Pulverized coal combustion computational modeling approach: A review

CFD (Computational fluid dynamics) is a tool, through which, the entire combustion process for pulverized coal combustion (PCC) can be predicted. The solid fuel combustion modeling is not as simple as gaseous or liquid fuel combustion modeling. In the solid fuel combustion process, various physical transformations and chemical reactions occur simultaneously. Therefore in the computational modeling approach for PCC, basic physical and chemical processes such as; turbulence, radiation, devolatilization, gas-phase combustion, char reaction and soot formation/reduction are integrated to obtain the desired results. However, in order to reach the desired accuracy, different computational models should be chosen carefully. In this review, various common models that are widely used in PCC simulation are discussed scientifically along with their modeling aspects. The basic advantages and disadvantages of these models are also discussed in this study. Moreover, different models preferred by various authors for pulverized coal combustion simulation process are also summarized. From the review, it has been observed that the eddy viscosity based two-equation turbulent models and Eulerian-Lagrangian multiphase approach are mostly preferred due to better computational economy. Two competing rate devolatilization model from various finite rate models and FG-DVC devolatilization model from various phenomenological models are mostly used for PCC. Diffusion kinetic control and Intrinsic char combustion models are mostly chosen to predict the char reaction. Finite reaction rate models are preferred when the computational economy is a concern, whereas phenomenological models provide results with better accuracy because in phenomenological models realistic inputs are given as input for simulation whereas, in finite rate models, finite rate constants are mostly empirical. Most of the gas phase models are given almost equal importance. Discrete ordinate (DO) is mostly used for PCC due to its ability of volumetric radiation calculation and the ability to evaluate radiation effect on the particle phase.