Proceedings of the International Conference on Fluid and Thermal Energy Conversion 2006 Jakarta, Indonesia, December 10 14, 2006

FTEC 2006 ISSN 0854 - 9346

Experimental Study on Continuous Fluidized Bed Drying of Peat

Haryadi(1), Aryadi Suwono(2), and Toto Hardianto(2) Mechanical Engineering Dept., Politeknik Negeri Bandung, INDONESIA (2) Mechanical Engineering Dept., Institut Teknologi Bandung, INDONESIA Contact Person: Haryadi, Mechanical Engineering Dept., Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, 40132, INDONESIA Phone: +62 22 2502324, Fax: + 62 22 2502324, E-mail: haryadi331@students.itb.ac.id
(1)

Abstract Peat which considered as potential primary energy resource needs some quality improvements, to make it well usable. The peat fuel quality improvement can be done with drying process. Amongst the drying processes method, fluidized bed is widely used because of it advantages. The research was started with literature study on peat resources, continued by study of drying process simulation, then by designing and constructing a laboratory scale of prototype dryer. The peat sample was obtained from the sieving process of natural peat with 0.92 mm average diameter and 70% moisture content. The drying experiment was done in 30 cm bed diameter with various operating conditions. The feeding rate was varied in 5 levels, from 0.25 kg/min to 0.75 kg/min. Air dryer temperature was varied in 4 levels, from 500C to 800C, and air dryer flow rate was varied in 0.13 m3/s, 0.14 m3/s and 0.15 m3/s. It was known from the simulation, that for the calculation, the drying process is governed mainly by energy and mass balances, rather than heat and mass transfer. The experiment result shows, that the moisture content of drying product is similar to the result obtained from the simulation study. It was concluded that the operation method and some basic drying parameters can be held for large scale dryer design, i.e.: feeding rate, operation velocity, air dryer temperature and air dryer humidity leaving the bed.

Keywords: peat, drying, fluidized bed, continuous drying, humidity.

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1 INTRODUCTION Now petroleum is still represent as the main primary energy resource. The next energy resource seems to be natural gas and coal. Along with energy demand increase, the prize of both petroleum and coal hikes, and their availability decreases. After petroleum, natural gas and coal; peat has great opportunity to be developed. Indonesia has 27 million hectares [1] third largest peat area in the world, with 7,62 billion tons of dry peat proven reserve [2], but still eighth peat energy producer. It means that peat energy must be developed. Study on peat as energy is still few. Peat as energy resource needs to be upgraded to become well usable. The quality of (solid) fuel is ussually determined by heating value, volatile matter and ash content, as well as carbon and hydrogen content. In addition to those, flow ability, impurities, corrosivity and particle size distribution also affect the quality. The improvemet of peat quality as fuel, especially it heating value, can be carried out with drying. In most instances, natural peat reserve has very high moisture content, even untill 90%. Open mining with open air drying, as at Perawang, Riau Provice, produces 50-60% moisture content of peat in dry season. While wet season mining is not possible because of very wet field and produces peat with 7075% moisture content, which is cannot be used as fuel. This situation lasts for 4 month every year. Solution of this problem is increase production capacity in dry season, and then makes stock piles at the mining field. In wet season the peat at the piles will be dried. Mining activity can be carried out in wet season as long as possible, and the mining product must be dried. Peat need for fuel in this field is 1000 tons per day. Among drying methods, fluidized bed extensively used because of it advantages. This research is initial study on continuous fluidized bed drying of peat. The objective of this research is to have knowledge on peat drying characteristics in various feed rate, drying air temperature and mass flow. To pursue this objective, a modeling and a series of experiments are needed. Fluidized bed drying rate is strongly influenced by material characteristics and fluidizing conditions. Researches develop drying process models using following approaches: Heat and mass transfer equations using heat and mass transfer coefficients. Theoretical models assuming the bed divided into emulsion, cloud, and bubble phases, with heat and mass transfer among them. Empirical correlations using parameters involved. In this paper, initial study on fluidized bed drying of peat will be done. Heat and mass transfer model using heat and mass transfer combined with theoretical model, with emphasizing on the former will be used. This model will be validated with a lab scale experiment. A model of the drying process should be developed to determine the relations all parameters involve. Researches have already developed drying process models using following approaches: 1. Heat and mass transfer equations using heat and mass transfer coefficients. 2. Theoretical models assuming the bed divided into emulsion, cloud, and bubble phases, with heat and mass transfer among them. 3. Empirical correlations using parameters involved. The model developed employed heat and mass transfer equations using heat and mass transfer coefficients, combined with theoretical approaches. The result is expected to be applied in a large scale peat fluidized bed design.

