A 2d Continuum Model Based on Particle-Resolved Cfd for Packed Bed Reactors

Abstract

The performance of packed bed reactors is greatly affected by the reactor temperature distributions, which cannot be well predicted by the classical 2D continuum models. This work develops an improved 2D continuum model, which utilizes particle-resolved computational fluid dynamics (PRCFD) simulations to estimate the spatially distributed effective thermal conductivity. The proposed 2D continuum model is highly accurate, which is proved by comparing with the classical 2D continuum models in predicting radial and axial temperature profiles in the reactor. Meanwhile, the accuracy of the proposed model is further improved by using the sintered metal fiber method to calculate the effective thermal conductivity (2D-PW-SMF). The 2D-PW-SMF model shows good adaptability, yielding precise prediction of reactor temperatures under different packing heights, tube-to-pellet diameter ratios, pellet shapes, inlet velocity magnitudes, and temperature zones. The accuracy of the 2D-PW-SMF model is also examined in the presence of dry reforming of methane reaction, implying its great feasibility in industrial applications. This work provides a powerful and efficient model tool for designing and optimizing industrial packed bed reactors.

Keywords: Packed bed reactor, particle-resolved CFD, 2D continuum model, Heat transfer, Parameter estimation