric aerosol concentrations by as much as one order of magnitude.

Simulated aerosols entrained above convective cloud bases contribute 20% to 50% of modeled global, annual mean aerosol mass convective wet deposition (about 5% to 10% of the total dry and wet deposition, depending on the aerosol species, when including wet scavenging of those entrained aerosols (either by activation, size-dependent impaction, or with the prescribed fraction scheme. Among the simulations, the prescribed fraction and size-dependent impaction schemes yield the largest global, annual mean aerosol mass convective wet deposition (by about two-fold. However, the prescribed fraction scheme has more vigorous convective mixed-phase wet removal (by two to five-fold relative to the size-dependent impaction

Uncertainty associated with convective wet removal of entrained aerosols in a global climate model

Science.gov (United States)

Croft, B.; Pierce, J. R.; Martin, R. V.; Hoose, C.; Lohmann, U.

2012-11-01

The uncertainties associated with the wet removal of aerosols entrained above convective cloud bases are investigated in a global aerosol-climate model (ECHAM5-HAM) under a set of limiting assumptions for the wet removal of the entrained aerosols. The limiting assumptions for the wet removal of entrained aerosols are negligible scavenging and vigorous scavenging (either through activation, with size-dependent impaction scavenging, or with the prescribed fractions of the standard model). To facilitate this process-based study, an explicit representation of cloud-droplet-borne and ice-crystal-borne aerosol mass and number, for the purpose of wet removal, is introduced into the ECHAM5-HAM model. This replaces and is compared with the prescribed cloud-droplet-borne and ice-crystal-borne aerosol fraction scavenging scheme of the standard model. A 20% to 35% uncertainty in simulated global, annual mean aerosol mass burdens and optical depth (AOD) is attributed to different assumptions for the wet removal of aerosols entrained above convective cloud bases. Assumptions about the removal of aerosols entrained above convective cloud bases control modeled upper tropospheric aerosol concentrations by as much as one order of magnitude. Simulated aerosols entrained above convective cloud bases contribute 20% to 50% of modeled global, annual mean aerosol mass convective wet deposition (about 5% to 10% of the total dry and wet deposition), depending on the aerosol species, when including wet scavenging of those entrained aerosols (either by activation, size-dependent impaction, or with the prescribed fraction scheme). Among the simulations, the prescribed fraction and size-dependent impaction schemes yield the largest global, annual mean aerosol mass convective wet deposition (by about two-fold). However, the prescribed fraction scheme has more vigorous convective mixed-phase wet removal (by two to five-fold relative to the size-dependent impaction scheme) since nearly all

AW-101 entrained solids - Solubility versus temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

GJ Lumetta; RC Lettau; GF Piepel

2000-01-01

This report describes the results of a test conducted by Battelle to assess the solubility of the solids entrained in the diluted AW-101 low-activity waste (LAW) sample. BNFL requested Battelle to dilute the AW-1-1 sample using de-ionized water to mimic expected plant operating conditions. BNFL further requested Battelle to assess the solubility of the solids present in the diluted AW-101 sample versus temperature conditions of 30, 40, and 50 C. BNFL requested these tests to assess the composition of the LAW supernatant and solids versus expected plant-operating conditions. The work was conducted according to test plan BNFL-TP-29953-7, Rev. 0, Determination of the Solubility of LAW Entrained Solids. The test went according to plan, with no deviations from the test plan

Surf zone entrainment, along-shore transport, and human health implications of pollution from tidal outlets

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, S. B.; Kim, J. H.; Jones, B. H.; Jenkins, S. A.; Wasyl, J.; Cudaback, C.

