Comparative analysis of counter-current and co-current downer reactors using particle image velocimetry and computational particle-fluid dynamics
We investigated the hydrodynamics in co- and counter-current downer operations using particle image velocimetry (PIV) and computational particle fluid dynamics simulations (CPFD). Pilot-scale experiments were conducted for fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts and sand, which verified the system...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Chemical Engineering Journal Advances |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666821124001042 |
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| author | Talal A. Aldugman Mengmeng Cui Abdulrahman Alzailaie Abdullah Alhareth Kenneth Langley Lujain Alfilfil Khalid Almajnouni Jorge Gascon Sigurdur Thoroddsen Pedro Castaño |
| author_facet | Talal A. Aldugman Mengmeng Cui Abdulrahman Alzailaie Abdullah Alhareth Kenneth Langley Lujain Alfilfil Khalid Almajnouni Jorge Gascon Sigurdur Thoroddsen Pedro Castaño |
| author_sort | Talal A. Aldugman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We investigated the hydrodynamics in co- and counter-current downer operations using particle image velocimetry (PIV) and computational particle fluid dynamics simulations (CPFD). Pilot-scale experiments were conducted for fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts and sand, which verified the system stability and provided the validation basis for the simulation strategy. We compared the reactor characteristics of counter-current and co-current downers under different operating modes and conditions using PIV experiments and CPFD simulations. PIV experiments showed that the counter-current downer exhibits a more uniform particle velocity profile, with a gradient of only 8 % of the maximum velocity, compared to the co-current operation, which shows a significantly steeper gradient of 39.5 % from the maximum. Simulations confirmed that the counter-current downer reactor has 69 % higher solid holdup and 98 % longer residence time than the co-current operation. Thus, the counter-current downer reactor demonstrated intermediate behavior between the classical co-current downer and riser reactors, offering flexibility for industrial applications. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9a63008a69e047c0aa412ea5ad9edc38 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-8211 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Chemical Engineering Journal Advances |
| spelling | doaj-art-9a63008a69e047c0aa412ea5ad9edc382025-02-03T04:17:00ZengElsevierChemical Engineering Journal Advances2666-82112025-03-0121100687Comparative analysis of counter-current and co-current downer reactors using particle image velocimetry and computational particle-fluid dynamicsTalal A. Aldugman0Mengmeng Cui1Abdulrahman Alzailaie2Abdullah Alhareth3Kenneth Langley4Lujain Alfilfil5Khalid Almajnouni6Jorge Gascon7Sigurdur Thoroddsen8Pedro Castaño9Multiscale Reaction Engineering, KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi ArabiaMultiscale Reaction Engineering, KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi ArabiaMultiscale Reaction Engineering, KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi ArabiaDivision of Physical Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi ArabiaDivision of Physical Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi ArabiaAdvanced Materials and Catalysis Group, Aramco Research Center (ARC), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi ArabiaAdvanced Materials and Catalysis Group, Aramco Research Center (ARC), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi ArabiaAdvanced Catalytic Materials, KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia; Chemical Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering (PSE) Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi ArabiaDivision of Physical Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi ArabiaMultiscale Reaction Engineering, KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia; Chemical Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering (PSE) Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia; Corresponding author.We investigated the hydrodynamics in co- and counter-current downer operations using particle image velocimetry (PIV) and computational particle fluid dynamics simulations (CPFD). Pilot-scale experiments were conducted for fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts and sand, which verified the system stability and provided the validation basis for the simulation strategy. We compared the reactor characteristics of counter-current and co-current downers under different operating modes and conditions using PIV experiments and CPFD simulations. PIV experiments showed that the counter-current downer exhibits a more uniform particle velocity profile, with a gradient of only 8 % of the maximum velocity, compared to the co-current operation, which shows a significantly steeper gradient of 39.5 % from the maximum. Simulations confirmed that the counter-current downer reactor has 69 % higher solid holdup and 98 % longer residence time than the co-current operation. Thus, the counter-current downer reactor demonstrated intermediate behavior between the classical co-current downer and riser reactors, offering flexibility for industrial applications.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666821124001042Downer reactorCo-currentCounter-currentParticle image velocimetry (PIV)Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) |
| spellingShingle | Talal A. Aldugman Mengmeng Cui Abdulrahman Alzailaie Abdullah Alhareth Kenneth Langley Lujain Alfilfil Khalid Almajnouni Jorge Gascon Sigurdur Thoroddsen Pedro Castaño Comparative analysis of counter-current and co-current downer reactors using particle image velocimetry and computational particle-fluid dynamics Chemical Engineering Journal Advances Downer reactor Co-current Counter-current Particle image velocimetry (PIV) Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) |
| title | Comparative analysis of counter-current and co-current downer reactors using particle image velocimetry and computational particle-fluid dynamics |
| title_full | Comparative analysis of counter-current and co-current downer reactors using particle image velocimetry and computational particle-fluid dynamics |
| title_fullStr | Comparative analysis of counter-current and co-current downer reactors using particle image velocimetry and computational particle-fluid dynamics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparative analysis of counter-current and co-current downer reactors using particle image velocimetry and computational particle-fluid dynamics |
| title_short | Comparative analysis of counter-current and co-current downer reactors using particle image velocimetry and computational particle-fluid dynamics |
| title_sort | comparative analysis of counter current and co current downer reactors using particle image velocimetry and computational particle fluid dynamics |
| topic | Downer reactor Co-current Counter-current Particle image velocimetry (PIV) Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666821124001042 |
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