Application of Fluent in Biomass Drying Simulation

This thesis presents an investigation into the drying processes of biomass, specifically focusing on wood chips and sawdust, using ANSYS Fluent as a computational fluid dynamics software. Biomass drying is a critical step in various industrial applications, particularly in bioenergy production, as it increases the fuel efficiency by reducing the moisture content. The research begins with an overview of common biomass drying technologies, including rotary, conveyor, and open-air drying systems, exploring their field of application and underlying principles of operation. The core of this work centers on the application of the Fluent software to model and simulate biomass drying processes. A multiphase Eulerian model was used, combined with the Lee model for evaporation-condensation, to accurately simulate the interaction between biomass and the airflow. The simulation results were compared with experimental data from the work of Bengtsson on low-temperature biomass drying. The results showed a close alignment between the simulation and experimental findings, validating the computational model. The study includes a case analysis of the drying system employed by COOPEOS and Intradel, two organizations active in biomass energy in Belgium. The findings from this research contribute to enhancing biomass drying techniques and also highlight the potential for optimizing key parameters through the model, which could drive further improvements in similar facilities in the future.