2005-10-01

Field experiments and modeling studies were carried out to characterize the surf zone entrainment and along-shore transport of pollution from two tidal outlets that drain into Huntington Beach and Newport Beach, popular public beaches in southern California. The surf zone entrainment and near-shore transport of pollutants from these tidal outlets appears to be controlled by prevailing wave conditions and coastal currents, and fine-scale features of the flow field around the outlets. An analysis of data from dye experiments and fecal indicator bacteria monitoring studies reveals that the along-shore flux of surf zone water is at least 50 to 300 times larger than the cross-shore flux of surf zone water. As a result, pollutants entrained in the surf zone hug the shore, where they travel significant distances parallel to the beach before diluting to extinction. Under the assumption that all surf zone pollution at Huntington Beach originates from two tidal outlets, the Santa Ana River and Talbert Marsh outlets, models of mass and momentum transport in the surf zone approximately capture the observed tidal phasing and magnitude of certain fecal indicator bacteria groups (total coliform) but not others (Escherichia coli and enterococci), implying the existence of multiple sources of, and/or multiple transport pathways for, fecal pollution at this site. The intersection of human recreation and near-shore pollution pathways implies that, from a human health perspective, special care should be taken to reduce the discharge of harmful pollutants from land-side sources of surface water runoff, such as tidal outlets and storm drains.

Watershed wash-off of atmospherically deposited radionuclides: a review of normalized entrainment coefficients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia-Sanchez, L.; Konoplev, A.V.

2009-01-01

Radionuclide wash-off is the transport of activity by flowing water over the soil surface (runoff). To complete existing reviews on long-term removal rates, this paper focuses on short-term wash-off fluxes, quantified in the literature by soil-runoff transfer factors called normalized liquid and solid entrainment coefficients (noted K l *, K s *). Compiled data concerned essentially 137 Cs and 90 Sr wash-off measured under simulated rainfalls on small experimental plots after Chernobyl fallout in the exclusion zone. K l * and K s * values span approximately one order of magnitude. Their validity is limited to a season, and their representativeness is limited by restricted studied situations, notably dominant unsoluble forms in fallout, light soils and intense rainfalls. Formulas based on a simplified representation of the soil-runoff system were proposed to generalize the existing values for other conditions. However, their implementation requires a more systematic compilation of the available information, including decisive influence factors such as the fraction of exchangeable form, distribution coefficient, suspended matter enrichment ratio. Entrainment coefficients K l * and K s * were mathematically related to the transfer function approach. The proposed relationships proved their complementarity in terms of time support and captured fluctuations. Both approaches should be used in assessments to estimate average fluxes and their variability.

Characterisation of vortex flow inside an entrained cavity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rambert, A.; Elcafsi, A.; Gougat, P. [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 91 - Orsay (France). Lab. d' Informatique pour la Mecanique et les Sciences de l' Ingenieur

2000-07-01

A number of studies have referred to the existence of a vortex cell within an urban street canyon when ambient winds aloft are perpendicular to the street. The understanding of vortex dynamics or vorticity distribution in a such configuration is of great interest. Vortex structures play an important role in the dynamics of pollutant dispersion. This configuration was simulated by the interaction between a boundary layer and a cavity. Experimental characterisation of the vortex structures evolution was developed by flow velocity measurements inside and out of the cavity. Classical methods like hot wire and laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) display only local measurements. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) method based on the optical flow technique permitted global velocity measurements. This technique emphasis the vortex structures inside the cavity which present small scales as well as large scales related to the cavity geometry. These vortices are usually non-stationary. (orig.)

Effect of fast freeze-thaw cycles on mechanical properties of ordinary-air-entrained concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Shang, Huai-shuai; Cao, Wei-qun; Wang, Bin

2014-01-01

Freezing-thawing resistance is a very significant characteristic for concrete in severe environment (such as cold region with the lowest temperature below 0°C). In this study, ordinary-air-entrained (O-A-E) concrete was produced in a laboratory environment; the compressive strength, cubic compressive strength of C50, C40, C30, C25, and C20 ordinary-air-entrained concrete, tensile strength, and cleavage strength of C30 ordinary-air-entrained concrete were measured after fast freeze-thaw cycles. The effects of fast freeze-thaw cycles on the mechanical properties (compressive strength and cleavage strength) of ordinary-air-entrained concrete materials are investigated on the basis of the experimental results. And the concise mathematical formula between mechanical behavior and number of fast freeze-thaw cycles was established. The experiment results can be used as a reference in design, maintenance, and life prediction of ordinary-air-entrained concrete structure (such as dam, offshore platform, etc.) in cold regions.

