Abstract
A hydrogen producing solar reactor was experimentally tested to study the cyclone flow dynamics of the gas-particle two-phase phenomenon. Two dimensional PIV (particle image velocimetry) was used to observe the flow and to quantify the vortex formation inside the solar reactor. The vortex flow structure in the reactor was reconstructed by capturing images from orientations perpendicular and parallel to the geometrical axis of the reactor respectively. The experimental results showed that the tangential components of the fluid velocity formed a Rankine-vortex profile. The free vortex portions of the Rankine profile were synchronized and independent of the axial position. The axial components showed a vortex funnel of higher speed fluid supplied by a reversing secondary flow. According to the inlet channel design, the geometry dominates the flow dynamics. A stable precessing vortex line was observed. As the vortex flow evolves towards the exit, the vortex funnel expands radially with decreasing tangential velocity magnitude peak as a result of the vortex stretching. An optimal residence time of the flow was found by changing the cyclone flow inlet conditions. The swirl number versus the main flow rate change was obtained. Upon the completion of the experimental studies, a thorough numerical analysis was conducted to model the flow dynamics inside the solar reactor and to verify the results by comparison to the experimental results. Three turbulence models including the standard k-, k- ε RNG and Reynolds Stress Transport models were used. CFD simulations were coupled with heat transfer analysis via Discrete Ordinate model. Particle tracing in Lagrange frame was applied to simulate the particle trajectory. A comparison between the turbulence modeling results for the room temperature and high temperature cases, as well as the experimental results for room temperature cases is presented.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Symposia |
Subtitle of host publication | Fundamental Issues and Perspectives in Fluid Mechanics; Industrial and Environmental Applications of Fluid Mechanics; Issues and Perspectives in Automotive Flows; Gas-Solid Flows: Dedicated to the Memory of Professor Clayton T. Crowe; Numerical Methods for Multiphase Flow; Transport Phenomena in Energy Conversion From Clean and Sustainable Resources; Transport Phenomena in Materials Processing and Manufacturing Processes |
Publisher | American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9780791846230 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2014 |
Event | ASME 2014 4th Joint US-European Fluids Engineering Division Summer Meeting, FEDSM 2014, Collocated with the ASME 2014 12th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels - Chicago, United States Duration: Aug 3 2014 → Aug 7 2014 |
Publication series
Name | American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Fluids Engineering Division (Publication) FEDSM |
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Volume | 1C |
ISSN (Print) | 0888-8116 |
Other
Other | ASME 2014 4th Joint US-European Fluids Engineering Division Summer Meeting, FEDSM 2014, Collocated with the ASME 2014 12th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels |
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Country/Territory | United States |
City | Chicago |
Period | 8/3/14 → 8/7/14 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:Copyright © 2014 by ASME.