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The next step of this work was design and constructing a laboratory scale drier. The apparatus must have a size that represents the operating condition of large scale fluidized bed. The bed diameter and height fulfilling the requirement are 30 cm at least [3]. The experiments ware started with design conditions, continued with the variations of flow rates and temperatures of drying air. These steps were repeated with different feeding rate, the largest, the smallest, and in between successively.

2. DRYING PROCESS MODELING The aim of modeling is to predict peat and drying air properties in various operating conditions. The modeling is based on following assumptions: 1. Uniform peat particles. 2. One dimensional air flow. 3. Neglected conductive and radiative heat transfers. 4. Bubbling fluidization. 5. Steady state condition. 6. Neglected kinetic energy. 7. During increasing temperature, vaporization does not take place. 8. Vaporization occurs at particle surface temperature. 9. All thermal looses come from freeboard.

Drying air out Drying air in

mao Yao Tao QL

mai Y Tai ai

System

Thermal looses

Peat in

mp Ypi Tpi

mp Ypo Tpo

Peat out

Figure 1 The model of drying process 2.1 Mass Balance Let Mp is mass flow rate of wet peat, and mp is mass flow rate of dry peat. Then Mpi is feeding rate. Mass balance of drying process is described as follows.
M po = M pi X

X = m p Y pi Y po = m a (Y aoYai ) M pi = m p
pi

) (Y + 1)
X ma

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Yao = Yai +

Y po = Y pi

X mp

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po =

Y po Y po + 1

(6)

2.2 Energy Balance Energy balance can be described as follows: the amount of energy given by drying air equals to the energy received by the peat and thermal losses. Meanwhile the energy received by the peat equals to the energy needed to increase peat temperature till Ts, vaporization energy, and energy needed to increase dry peat temperature till Tao. This energy is approximated with energy needed for heating the peat till exit temperature and vaporization energy. Peat inlet temperature equals to room temperature, while peat exit temperature is assumed air exit temperature Tao, then:

mai (c ai + Yai c wi )(Tai Tao ) = M pi c pi (Tao T pi ) + X .h fg (Ts ) + QL 14444 4444 2 3 1442443 1 24 4 3

1 2 3

(7)

Left hand side (1) describes energy given by drying air, first part of right hand side (2) represents heating energy of peat, while second part of right hand side (3) represents vaporization energy. 2.3 Mass and Heat Transfers Mass and heat transfer model between peat and drying air is represented by Figure 2.

Air Out Air in

Y ao m ao

mai Y ai X mp Ypi

Air
Qap QL

Peat In

Peat

mp Ypo

Peat Out

Figure 2 The model of mass and heat transfers Heat transfer from drying air to peat is:

Qap = hap Aap T T = Tai + Tao Ts 2

(8)

Maximum amount of heat that can be transferred from drying air to peat is:

Qapm = M ai (c ai + Yai c wi )(Tai Tao ) Q L

(9)

The heat received will increase particle temperature and vaporize the peat moisture. Qap = M pi c pi Tao T pi + X .h fg (Ts ) (10)

Equation 8 and 10 represent nett vaporization rate based on heat transfer, and nett vaporization rate based on mass transfer is represented by Chen equation as follow.

M H 2O Psat (Ts ) g v X = k m As Wg RTs v + gW g

(11)

The three equations will be solved simultaneously with iteration resulting X, Ts and Qap.

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3 DRYING APPARATUS Schematic drawing of drying experiment apparatus is showed in Figure 3. The apparatus consists of fluidized bed, freeboard, plenum, distributor, blower, air heater, hopper, screw conveyor, cyclone, tray and vibrator. Design of apparatus based on following parameters: 1. Feeding peat moisture content is 70% wet basis. 2. Particle mean diameter is 0.92 mm. 3. Bed diameter is 0.3 m. 4. The temperature of drying air is 80C maximum. 5. The drying product moisture content is 50-55%.
Drying air outlet Cyclone Freeboard Fluidized bed System boundary Hopper Screw conveyor

Tray Air Heater Vibrator Blower Peat outlet Distributor Plenum

Figure 3 Schematic of Drying Apparatus The schematic of experiment measurement system is showed by Figure 4. Feeding rate was measured from screw rotational speed and hopper-neck gap opening using the data of the calibration which was done previously. While operating condition is accessed and recorded with personal computer, through a data aquisition system.

