Catalytic combustion is a route to produce power with low environmental impact and inherently safe operation. Typically catalytic combustion is carried out in monolithic reactors. The occurrence of the combustion at the catalytic surface poses thermal management issues related to the possible generation of hot spots and consequent catalyst aging and/or deactivation eventually significantly affecting the lifetime of the catalyst itself [1]. The temperature excursions over the catalyst is the results of the complex interplay between fluid flow, chemical reaction and heat exchange. To evaluate the evolution of the spatio-temporal temperature profiles, modelling is very useful [2-3]. In the last years, the use of the computational fluidynamic code has been revealed very helpful in solving the coupling between the fluid flow evolution and the heat produced by reaction. Through the aid of the CFD models possible catalytic reactor configurations may be explored to improve the thermal management of the reactor itself. We recently developed two novel reactor configurations for preserving the catalyst from hot-spots. These configurations are based on the concept of partially coating the monolith along the axial length The first configuration is named hybrid reactor and it is based on a different catalyst distribution along the axial direction [2] or along the radial direction [3]. In both these configurations the catalyst behaves as an ingniter, the combustion being most homogeneous stabilized in the not-coated region of the monolith. CFD models have showed that these configurations allow preserving the catalyst from hot-spots also providing the operating maps at varying the most important parameters. This work review most results attained through CFD models highlighting the potential of such tool in the development of novel catalytic reactor configurations.
CFD modelling of novel reactor configuration for catalytic combustion
Valeria Di Sarli;Paola Sabrina Barbato;Gianluca Landi;
2015
Abstract
Catalytic combustion is a route to produce power with low environmental impact and inherently safe operation. Typically catalytic combustion is carried out in monolithic reactors. The occurrence of the combustion at the catalytic surface poses thermal management issues related to the possible generation of hot spots and consequent catalyst aging and/or deactivation eventually significantly affecting the lifetime of the catalyst itself [1]. The temperature excursions over the catalyst is the results of the complex interplay between fluid flow, chemical reaction and heat exchange. To evaluate the evolution of the spatio-temporal temperature profiles, modelling is very useful [2-3]. In the last years, the use of the computational fluidynamic code has been revealed very helpful in solving the coupling between the fluid flow evolution and the heat produced by reaction. Through the aid of the CFD models possible catalytic reactor configurations may be explored to improve the thermal management of the reactor itself. We recently developed two novel reactor configurations for preserving the catalyst from hot-spots. These configurations are based on the concept of partially coating the monolith along the axial length The first configuration is named hybrid reactor and it is based on a different catalyst distribution along the axial direction [2] or along the radial direction [3]. In both these configurations the catalyst behaves as an ingniter, the combustion being most homogeneous stabilized in the not-coated region of the monolith. CFD models have showed that these configurations allow preserving the catalyst from hot-spots also providing the operating maps at varying the most important parameters. This work review most results attained through CFD models highlighting the potential of such tool in the development of novel catalytic reactor configurations.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
