EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH OF FLOW STRUCTURE IN A GAS-SOLID CIRCULATING FLUIDIZED BED RISER BY PIV

Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV) techniques were applied to investigate the particle motion and cluster properties in a gas-solid two-phase flow in a circulating fluidized bed riser. Visual images and micro-structure of various clusters were captured. After the boundary of clusters was determined by the gray level threshold method, clusters were classified by the distance between particles and the shape and position of clusters. In addition, the process of clusters forming and breaking up was described, and the sizes of clusters were also obtained. With the Minimum Quadric Difference (MQD) cross-correlation algorithm suitable for high-density particles, the axial velocities of the particles were obtained in the dilute phase section. The features of particle motion were revealed by investigating statistically the magnitude and distribution of particle axial velocity in the radial direction. At most radial cross-sections, there exists a parabola-shaped distribution of upward axial velocity of particles, namely, the magnitude of axial velocity in the core region is higher than that near the wall region of the riser.