RH

T5

T4 T2 T3 F T1

Legend: RH : Exit air relative humidity T1 : Inlet air/atmosphere temperature T2 : Steam temperature T3 : Drying air temperature T4 : Bed temperature T5 : Exit air termperature F : Drying air flow rate

Figure 4 The measurement system

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4. EXPERIMENT AND SIMULATION RESULT The experiment was started at design conditions, i.e.: feeding rate was 0.5 kg/min, drying air volume rate was 0.14 m3/s, and drying air temperature was 80C. Feeding rate was varied 50% below and 50% above design condition, drying air flow rate varied into 0.13 m3/s 0.15 m3/s, while drying air temperature was decreased into 70C, 60C, and 50C. The result of experiments and simulations were compared and some conclusions were drawn.

4.1 Moisture Content of Drying Product Moisture content of drying product of both from experiment and simulation for constant with feeding rate 0.5 kg/min and constant drying air temperature 80C are showed consecutively in Figure 5 and 6. It can be seen that moisture content of drying product depends on drying air temperature, drying air flow rate, and feeding rate. Moisture content of drying product resulted by experiments differed from simulation results. This phenomenon needs further investigation. At feeding rate 0.25 kg/min and drying air temperature 80C, the simulation result was close to the experiment. At this condition, the model has good validity.
70% 60% 50% 40%
Exp. 0.15 m/s Exp. 0.13 m/s

Moisture content of drying product

30% 20% 40 50 60 70

Sim. 0.15 m/s Sim. 0.13 m/s

80

90

Drying air temp. (C)

Figure 5 Moisture content of experiment drying products, at 0.5 kg/min constant feeding rate

70% 60% Moisture content of drying product 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 0 0.125 0.25 0.375 0.5 0.625 0.75 0.875 1 Feeding rate (kg/min)
Exp. 0.15 m/s Exp. 0.13 m/s Sim. 0.15 m/s Sim. 0.13 m/s

Figure 6 Moisture content of drying products, at 80C constant dying air temperature

4.2 Drying Air Humidity Moisture content of drying product and relative humidity of drying air leaving fluidized bed with constant feeding rate 0.5 kg/min is showed in Figure 7. It shows that, absolute humidity of drying air leaving drying apparatus increase along with temperature. Thus, if the drying air temperature
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increases, the nett vaporization rate will increase. The simulation result was close to the experiment ones. So far, the model agreed with the experiment.
0.040 Absolute humidity of drying air leaving fluidized bed 0.035 0.030 0.025 0.020 0.015 0.010 40 50 60 Drying air temp. 70 (C) 80 90
Sim. 0.15 m/s Sim. 0.13 m/s Exp. 0,15 m/s Exp. 0.13 m/s

Figure 7 Absolute humidity of drying air leaving drying apparatus, at 0.5 kg/min feeding rate

4.3 Mass and Heat Transfer Figure 8 shows nett vaporization rate from heat-mass transfer and energy balance. Consider there is heat source in the fluidized bed. If the heat source provides enough energy for vaporization, the dashed curve will be achieved. Because heat for vaporization was provided by drying air only, which has maximum temperature 80C, we get the lower straight curve. It can be concluded that heat and mass transfer rate very high, causes drying air temperature decreases rapidly. Thus, the actual temperature difference between drying air and particle surface is much smaller than designated by Equation 8. The fluidized bed temperatures (T4) which were close exit air temperatures (T5) prove the hypothesis.

0.700 0.600 X (kg/min) 0.500 0.400 0.300 0.200 0.100 0.000 40 50 60 70 80 90 Drying Air Temp. (C)
From mass & heat transfer From energy balance

Figure 8 Nett vaporization rate (X) from heat-mass transfer and energy balance at constant feeding rate 0.63 kg/min, and drying air flow rate 0.14 m3/s 4.4 The Ratio of Drying Vapour Rate to Nett Moisture Vaporization Rate A drying process can be evaluated with drying energy needed for the process. A compact terminology, vopour to moisture ratio (VMR) defined as ratio of drying vapour rate to nett moisture vaporization rate, will be introduced. In this case, the drying energy source was 5 bars saturated vapour, and the exit condition was saturated liquid 5 bars. Figure 9 shows VMR againts drying air temperature. mvap (11) VMR = X
mvap = ma ca (Tai T ) h
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Haryadi, A. Suwono, and T. Hardianto

1.4 1.2 1.0 VMR 0.8

Exp. 0.15m/s

0.6 0.4 0.2 40 50 60 70

Exp. 0.13 m/s Sim. 0.15m/s Sim. 0.13m/s

80

90

Drying air temp. (C)

Figure 9 VMR against drying air temperature at feeding rate 0.38 kg/min The diferences between simulation and experiment result caused by the diferences between moisture content of drying products of both. It is recommended that VMR should be evaluated experimentaly.

