A pebble bed heater is being used for heating air.

The bed is composed of 20mm spherical

particles and the average voidage of the bed is 0.5. The particles are initially heated to a
temperature of 70oC. Air at 10oC is passed through the bed at a superficial mass velocity of
0.5kg/ m2 s. Determine the height of bed required if the initial outlet temperature of air is to be
65oC.

Solution:

At 37.5{ (65 + 10)/2 }, properties of air are:

Specific heat = 1005 J/kg K; viscosity = 19 X 10-6kg/ m s; density =1.137kg/m3; thermal

conductivity = 0.0274 W/m K

For spherical particle, Dvs = Dp = 20mm = 0.02m

Superficial Mass Velocity = Vo ρ g = 0.5 kg/ m2 s

Voidage = ε= 0.5

𝐷𝑣𝑠 𝑉𝑜 𝜌𝑔 0.02 𝑋 0.5

𝑅𝑒𝑝 = µ𝑔 (1−𝜀)
= 1.9 𝑋 10−6 (1−0.5) = 1052.63

Since Rep is between 20 & 10000 and ε between 0.34 & 0.78
2⁄ 𝜀 1
𝑁𝑢𝑔𝑝 = [0.5√𝑅𝑒𝑝 + 0.2(𝑅𝑒𝑝 3 )] [
1−𝜀
] 𝑃𝑟 ⁄3

𝐶𝑝,𝑔 µ𝑔
𝑃𝑟 = 𝑘
= (1005 X 1.9 𝑋 10−6 )/ 0.0274 = 0.697

On substituting all the values, Nugp = 32.74

ℎ𝑔𝑝 𝐷𝑣𝑠
𝑁𝑢𝑔𝑝 =
𝑘𝑔

Thus, hgp = (32.74 X 0.0274)/ 0.02

hgp= 44.85 W/m2 K

Rate of heat transfer to gas

𝑄 = 𝑚 𝐶𝑝,𝑔 ∆𝑇 & m= 0.5 A

where m is mass flow rate of gas; A is cross-section of bed

 ∆𝑇 = 65 − 10 = 55

𝑄 = 0.5 𝐴 𝑋 1005 𝑋 55 = 27637.5𝐴

Q can also be written as 𝑄 = ℎ𝑔𝑝 𝑆𝑝 𝐿𝑀𝑇𝐷 here, 𝑆𝑝 is total surface area of particles

Particles at 70oC, gas enters at 10 & leaves at 65oC

(70 − 10) − (70 − 65)

𝐿𝑀𝑇𝐷 = = 22.13
70 − 10
𝑙𝑛
70 − 65

27637.5𝐴 = 44.85 𝑆𝑝 𝑋 22.13 … … … … (1)

1
𝑆𝑝 = 𝜋D2𝑝 & 𝑣𝑝 = 6 𝜋D3𝑝

𝑆𝑝 6 6 𝑚2
= = = 300 3
𝑣𝑝 𝐷𝑝 0.02 𝑚

ε is Void Vol/ Total Vol of bed & 1- ε = Vol of solid/Total Vol of bed

Sp = 300 vp = 300 (1-0.5) A L

Thus, from eq. 1

27637.5𝐴 = 44.85 𝑋 150 𝐴𝐿 𝑋 22.13

L= 0.1856m

_____________________________________________________________________________

Pebble heaters operate batchwise. As time pass , temp of bed decreases and outlet air temp also
decreases.
For very low Re. No.

1.075
𝑗𝐻 = 𝑅𝑒𝑝−0.826
𝜀
ℎ𝑔𝑝 2
𝑗𝐻 = [ ] 𝑃𝑟 ⁄3
𝐶𝑝,𝑔 𝑉𝑜 𝜌 𝑔

𝑅𝑒𝑝𝑚 = 𝑅𝑒𝑝 (1 − 𝜀)

For 0.01<𝑅𝑒𝑝𝑚 < 10 & 0.371< ε < 0.452