Solids Flow Pattern in the Bottom Zone of a Rectangular Cross-Section Circulating Fluidized Bed

Solids flow pattern in the bottom zone of a rectangular cross-section CFB was investigated by using hot particles as the tracer. The experiments were carried out in a cold model circulating fluidized bed. The riser has an inner cross-section of 0.3 m by 0.5 m and a height of 5.8 m. The solids were returned into the riser at a height of 0.75 m above the air distributor within an angle of about 40 degree. Quartz sand was used as the bed material. The hot particles were also quartz sand but with a little smaller size. Specially designed miniature electrically heating devices were installed flush with the inner bed wall or inside the bed. At each run, about 10–15 cm³ hot particles were slowly pulled into the bed. The temperature response around the device was measured with four copper-constantan thermocouples. Based on the experimental results, a 3-D core-annulus model describing the solids flow pattern in the bottom zone of the CFB riser is proposed.