Thermo fluid dynamic Euler-Lagrange CFD analysis applied to wet flue gas desulphurisation technology

Abstract

Paper presented at the 6th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, South Africa, 30 June - 2 July, 2008.

Wet Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) technology is the most frequently used scrubbing process for sulphur dioxide (SO2) reduction from coal-fired utility boilers. Wet limestone FGD-plants using Open Spray Tower (OST) technology are the most commonly used. CFD has been used to investigate the gas-liquid fluid dynamics inside a counter-current OST and the heat transfer between the phases. The continuous phase (gas) is modelled in the Eulerian framework while the discrete phase (liquid droplets) in the Lagrangian frame of reference. Simulation results show good agreement with measurements on a pilot plant flue gas cleaning unit. The commercial code Fluent 6.3.26, completed with the necessary subroutines for liquid phase properties and slurry wall interaction, has been used for the calculations.