Coupled three dimensional DEM-CFD simulation of a lime shaft kiln-Calcination, particle movement and gas phase flow field

This work presents the application of a novel 3-dimensional particle-mechanics based, numerical tool on an industrial scale. The tool allows the simulation of a moving and reacting limestone bed in a shaft kiln coupled with the 3-dimensional CFD-simulation describing the interstitial gas phase. Convective heat transfer between gas phase and particles, radiative and contact heat transfer between particles as well as calcination reaction are accounted for. With this combined approach the calcination of the limestone bed can be simultaneously described on the system scale while resolving detailed thermo-chemical processes on the particle scale.