Experimental and CFD-DEM study of the dispersion and combustion of wheat starch and carbon-black particles during the standard 20L sphere test

The 20L sphere is one of the standard devices used for dust explosivity characterization. One concern about the effectiveness and reliability of this test is related to the particle size variation due to particles' agglomeration and de-agglomeration. These phenomena are related to the turbulent regime of the dust cloud during the dispersion. This variable must be considered since it determines the uncertainty level of the ignitability and severity parameters of dust combustion. In this context, this study describes the influence of the cloud turbulence on the dust segregation and fragmentation through a study combining both, experimental and computational approaches. The behavior of the gas-solid mixture evidenced with the standard rebound nozzle was compared with that observed with six new nozzle geometries. Thereafter, the time-variation of the Particle Size Distribution (PSD) within the 20L sphere was analyzed for two different powders: carbon-black and wheat starch. On the one hand, the turbulence levels and PSD variations were characterized by Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) tests and granulometric analyses, respectively. On the other hand, a computational approach described the dispersion process with CFD-DEM simulations developed in STAR-CCM + v11.04.010. The simulation results established that the homogeneity assumption is not satisfied with the nozzles studied. Nonetheless, the particles segregation levels can be reduced using nozzles that generate a better dust distribution in the gas-solid injections. Subsequently, an additional first-approach CFD model was established to study the behavior of the combustion step for a starch/air mixture. This model considers the gas-phase reactions of the combustible gases that are produced from the devolatilization of wheat starch ($CO,C{H}_4,C_2{H}_4,C_2{H}_6,C_2{H}_2,$ and $H_2$) and allowed to establish the approximate fraction of the particle mass that devolatilizes, as well as to confirm that the modeling of the pyrolysis stage is essential for the correct prediction of the maximum rate of pressure rise.     

隧道救援站通风网络优化设计及人员疏散研究*

为确定铁路隧道救援站最佳通风结构，对烟道布置提出合理建议，采用计算流体力学（CFD）的方法，对铁路隧道救援站通风网络进行优化设计。同时，采用模拟计算的方法对救援站人员疏散进行模拟分析，确定救援横通道布置及防护门开度设置的合理性。研究结果表明:在同等通风参数工况设置下，采用多节点排烟竖井结构后各救援横通道流量分配更均匀，救援站压力平衡性更好，通风效率可提升15%；通过疏散模拟证实，在长560 m的紧急救援站范围内设置10条疏散横通道，横通道设1.7 m宽的逃生门能够满足疏散要求。     

CFD simulations of dust dispersion in the 1 m3 explosion vessel

According to standard procedures, flammability and explosion parameters for dusts and dust mixtures are evaluated in 20 L and/or 1 m³ vessels, with equivalent results provided a correct ignition delay time (60 ms in the 20 L vessel; 600 ms in the 1 m³ vessel). In this work, CFD simulations of flow field and dust concentration distribution in the 1 m³ spherical vessel are performed, and the results compared to the data previously obtained for the 20 L. It has been found that in the 1 m³ vessel, the spatial distribution of the turbulent kinetic energy is lower and much more uniform. Concerning the dust distribution, as in the case of the 20 L, dust is mainly concentrated at the outer zones of the vortices generated inside the vessel. Furthermore, an incomplete feeding is attained, with most of the dust trapped in the perforated annular nozzle. Starting from the maps of dust concentration and turbulent kinetic energy, the deflagration index K_St is calculated in both vessels. In the conditions of the present work, the K_St is found to be 2.4 times higher in the 20 L than in the 1 m³ vessel.     

Review of hydrogen safety during storage,transmission, and applications processes

Hydrogen is considered an excellent clean fuel with potential applications in several fields. There are serious safety concerns associated with the hydrogen process. These concerns need to be thoroughly understood and addressed to ensure its safe operation. To better understand the safety challenges of hydrogen use, application, and process, it is essential to undertake a detailed risk analysis. This can be achieved by performing detailed consequence modellings and assessing risk using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach. This study comprehensively reviews and analyses safety challenges related to hydrogen, focusing on hydrogen storage, transmission, and application processes. Range of release and dispersion scenarios are investigated to analyse associated hazards. Approaches to quantitative risk assessment are also briefly discussed.     

井喷点火后对周边井和集气站的影响研究

以实际工程项目为例,利用计算流体动力学软件（CFD）,以3种不同压力、外界风速和2种出口直径为边界条件,分别对井喷情况下的流场分布进行了18组数值模拟计算,并对模拟结果及其对周边设施的影响进行了分析。数值模拟结果表明,在压力为10MPa,出口直径为62mm,风速为1m／s时,井喷后气流的出口速度超过400m／s,而火焰表面温度超过1500K,喷射火对周边建筑物的伤害范围超过65m,对周边的设备与建筑造成毁坏;超过104m才不会有明显伤害。     

基于CFD的内构件强化内循环流化床流场结构分析

针对流化床内部流体结构的复杂性和缺乏有效放大设计理论的问题,以漏斗型导流内构件强化的内循环流化床的气液运动为研究对象,利用欧拉-欧拉双流体模型构建了能描述其复杂流动的CFD数学模型,通过宏观流场、气含率分布、液体速度分布解析内构件对气液混合传质的作用原理.数值模拟结果表明:双流体模型能较好地揭示流化床内气液流场结构,流...     

