Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling of a Catalytic Flat Plate Fuel Reformer for On-Board Hydrogen Generation

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanta K. Das ◽  
Kranthi K. Gadde
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Flat Plate ◽  
Catalytic Combustion ◽  
Cocurrent Flow ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Channel Height ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Wgs Reaction

A catalytic flat plate fuel reformer offers better heat integration by combining the exothermic catalytic combustion reaction on one side and the endothermic catalytic reforming reaction on the other side. In this study, steam reforming of natural gas (methane) coupled with a methane catalytic combustion in a catalytic flat plate reformer is studied using a two-dimensional model for a cocurrent flow arrangement. The two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model makes the predictions more realistic by increasing its capability to capture the effect of various design parameters and eliminates the uncertainties introduced by heat and mass transfer coefficients used in one-dimensional models. In our work we simulated the entire catalytic flat plate reformer (both reforming side and combustion side) and carried-out studies related to important design parameters such as channel height, inlet fuel velocities, and catalyst layer thickness that can provide guidance for the practical implementation of such fuel reformer design. The simulated transverse temperature profiles (not shown here due to page limitation) show that there is virtually no heat loss across the plate at the reformer exit. Introduction of a water gas shift (WGS) reaction at the reformer side along with our optimized reformer design parameters decreases the amount of carbon monoxide (CO) almost 90%–98% in the final reformate exiting the reformer as compared to without the WGS reaction. The CFD results obtained in this study will be very helpful to understand the optimization of design parameters to build a first generation prototype.

CFD Modeling of a Catalytic Flat Plate Fuel Reformer for Hydrogen Generation

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kranthi K. Gadde ◽  
Panini K. Kolavennu ◽  
Susanta K. Das ◽  
K. J. Berry
Keyword(s):  
Flat Plate ◽  
Catalytic Combustion ◽  
Reaction Rates ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Cfd Modeling ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Channel Height ◽  
Inlet Temperature ◽  
Two Dimensional

In this study, steam reforming of methane coupled with methane catalytic combustion in a catalytic plate reactor is studied using a two-dimensional mathematical model for co-current flow arrangement. A two-dimensional approach makes the model more realistic by increasing its capability to capture the effect of parameters such as catalyst thickness, reaction rates, inlet temperature and velocity, and channel height, and eliminates the uncertainties introduced by heat and mass transfer coefficients used in one-dimensional models. In our work, we simulate the entire flat plate reformer (both reforming side and combustion side) and carry out parametric studies related to channel height, inlet velocities, and catalyst layer thickness that can provide guidance for the practical implementation of such design. The operating conditions chosen make possible a comparison of the catalytic plate reactor and catalytic combustion analysis with the conventional steam reformer. The CFD results obtained in this study will be very helpful to understand the optimization of design parameters to build a first generation prototype.

Modeling of a Catalytic Flat Plate Fuel Reformer for Hydrogen-Rich Reformate Fuel

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanta K. Das ◽  
Kranthi K. Gadde
Keyword(s):  
Flat Plate ◽  
Catalytic Combustion ◽  
Reaction Rates ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Channel Height ◽  
Inlet Temperature ◽  
Optimized Design ◽  
Two Dimensional

In this study, using a two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model with co-current flow arrangement, steam reforming of methane coupled with methane catalytic combustion in a catalytic plate reactor is investigated. The two-dimensional approach makes the model more realistic by increasing its capability to capture the effect of design parameters such as catalyst thickness, reaction rates, inlet temperature and velocity, and channel height, and eliminates the uncertainties introduced by heat and mass transfer coefficients used in one-dimensional models. In our work, we simulate the entire flat plate reformer electro-kinetics and carry out parametric studies related to design matrices that can provide guidance for the practical implementation of such design. The operating conditions are chosen in such a way which makes possible a good comparison of the catalytic plate reactor and catalytic combustion analysis with the conventional steam reformer. The CFD results obtained in this study is very helpful to understand the optimized design parameters to build a first generation prototype.

