ABSTRACT

In the current study, we have applied the discrete element method (DEM) to model catalytic coal gasification where the reaction of individual coal particles under flow is probed. Three different reaction models (Shrinking unreacted particle model (SUPM), Uniform conversion model (UCM), and Shrinking unreacted core model (SUCM)) were incorporated into the DEM for small coal particles with size distribution (100 µm ~ 300 µm) in a tube reactor under pressure driven flow, and the distribution of contour length each coal particle and interactions among particles were probed to determine the distribution of particle size and degree of conversion during the reaction. Our results demonstrate a strong influence of flow on aggregation, and thus conversion of individual coal particles. The DEM simulation results with reaction models will be compared to coal gasification experiments with and without catalysts in tubular and fixed bed reactors.

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