Experiments on Heat Exchanger Solidity for Coal-Fired Fluidized Bed Applications

The efficient extraction of a high-temperature working fluid from a coal-fired fluidized bed combustor depends, to a great extent, on the design of the immersed heat exchanger. Of special importance is the solidity of the cooling tubes immersed in the bed. The interaction between increasing solidity and the consequent degradation of proper fluidization and circulation is being studied at the New York University fluidized bed combustion facility. In a preliminary set of experiments it was found that under certain conditions, the solidity of heat exchanger in the bed may be significantly increased, giving designers an additional variable parameter.