Performance Evaluation of a Catalytic Flat Plate Fuel Reformer for Hydrogen-Rich Reformate

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanta K. Das ◽  
K. Joel Berry
Keyword(s):  
Flat Plate ◽  
Reaction Rates ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Channel Height ◽  
Inlet Temperature ◽  
Optimized Design ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Transfer Coefficients

A two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is used for reforming methane with the help of catalytic combustion and reformation in a catalytic flat plate reformer. The two-dimensional approach makes the computational model more realistic by eliminating the uncertainties introduced by heat and mass transfer coefficients used in one-dimensional models. It also increased its capability to capture the effect of design parameters such as catalyst thickness, reaction rates, inlet temperature and velocity, and channel height has on producing high purity reformate gas. In order to carry out parametric studies related to various design parameters, in our present work, we simulate the entire flat plate reformer domain by considering full electro-kinetics that provide guidance for the practical implementation of such design. We chose different designs and operating conditions in such a way which makes possible to build a catalytic flat plate fuel reformer prototype. Based on the CFD results obtained in this study, we built a first generation catalytic flat plate fuel reformer prototype using the optimized design parameters. The performance of the fuel reformer prototype is tested with a 5-cell high temperature PEM fuel cell stack.

Numerical Investigation of Natural Convection in a Mono-Span Greenhouse

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunita Kruger ◽  
Leon Pretorius
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Natural Convection ◽  
Pitch Angle ◽  
Design Tool ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Cfd Model ◽  
Indoor Climate ◽  
Contour Plots

In this paper, the use of computational fluid dynamics is evaluated as a design tool to investigate the indoor climate of a confined greenhouse. The finite volume method using polyhedral cells is used to solve the governing mass, momentum and energy equations. Natural convection in a cavity corresponding to a mono-span venlo-type greenhouse is numerically investigated using Computational Fluid Dynamics. The CFD model is designed so as to simulate the climate above a plant canopy in an actual multi-span greenhouse heated by solar radiation. The aim of this paper is to investigate the influence of various design parameters such as pitch angle and roof asymmetry and on the velocity and temperature patterns inside a confined single span greenhouse heated from below. In the study reported in this paper a two-dimensional CFD model was generated for the mono-span venlo-type greenhouse, and a mesh sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the mesh independence of the solution. Similar two-dimensional flow patterns were observed in the obtained CFD results as the experimental results reported by Lamrani et al [2]. The CFD model was then modified and used to explore the effect of roof pitch angle and roof asymmetry at floor level on the development of the flow and temperature patterns inside the cavity for various Rayleigh numbers. Results are presented in the form of vector and contour plots. It was found that considerable temperature and velocity gradients were observed in the centre of the greenhouse for each case in the first 40mm above the ground, as well as in the last 24mm close to the roof. Results also indicated that the Rayleigh number did not have a significant impact on the flow and temperature patterns inside the greenhouse, although roof angle and asymmetry did. The current results demonstrate the importance of CFD as a design tool in the case of greenhouse design.

scholarly journals Impact of FO Operating Pressure and Membrane Tensile Strength on Draw-Channel Geometry and Resulting Hydrodynamics

Membranes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 111
Author(s):  
Alexander J. Charlton ◽  
Boyue Lian ◽  
Gaetan Blandin ◽  
Greg Leslie ◽  
Pierre Le-Clech
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Shear Rate ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Forward Osmosis ◽  
Transmembrane Pressure ◽  
Channel Height ◽  
Operating Pressure ◽  
Channel Geometry

