Numerical investigation of the back-mixing and non-uniform characteristics in the three-dimensional full-loop circulating fluidized bed combustor with six parallel cyclones

The design and operation of circulating fluidized bed (CFB), which offers excellent heat and mass transfer, remain challenging because of the lack of a comprehensive understanding. CFD-DEM is used here for the high-fidelity simulation of the three-dimensional full-loop CFB with six parallel cyclones. Detailed information on the particle-scale information (i.e., solid dispersion, particle rotational speed, fluid and collision forces, mass distribution, and backing-mixing intensity) throughout the CFB are presented for the first time. Interesting results include: (i) the solid dispersion behavior is significantly different among the three directions; (ii) the solid loading in the middle cyclone on one side of the riser is twice that of the two adjacent ones, and this non-uniform distribution underscores the need for full-loop simulation for the CFB with multiple cyclones; (iii) the solid dispersion coefficients in all three directions, fluid force, collision force and particle rotational speed are similar among the six cyclones and correspondingly the standpipes; and (iv) approximately 50% and 48% of the total material are distributed respectively in the riser and standpipes. The results obtained provide valuable insights regarding the mass loading, particle-scale characteristics and non-uniform distribution of the solid phase throughout the entire CFB.