5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION 5.1 Conclusions From the modeling and experiment on continuous fluidized bed drying of peat can be concluded as follows: 1. The model developed has good validity to predict moisture content of drying product especially at low feeding rate. 2. The model developed has good validity to predict humidity of drying air leaving the fluidized bed. 3. The drying process parameters that can be used for large scale drying process design from this model are feeding rate, superficial or operation drying air velocity, drying air temperature, and humidity of exit drying air. 4. The heat and mass transfer rate very high, causes drying air temperature decreases rapidly. The temperature difference between drying air and particle surface is very small. 5. VMR should be evaluated experimentaly. 5.2 Recommendation Considering achievement of this research, it is recommended to conduct further investigation concerning the difference of moisture content of drying product between simulation and experiment. NOMENCLATURE c dp h km m M MH2O Psat Qap QL R = heat capacity = particle diameter = convective heat transfer coefficient, enthalpy = mass transfer coefficient = mass flow rate (of peat or air) without moisture = mass flow rate (of peat or air) with moisture = water molecular weight = saturated vapor pressure = heat transfer rate = heat loss = universal gas constant
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T Ts U Umf Ut VMR Wg X Y v Index: p a i o

= temperature = particle surface temperature = superficial velocity = minimum fluidization velocity = particle terminal velocity = vapor to moisture ratio = average vapor concentration of drying media = nett vaporization rate = absolute humidity = density = vapor density = moisture content (wet basis)

= peat = air = in = out REFERENCES

[1] International Peat Society (IPS), Peat as a Resource, http://www.peatsociety.fi [2] Tarsis A. Dinarna, Untung Trimo, Tobing, SM, Hasil-hasil Kegiatan Inventarisasi Sumber Daya Gambut dan Bitumen Padat Tahun 2002, Kumpulan Makalah Kolokium Hasil-hasil Kegiatan Lapangan Direktorat Inventarisasi Sumber Daya Mineral Tahun Anggaran 2002, Direktorat Inventarisasi Sumber Daya Mineral, Departemen Energi dan Sumber Daya Mineral, Bandung, pp. 7.1 7.10, 2003 [3] Donker, A.., Design of an Experimental Steam-Fluidized bed Dryer of Coal, Delft University of Technology and Institute of Technology Bandung, Bandung, 2001. [4] Hovmand, Svend, Fluidized Bed Drying, Handbook of Industrial Drying Mujumdar, Arun S., Editor, , 2nd edition, vol. I, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, pp.195 248, 1995. [5] Kunii, D., Levenspiel, O., Fluidization Engineering, 2nd edition. Butterworth-Heinemann, New York, 1991. [6] Pell, M., Dunson, James B., Gas Solid Operations and Equipment, Perry, Chemical Engineering Handbook, the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., New York, 1999. [7] Majumdar, Arun S., Menon, Anilkumar S., Drying of Solids: Principles, Classification and Selection of Dryers, Handbook of Industrial Drying, Mujumdar, Arun S., Editor, 2nd edition, vol. II, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, pp. 1 39, 1995. [8] Molnar, Karoly, Experimental Techniques in Drying, Handbook of Industrial Drying, Mujumdar, Arun S., Editor, 2nd edition, vol. II, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, pp. 41 70, 1995. [9] Srinivasakannan, C., Balasubramanian, N., A Simplified Approach to the Drying of Solids in A Batch Fluidized Bed; Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering, Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 293 298, 2002. [10] Suyitno, Model Dinamik dan Kaji Eksperimental Pengeringan Batubara Peringkat Rendah Indonesia dalam Fluidized Bed Menggunakan Uap Superpanas, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, 2001. [11] Wimmerstedt, Roland, Drying Peat and Biofuels, Handbook of Industrial Drying, Mujumdar, Arun S., Editor, 2nd edition, vol. II, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, pp. 809 824, 1995. [12] Andriesse, J.P., Nature and Management of Tropical Peat Soils, FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 1988. [13] Ribberink, Sjoerd Jan, Modelling of Superheated Steam Fluidized Bed Drying, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2001.
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