Techno-economic assessment of a solar PV, fuel cell, and biomass gasifier hybrid energy system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anand Singh

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The interest of power is expanding step by step all through the world. Because of constrained measure of fossil fuel, it is vital to outline some new non-renewable energy frameworks that can diminish the reliance on ordinary energy asset. A hybrid off-grid renewable energy framework might be utilized to reduction reliance on the traditional energy assets. Advancement of crossover framework is a procedure to choose the best mix of part and there cost that can give shabby, solid and successful option energy resource. In this paper sun oriented photovoltaic, fuel cell, biomass gasifier generator set, battery backup and power conditioning unit have been simulated and optimized for educational institute, energy centre, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The area of the study range on the guide situated of 23°12′N latitude and 77°24′E longitude. In this framework, the essential wellspring of power is sun based solar photovoltaic system and biomass gasifier generator set while fuel cell and batteries are utilized as reinforcement supply. HOMER simulator has been utilized to recreate off the grid and it checks the specialized and financial criteria of this hybrid energy system. The execution of every segment of this framework is dissected lastly delicate examination has been performing to enhance the mixture framework at various conditions. In view of the recreation result, it is found that the cost of energy (COE of a biomass gasifier generator set, solar PV and fuel cell crossover energy system has been found to be 15.064 Rs/kWh and complete net present cost Rs.51,89003. The abundance power in the proposed framework is observed to be 36 kWh/year with zero rates unmet electrical burden.

Effect of oxy-fuel combustion with steam addition on coal ignition and burnout in an entrained flow reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riaza, J.; Alvarez, L.; Gil, M.V.; Pevida, C.; Pis, J.J.; Rubiera, F.

2011-01-01

The ignition temperature and burnout of a semi-anthracite and a high-volatile bituminous coal were studied under oxy-fuel combustion conditions in an entrained flow reactor (EFR). The results obtained under oxy-fuel atmospheres (21%O 2 -79%CO 2 , 30%O 2 -70% O 2 and 35%O 2 -65%CO 2 ) were compared with those attained in air. The replacement of CO 2 by 5, 10 and 20% of steam in the oxy-fuel combustion atmospheres was also evaluated in order to study the wet recirculation of flue gas. For the 21%O 2 -79%CO 2 atmosphere, the results indicated that the ignition temperature was higher and the coal burnout was lower than in air. However, when the O 2 concentration was increased to 30 and 35% in the oxy-fuel combustion atmosphere, the ignition temperature was lower and coal burnout was improved in comparison with air conditions. On the other hand, an increase in ignition temperature and a worsening of the coal burnout was observed when steam was added to the oxy-fuel combustion atmospheres though no relevant differences between the different steam concentrations were detected. -- Highlights: → The ignition temperature and the burnout of two thermal coals under oxy-fuel combustion conditions were determined. → The effect of the wet recirculation of flue gas on combustion behaviour was evaluated. → Addition of steam caused a worsening of the ignition temperature and coal burnout.

Entrainment of ichthyoplankton and larval fishes during cooling water withdrawal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McFarlane, R.W.

1978-01-01

Plantonic fish eggs and larvae are entrained into the Savannah River Plant (SRP) pumping system as Savannah River water is withdrawn for cooling purposes. The American shad contributed 96% of the planktonic fish eggs collected in the Savannah River. Eggs were rare in plankton samples from the intake canals and were assumed to have settled to the bottom as current velocity was reduced in the canal entrance. An estimated 72 million fish eggs were transported past the intake canals. Assuming ''worst case conditions,'' 6.8 million eggs (9.5%) could have been lost due to entrainment. Blueback herring comprised nearly one-half of the 216 million fish larvae susceptible to impact. Spotted sucker and black crappie were also common among the 22 species of fish larvae collected. An estimated 19.6 million (9.1%) fish larvae could have been entrained under ''worst case conditions''

Process and technological aspects of municipal solid waste gasification. A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arena, Umberto

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Critical assessment of the main commercially available MSW gasifiers. ► Detailed discussion of the basic features of gasification process. ► Description of configurations of gasification-based waste-to-energy units. ► Environmental performance analysis, on the basis of independent sources data. - Abstract: The paper proposes a critical assessment of municipal solid waste gasification today, starting from basic aspects of the process (process types and steps, operating and performance parameters) and arriving to a comparative analysis of the reactors (fixed bed, fluidized bed, entrained bed, vertical shaft, moving grate furnace, rotary kiln, plasma reactor) as well as of the possible plant configurations (heat gasifier and power gasifier) and the environmental performances of the main commercially available gasifiers for municipal solid wastes. The analysis indicates that gasification is a technically viable option for the solid waste conversion, including residual waste from separate collection of municipal solid waste. It is able to meet existing emission limits and can have a remarkable effect on reduction of landfill disposal option.

