Annals of the Assembly for International Heat Transfer Conference 13

ISBN 1-56700-225-0 / CD 1-56700-226-9

Year 2006

K. Georgieva-Angelova
Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, German

Jurgen Schmidt
Institute of Fluid Dynamics and Thermodynamics, Otto-von-Guericke - University of Magdeburg, Universitatsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany

In the present study, the application of catalytic membrane reactor for the partial oxidation of ethane with shell side dosage of oxygen is investigated using the commercial software package FLUENT^®. Transport processes and chemical reactions are described by a two-dimensional steady state model using self designed program modules for reaction kinetics, transport properties and post-processing. The influence of variable support and catalyst layer thickness on the pressure drop across the membrane, on the component fluxes and profiles is studied under non reactive and reactive conditions by varying temperature and pressure. Comparison with experimental data and simulation results using the modeling and simulation tool P_ROM_OT/DIVA shows a good agreement. Furthermore, the influence of the variation of mean pore diameter in the membrane layers is investigated at different volumetric flow rates and its effect on the diffusion flow of ethane is discussed. Simulations under reaction conditions are accomplished to determine the influence of the volume flow rate through the membrane on the yield of ethylene and the diffusion effects to the reactor shell side of the products and ethane. An optimal flow rate through the membrane is necessary for a certain catalyst layer thickness to achieve higher yield of desired intermediate products. Due to the complexity of the transport processes, numerical simulations are essential in order to reduce the experimental costs for membrane preparation, reactor design and determination of appropriate operating conditions.

MST-03 pages DOI: 10.1615/IHTC13.p10.30 Download article

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