CFD Modeling on Hydrodynamic Characteristics of Multiphase Counter-Current Flow in a Structured Packed Bed for Post-Combustion CO2 Capture
1
Key Laboratory of Coal-Based CO2 Capture and Geological Storage, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu, China
2
School of Electrical and Power Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu, China
3
Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
4
Center for Applied Energy Research, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40511, USA
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Energies 2018, 11(11), 3103; https://doi.org/10.3390/en11113103
Received: 28 September 2018 / Revised: 26 October 2018 / Accepted: 7 November 2018 / Published: 9 November 2018
Solvent-based post combustion CO2 capture is a promising technology for industrial application. Gas-liquid interfaces and interactions in the packed bed are considered one of the key factors affecting the overall CO2 absorption rate. Understanding the hydrodynamic characterizations within packed beds is essential to identify the appropriate enhanced mass transfer technique. However, multiphase counter-current flows in the structured packing typically used in these processes are complicated to visualize and optimize experimentally. In this paper, we aim to develop a comprehensive 3D multiphase, counter-current flow model to study the liquid/gas behavior on the surface of structured packing. The output from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) clearly visualized the hydrodynamic characterizations, such as the liquid distributions, wettability, and film thicknesses, in the confined packed bed. When the liquid We (Weber number) was greater than 2.21, the channel flow became insignificant and flow streams became more disorganized with more droplets at larger sizes. The portion of dead zones is decreased at higher liquid We, but it cannot be completely eliminated. Average film thickness was about 0.6–0.7 mm, however, its height varied significantly.
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Keywords:
CO2 capture; structured packing; CFD modeling; multiphase counter-current flow; hydrodynamics
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MDPI and ACS Style
Yang, L.; Liu, F.; Saito, K.; Liu, K. CFD Modeling on Hydrodynamic Characteristics of Multiphase Counter-Current Flow in a Structured Packed Bed for Post-Combustion CO2 Capture. Energies 2018, 11, 3103.
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