Effect of turbulent fluctuation on the ignition of millimeter particle: Experimental studies and numerical modelling with a new correlation of nusselt number

Understanding the influencing mechanism of turbulent fluctuation on the ignition characteristics of millimeter coal particles is essential. In this work, to study the effect of turbulent fluctuation on ignition time, millimeter coal particles are subjected to a specific flow field, generated in a furnace with symmetric fans. A one-dimensional model with the new proposed correlation and the Ranz-Marshall (R-M) correlation for Nu (Nusselt number) is established to simulate the coal ignition process. In addition, the effects of fan speed, temperature, particle diameter, particle distance and coal type on the ignition time are investigated. It is found that an increase in fan speed from 0 to 3000 rpm leads to a particle Reynolds number Rep increase from 0 to 22.5, and a turbulent particle Reynolds number Ret* increase from 0 to 71.5. With a consideration of the fluctuation effect, the new correlation of Nu gives a better prediction of ignition time compared to the R-M correlation. Moreover, the ignition time is revealed to decrease with an increasing fan speed and an elevating temperature. While the ignition time shows merely an initial boost with enlarging particle distance, it exhibits a linearity with the term of particle diameter dp1.3–1.7 and Reynolds numbers (Nu*/Nu)–0.6 (Nu* is turbulent Nusselt number). Based on this relationship, the difference of predicted ignition time is calculated at different Rep and Ret*. It is shown that at low Rep or high Ret* values, the new correlation should substitute for the R-M correlation.