Two-phase interactions in countercurrent flow studies of the flooding mechanism. Progress report 1 Nov 1975--30 Sep 1976

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dukler, A.E.; Smith, L.

1977-06-01

During a loss of coolant accident in a pressurized water reactor countercurrent flow, flooding and upflow are all expected to take place. Predicting the transition from counter to upflow requires a reliable model for the flooding process. The first phase of a study is reported here which has the objective of evolving the mechanism for the flow reversal process and of developing sound productive models. This report includes a description of the experimental test loop constructed and the experimental measurements made during the first eleven months of the project. Measurements were made of liquid flowing downward as a film as well as upflow in the film entrained droplets as the system was carried through flow reversal. Time variation of pressure and pressure gradients were measured at four stations along the axis. The measurements demonstrated that the onset of flooding was associated with the onset of entrainment and that wave closure and blocking did not occur. Two types of flooding were observed. When entrainment takes place at the point of liquid entry, then flooding is characterized by a slugging or churning. When entrainment initiates well below the entry, then flow reversal occurs by droplet transport above the feed. Criteria for the existence of these two types of flooding are proposed

A hybrid model to predict the entrainment and subsurface transport of oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spaulding, M.L.; Odulo, A.; Kolluru, V.S.

1992-01-01

The entrainment of surface oil into the water column and its subsequent subsurface transport and dispersion are predicted by a hybrid analytic-numerical solution to the advective diffusion equation. Total oil or selected hydrocarbon component concentrations in the water column are predicted. Assuming that the principal mechanism for entrainment is due to breaking waves, the oil entrainment rate is specified using the empirically based algorithm of Delvigne and Sweeney (1988). The subsurface transport model explicitly accounts for buoyant forces on dispersed oil by droplet size. Application of the model to an analytic test case and several hypothetical scenarios illustrates the model's utility. 35 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs

Cortical oscillations and entrainment in speech processing during working memory load.

Science.gov (United States)

Hjortkjaer, Jens; Märcher-Rørsted, Jonatan; Fuglsang, Søren A; Dau, Torsten

2018-02-02

Neuronal oscillations are thought to play an important role in working memory (WM) and speech processing. Listening to speech in real-life situations is often cognitively demanding but it is unknown whether WM load influences how auditory cortical activity synchronizes to speech features. Here, we developed an auditory n-back paradigm to investigate cortical entrainment to speech envelope fluctuations under different degrees of WM load. We measured the electroencephalogram, pupil dilations and behavioural performance from 22 subjects listening to continuous speech with an embedded n-back task. The speech stimuli consisted of long spoken number sequences created to match natural speech in terms of sentence intonation, syllabic rate and phonetic content. To burden different WM functions during speech processing, listeners performed an n-back task on the speech sequences in different levels of background noise. Increasing WM load at higher n-back levels was associated with a decrease in posterior alpha power as well as increased pupil dilations. Frontal theta power increased at the start of the trial and increased additionally with higher n-back level. The observed alpha-theta power changes are consistent with visual n-back paradigms suggesting general oscillatory correlates of WM processing load. Speech entrainment was measured as a linear mapping between the envelope of the speech signal and low-frequency cortical activity (level) decreased cortical speech envelope entrainment. Although entrainment persisted under high load, our results suggest a top-down influence of WM processing on cortical speech entrainment. © 2018 The Authors. European Journal of Neuroscience published by Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Measurements on Buoyant Jet Flows from a Ceiling-Mounted Slot Diffuser

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Peter V.; Möller, Åke T. A.

Ceiling-mounted slot diffusers in ventilated rooms will often generate a flow of the wall jet type. The jet follows the ceiling, entrains air from the occupied zone and generates a recirculating flow in the whole room. This paper will deal with the flow in the ceiling region. The wall jet flow...

Estimates of entrainment mortality for striped bass and other fish species inhabiting the Hudson River estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boreman, J.; Goodyear, C.P.