CFD simulation of MSW combustion and SNCR in a commercial incinerator

A CFD scheme was presented for modeling municipal solid waste (MSW) combustion in a moving-grate incinerator, including the in-bed burning of solid wastes, the out-of-bed burnout of gaseous volatiles, and the selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) process between urea (CO(NH₂)₂) and NO_x. The in-bed calculations provided 2-D profiles of the gas–solid temperatures and the gas species concentrations along the bed length, which were then used as inlet conditions for the out-of-bed computations. The over-bed simulations provided the profiles of incident radiation heat flux on the top of bed. A 3-dimensional benchmark simulation was conducted with a 750 t/day commercial incinerator using the present coupling scheme incorporating with a reduced SNCR reduction mechanism. Numerical tests were performed to investigate the effects of operating parameters such as injection position, injection speed and the normalized stoichiometric ratio (NSR) on the SNCR performance. The simulation results showed that the distributions of gas velocity, temperature and NO_x concentration were highly non-uniform, which made the injection position one of the most sensitive operating parameters influencing the SNCR performance of moving grate incinerators. The simulation results also showed that multi-layer injections were needed to meet the EU2000 standard, and a NSR 1.5 was suggested as a compromise of a satisfactory NO_x reduction and reasonable NH₃ slip rates. This work provided useful guides to the design and operation of SNCR process in moving-grate incinerators.     

Numerical simulation of water curtain application for ammonia release dispersion

Using water curtain system to forced mitigate ammonia vapor cloud has been proven to be an effective measure. Currently, no engineering guidelines for designing an effective water curtain system are available, due to lack of understanding of complex interactions between ammonia vapor cloud and water droplets, especially the understanding of ammonia absorption into water droplets. This paper presents numerical calculations to reproduce the continuous ammonia release dispersion with and without the mitigating influence of a downwind water curtain using computational fluid dynamic (CFD) software ANSYS Fluent 14.0. The turbulence models k–ɛ and RNG were used to simulate the ammonia cloud dispersion without downwind water curtain. The simulated results were compared with literature using the statistical performance indicators. The RNG model represents better agreement with the experimental data and the k–ɛ model generates a slightly lesser result. The RNG model coupled with Lagrangian discrete phase model (DPM) was used to simulate the dilution effectiveness of the water curtain system. The ammonia absorption was taken into account by means of user-defined functions (UDF). The simulated effectiveness of water curtains has good agreements with the experimental results. The effectiveness of water mitigation system with and without the ammonia absorption was compared. The results display that the effectiveness mainly depends on the strong air entrainment enhanced by water droplets movement and the ammonia absorption also enhances the effectiveness of water curtain mitigation system. The study indicates that the CFD code can be satisfactorily applied in design criteria for an effective mitigation system.     

Recent application of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in process safety and loss prevention: A review

In recent years, significant progress has been made to ensure that process industries are among the safest workplaces in the world. However, with the increasing complexity of existing technologies and new problems brought about by emerging technologies, a strong need still exists to study the fundamentals of process safety and predict possible scenarios. This is attained by conducting the corresponding consequence modeling and risk assessments. As a result of the continuous advancement of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools and exponentially increased computation capabilities along with better understandings of the underlying physics, CFD simulations have been applied widely in the areas of process safety and loss prevention to gain new insights, improve existing models, and assess new hazardous scenarios. In this review, 126 papers from 2010 to 2020 have been included in order to systematically categorize and summarize recent applications of CFD for fires, explosions, dispersions of flammable and toxic materials from accidental releases, incident investigations and reconstructions, and other areas of process safety. The advantages of CFD modeling are discussed and the future of CFD applications in this research area is outlined.     

雷达关键部件对西北地区典型环境适应性的综合仿真研究

长期工作在西北地区大温差、多风砂和强紫外线等恶劣复杂环境下的雷达装备表面极易出现表面磨蚀或损坏。建立了雷达对西北地区综合环境适应性的仿真分析方法,以计算流体动力学(CFD)软件FLUENT为平台,对雷达典型部件在大温差、多风砂和强紫外线环境中的表面状态进行仿真模拟。仿真结果与雷达装备实际情况较为吻合,为进一步深入研究相关物理机理以及设计防护措施提供了理论依据。