Effect of various inserts on flow behavior of Fe₂O₃ beads in a three-dimensional silo subjected to cyclic discharge- Part I: Exploration of transport properties

Optimizations of uniform velocities and residence times of oxygen carriers in chemical looping reactors are key factors. This study firstly applies inserts to improve the flow performance of Fe₂O₃ beads in an actual 3D reactor. This study proposes a novel DEM approach with null friction boundaries to investigate transport properties of Fe₂O₃ beads in a reactor with inserts subjected to cyclic discharge. Six inserts were analyzed, e.g., conical insert, disk insert, BINSERT, hollow cylinder insert, and hollow silo insert, as well as no inserts for comparison, respectively. Results revealed that the flow of Fe₂O₃ beads in the 3D silos with the conical insert, disk insert, and BINSERT exhibited superior uniform velocity profiles. Furthermore, the corresponding granular temperatures and residence times were evener. The installation of these three inserts is more conducive to the uniform discharge of the Fe₂O₃ beads within a looping reactor.