1988-01-01

An empirically derived age-, time-, and space-variant equation was used to estimate entrainment mortality at power plants for seven fish species inhabiting the Hudson River estuary. Entrainment mortality is expressed as a conditional rate, which is the fractional reduction in year-class strength due to entrainment if other sources of mortality are density-independent. Estimates of the conditional entrainment mortality, based on historical and projected once-through cooling operation of five power plants, were 11-22% for striped bass, 11-17% for white perch, 5-7% for Atlantic tomcod, 14-21% for American shad, 4-11% for river herring (alewife and blueback herring combined), and 35-79% for bay anchovy. Closed-cycle cooling (natural-draft cooling towers) at three of the power plants (Indian Point, Bowline Point, and Roseton) would reduce entrainment mortality of striped bass by 50-80%, of white perch by 75-80%, of Atlantic tocod by 65-70%, of American shad by 80%, of river herring by 30-90%, and of bay anchovy by 45-80%. The life stages most vulnerable to entrainment mortality were post-yolk-sac larva and entrainable size juvenile. 18 refs., 7 tabs

One-dimensional three-field model of condensation in horizontal countercurrent flow with supercritical liquid velocity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trewin, Richard R.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → CCFL in the hot leg of a PWR with ECC Injection. → Three-Field Model of counter flowing water film and entrained droplets. → Flow of steam can cause a hydraulic jump in the supercritical flow of water. → Condensation of steam on subcooled water increases the required flow for hydraulic jump. → Better agreement with UPTF experimental data than Wallis-type correlation. - Abstract: A one-dimensional three-field model was developed to predict the flow of liquid and vapor that results from countercurrent flow of water injected into the hot leg of a PWR and the oncoming steam flowing from the upper plenum. The model solves the conservation equations for mass, momentum, and energy in a continuous-vapor field, a continuous-liquid field, and a dispersed-liquid (entrained-droplet) field. Single-effect experiments performed in the upper plenum test facility (UPTF) of the former SIEMENS KWU (now AREVA) at Mannheim, Germany, were used to validate the countercurrent flow limitation (CCFL) model in case of emergency core cooling water injection into the hot legs. Subcooled water and saturated steam flowed countercurrent in a horizontal pipe with an inside diameter of 0.75 m. The flow of injected water was varied from 150 kg/s to 400 kg/s, and the flow of steam varied from 13 kg/s to 178 kg/s. The subcooling of the liquid ranged from 0 K to 104 K. The velocity of the water at the injection point was supercritical (greater than the celerity of a gravity wave) for all the experiments. The three-field model was successfully used to predict the experimental data, and the results from the model provide insight into the mechanisms that influence the flows of liquid and vapor during countercurrent flow in a hot leg. When the injected water was saturated and the flow of steam was small, all or most of the injected water flowed to the upper plenum. Because the velocity of the liquid remained supercritical, entrainment of droplets was suppressed. When the injected

Experience in a 6.2 MW{sub e} pressurized fluidized bed gasifier with high ash Indian coals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Viswanathan, G.; Rajasekaran, A.; Periyakaruppan, V.; Krishnamoorthy, S. [Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd., Tiruchirappalli (India)

2006-07-01

Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited has installed a 165 tons/day air-blown pressurized fluidized bed gasifier (PFBG) as an add-on to their 6.2 MW IGCC demonstration plant and has operated it for more than 4000 hours. Improvements in the gasifier refractory lining, ash extraction and cooling devices, air distribution and temperature measuring devices were incorporated to improve the reliability and performance. Coal with 30-42% ash and high calorific value in the range of 15-20 MJ/kg was used during these operations with crushed coal of 1-4 mm as well as -6 mm coal with fines. Tests were conducted at gasifier pressure of 0.3-1.0 MPa, fluidized bed temperature of 980-1050{sup o}C and at various fluidized velocities and air to steam ratios. Once through carbon conversion efficiency of 90%, cold gas efficiency of 69% and dry gas calorific value of 4.4-4.6 MJ/Nm{sup 3} were obtained. About 15% char in fly ash (with 40% ash coal) was established by TGA. Seal pot system was added for recyling fly ash from the first cyclone to enhance carbon conversion, other parameters and to reduce the char in fly ash to acceptable level. Trends and correlations were established for constituents of gas, carbon conversion efficiency, cold gas efficiency, calorific value of gas and gas yield. BHEL is currently working with a partner to install a 125 MW IGCC plant. The paper elaborates the schematic and constructional details of the PFBG, operating experience and performance. 3 refs., 9 figs.

