Effect of operating parameters on gas-solid exergy transfer performance in sinter annular cooler

Abstract The exergy transfer process of sinter granular bed in an annular cooler is numerically studied. According to the principle of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, the exergy transfer coefficient and Nu expressions of the horizontal moving bed were derived by applying the second law of thermodynamics. A steady-state calculation model was established and verified by experimental data, and the influence of thermal parameters on the exergy transfer performance of the annular cooler was analyzed. The results show that increasing the cooling gas inlet velocity, cooling gas inlet temperature, sintered ore layer height or trolley moving velocity, the exergy transfer performance within the sinter granular bed would be enhanced. The cooling gas inlet speed and cooling gas inlet temperature have a significant effect on the average synthetic exergy transfer coefficient in the bed. Compared with the two factors mentioned earlier, the impact of the sinter height and the speed of the trolley on the exergy transfer process is small, but it should still attract the attention of the designer. This is of great significance for strengthening the cooling process of sintered ore, and provides a novel theoretical idea for designing similar cooling equipment.