CFD-MODELING OF THE FLUID DYNAMICS IN THE POROUS CATALYST BED OF THE THERMOCHEMICAL REGENERATOR
One of the tasks in the engineering calculations of thermochemical heat recovery systems is to determine the aerodynamic resistance of the catalyst bed in a thermochemical regenerator. Using the principles of CFD modeling, a computer model for the fluid dynamics in a fixed catalyst bed has been developed. The numerical experiment was performed via the software product ANSYS Fluent. Pressure losses in the catalyst bed for different inlet flow rates have been determined. The numerical results are verified with experimental data. For the results, a characteristic quadratic dependence of the pressure loss on the velocity Δp = f (w2) is observed. Based on the CFD simulation data, it is established that the local loss coefficient (ξ) of the catalyst bed depends on the velocity of the gas stream passing through the bed. As the flow rate decreases, the value of the local loss coefficient increases. Therefore, if the coefficient ξ = 140 for a velocity of 1 m/s, then the coefficient ξ = 168 for a velocity of 0.2 m/s. The developed model allows performing computational experiments for catalytic layers filled with granules of various shapes and porosity. The obtained results can be used in engineering calculations of the method for increasing the energy efficiency of heat and heat power plants, which is based on the thermochemical transformation of the thermal energy of flue gases into the chemical energy of the new synthetic fuel, as well as in the calculations of chemical reactors for methane vapor conversion. In addition, the results obtained can be used to calculate methane conversion furnaces using porous nickel oxide catalysts.