Presence of strong harmonics during visual entrainment: a magnetoencephalography study.

Science.gov (United States)

Heinrichs-Graham, Elizabeth; Wilson, Tony W

2012-09-01

Visual neurons are known to synchronize their firing with stimuli that flicker at a constant rate (e.g. 12Hz). These so-called visual steady-state responses (VSSR) are a well-studied phenomenon, yet the underlying mechanisms are widely disagreed upon. Furthermore, there is limited evidence that visual neurons may simultaneously synchronize at harmonics of the stimulation frequency. We utilized magnetoencephalography (MEG) to examine synchronization at harmonics of the visual stimulation frequency (18Hz). MEG data were analyzed for event-related-synchronization (ERS) at the fundamental frequency, 36, 54, and 72Hz. We found strong ERS in all bands. Only 31% of participants showed maximum entrainment at the fundamental; others showed stronger entrainment at either 36 or 54Hz. The cortical foci of these responses indicated that the harmonics involved cortices that were partially distinct from the fundamental. These findings suggest that spatially-overlapping subpopulations of neurons are simultaneously entrained at different harmonics of the stimulus frequency. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effects of arbitrary injection angle and flow conditions on venturi-jet mixer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sundararaj S.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the effect of jet injection angle, cross flow Reynolds number and velocity ratio on entrainment and mixing of jet with incompressible cross flow in venturi-jet mixer. Five different jet injection angles 45o, 60o, 90o, 125o, 135o are tested to evaluate the entrainment of jet and mixing performances of the mixer. Tracer concentration along the downstream of the jet injection, cross flow velocity, jet velocity and pressure drop across the mixer are determined experimentally to characterize the mixing performance of the mixer. The experiments show that the performance of a venturi-jet-mixer substantially improves at high injection angle and can be augmented still by increasing velocity ratio. The jet deflects much and penetrates less in the cross flow as the cross flow Reynolds number is increased. The effect could contribute substantially to the better mixing index with moderate pressure drop. Normalized jet profile, concentration decay, jet velocity profile are computed from equations of conservation of mass, momentum and concentration written in natural co-ordinate systems. The comparison between the experimental and numerical results confirms the accuracy of the simulations. Correlations for jet trajectory and entrainment ratio of the mixer are obtained by multivariate-linear regression analysis using power law.

TASK 2: QUENCH ZONE SIMULATION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fusselman, Steve

2015-09-30

Aerojet Rocketdyne (AR) has developed an innovative gasifier concept incorporating advanced technologies in ultra-dense phase dry feed system, rapid mix injector, and advanced component cooling to significantly improve gasifier performance, life, and cost compared to commercially available state-of-the-art systems. A key feature of the AR gasifier design is the transition from the gasifier outlet into the quench zone, where the raw syngas is cooled to ~ 400°C by injection and vaporization of atomized water. Earlier pilot plant testing revealed a propensity for the original gasifier outlet design to accumulate slag in the outlet, leading to erratic syngas flow from the outlet. Subsequent design modifications successfully resolved this issue in the pilot plant gasifier. In order to gain greater insight into the physical phenomena occurring within this zone, AR developed a cold flow simulation apparatus with Coanda Research & Development with a high degree of similitude to hot fire conditions with the pilot scale gasifier design, and capable of accommodating a scaled-down quench zone for a demonstration-scale gasifier. The objective of this task was to validate similitude of the cold flow simulation model by comparison of pilot-scale outlet design performance, and to assess demonstration scale gasifier design feasibility from testing of a scaled-down outlet design. Test results did exhibit a strong correspondence with the two pilot scale outlet designs, indicating credible similitude for the cold flow simulation device. Testing of the scaled-down outlet revealed important considerations in the design and operation of the demonstration scale gasifier, in particular pertaining to the relative momentum between the downcoming raw syngas and the sprayed quench water and associated impacts on flow patterns within the quench zone. This report describes key findings from the test program, including assessment of pilot plant configuration simulations relative to actual