In an effort to improve performances of forward osmosis (FO) systems, several innovative draw spacers have been proposed. However, the small pressure generally applied on the feed side of the process is expected to result in the membrane bending towards the draw side, and in the gradual occlusion of the channel. This phenomenon potentially presents detrimental effects on process performance, including pressure drop and external concentration polarization (ECP) in the draw channel. A flat sheet FO system with a dot-spacer draw channel geometry was characterized to determine the degree of draw channel occlusion resulting from feed pressurization, and the resulting implications on flow performance. First, tensile testing was performed on the FO membrane to derive a Young’s modulus, used to assess the membrane stretching, and the resulting draw channel characteristics under a range of moderate feed pressures. Membrane apex reached up to 67% of the membrane channel height when transmembrane pressure (TMP) of 1.4 bar was applied. The new FO channels considerations were then processed by computational fluid dynamics model (computational fluid dynamics (CFD) by ANSYS Fluent v19.1) and validated against previously obtained experimental data. Further simulations were conducted to better assess velocity profiles, Reynolds number and shear rate. Reynolds number on the membrane surface (draw side) increased by 20% and shear rate increased by 90% when occlusion changed from 0 to 70%, impacting concentration polarisation (CP) on the membrane surface and therefore FO performance. This paper shows that FO draw channel occlusion is expected to have a significant impact on fluid hydrodynamics when the membrane is not appropriately supported in the draw side.

Combining Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Flow Network Modeling (FNM) for Design of a Multi-Chip Module (MCM) Cold Plate

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Fernandes ◽  
Saeed Ghalambor ◽  
Akhil Docca ◽  
Chris Aldham ◽  
Dereje Agonafer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Thermal Analysis ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Network Modeling ◽  
Computational Time ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Cold Plate ◽  
Original Solution ◽  
Flow Network ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd

The objective of the study is to improve on performance of the current liquid cooling solution for a Multi-Chip Module (MCM) through design of a chip-scale cold plate with quick and accurate thermal analysis. This can be achieved through application of Flow Network Modeling (FNM) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in an interactive manner. Thermal analysis of the baseline cold plate design is performed using CFD to determine initial improvement in performance as compared to the original solution, in terms of thermal resistance and pumping power. Fluid flow through the solution is modeled using FNM and verified with results from the CFD analysis. In addition, CFD is employed to generate flow impedance curves of non-standard components within the cold plate, which are used as input for the Hardy Cross method in FNM. Using the verified flow network model, design parameters of different components in the cold plate are modified to promote uniform flow distribution to each active region in the chip-scale solution. Analysis of the resultant design using CFD determines additional improvement in performance over the original solution, if available. Thus, through complementary application of FNM and CFD, a robust cold plate can be designed without requiring expensive fabrication of prototypes and with minimal computational time and resources.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Techniques for Flows in Lapple Cyclone Separator

2005 ◽  
Vol 498-499 ◽  
pp. 179-185
Author(s):  
A.F. Lacerda ◽  
Luiz Gustavo Martins Vieira ◽  
A.M. Nascimento ◽  
S.D. Nascimento ◽  
João Jorge Ribeiro Damasceno ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Experimental Data ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Turbulent Flow ◽  
Reynolds Stress ◽  
Cyclone Separator ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Stress Components ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd

A two-dimensional fluidynamics model for turbulent flow of gas in cyclones is used to evaluate the importance of the anisotropic of the Reynolds stress components. This study presents consisted in to simulate through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) package the operation of the Lapple cyclone. Yields of velocity obtained starting from a model anisotropic of the Reynolds stress are compared with experimental data of the literature, as form of validating the results obtained through the use of the Computational fluid dynamics (Fluent). The experimental data of the axial and swirl velocities validate numeric results obtained by the model.

Direct Design of Ducts

2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (1) ◽  
pp. 158-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Ashrafizadeh ◽  
G. D. Raithby ◽  
G. D. Stubley
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Pressure Distribution ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Viscous Flows ◽  
Simple Extension ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Direct Design ◽  
Dependent Variables

This paper describes a method for calculating the shape of duct that leads to a prescribed pressure distribution on the duct walls. The proposed design method is computationally inexpensive, robust, and a simple extension of existing computational fluid dynamics methods; it permits the duct shape to be directly calculated by including the coordinates that define the shape of the duct wall as dependent variables in the formulation. This “direct design method” is presented by application to two-dimensional ideal flow in ducts. The same method applies to many problems in thermofluids, including the design of boundary shapes for three-dimensional internal and external viscous flows.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document