TITLE:
Resolving a Challenge in the Modeling of Hydrogen Production Using Steam Reforming of Methane in Monolith Reactors Using CFD Methods
AUTHORS:
Mohammad Irani
KEYWORDS:
Hydrogen Production; Monolithic Reactor; CFD; SMR; Surface-model; Volume-model
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Materials Physics and Chemistry,
Vol.2 No.4B,
January
17,
2013
ABSTRACT: Reaction modeling of SMR (Steam Methane Reforming) process inside monolith reactors using two approaches were investigated and compared with each other. In the first approach, the reactions were assumed to take place exactly on the wall surfaces, while in the second approach they considered inside a thin thickness near the walls. Experiments of SMR were carried out in a lab-scale monolith reactor. A single-channel was considered and CFD model were developed for each of aforementioned approaches. Comparisons between modeling results and experimental data showed that the first approach (surface model) gives better results. Performing reactions are difficult and expensive, CFD simulations are considered as numerical experiments in many cases. It was concluded that obtained results from CFD analysis gives precise guidelines for further studies on optimization of SMR monolithic reactor performance.