CFD design of a sorber for CO2 capture with 75 and 375 mircron particles

• Bubble free fluidized bed reactors for CO2 capture were designed.
• The CFD model computes multiphase flow turbulence.
• The model was used to compute heat transfer coefficients for an optimal design.
• Equilibrium limitations require the use of several stages for 90% CO2 removal.

A fluidized bed, with a conical inlet to promote spouted bed type flow, carbonate based sorber design for removal of CO2 from flue gases is presented. CFD simulations for a binary mixture show that a plug flow model is a good first approximation for the bubble-free fluidization achieved using two binary mixtures of 75 and 375 μm particles. For a 75 μm binary mixture, bubbles appeared initially similar to spouted bed behavior. A binary mixture of 375 μm particles fluidized as an oscillating bed without bubble formation. The CFD model was used to compute wall-to-bed heat transfer coefficients needed for an optimal design. Equilibrium limitations require the use of several stages for removal of 90% CO2