LAPSE:2021.0206
Published Article
LAPSE:2021.0206
Thermal Assessment of a Micro Fibrous Fischer Tropsch Fixed Bed Reactor Using Computational Fluid Dynamics
Aya E. Abusrafa, Mohamed S. Challiwala, Benjamin A. Wilhite, Nimir O. Elbashir
April 26, 2021
A two-dimensional (2D) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) scale-up model of the Fischer Tropsch reactor was developed to thermally compare the Microfibrous-Entrapped-Cobalt-Catalyst (MFECC) and the conventional Packed Bed Reactor (PBR). The model implements an advanced predictive detailed kinetic model to study the effect of a thermal runaway on C5+ hydrocarbon product selectivity. Results demonstrate the superior capability of the MFECC bed in mitigating hotspot formation due to its ultra-high thermal conductivity. Furthermore, a process intensification study for radial scale-up of the reactor bed from 15 mm internal diameter (ID) to 102 mm ID demonstrated that large tube diameters in PBR lead to temperature runaway >200 K corresponding to >90% CO conversion at 100% methane selectivity, which is highly undesirable. While the MFECC bed hotspot temperature corresponded to 30% CO conversion, attributing to significantly high thermal conductivity of the MFECC bed. Moreover, a noticeable improvement in C5+ hydrocarbon selectivity >70% was observed in the MFECC bed in contrast to a significantly low number for the PBR (<5%).
Keywords
Computational Fluid Dynamics, entrapped cobalt catalyst, Fischer Tropsch, Syngas, thermal management
Suggested Citation
Abusrafa AE, Challiwala MS, Wilhite BA, Elbashir NO. Thermal Assessment of a Micro Fibrous Fischer Tropsch Fixed Bed Reactor Using Computational Fluid Dynamics. (2021). LAPSE:2021.0206
Author Affiliations
Abusrafa AE: Chemical Engineering & Petroleum Engineering Program, Texas A&M University at Qatar, Education City, Doha 23874, Qatar; Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840, USA
Challiwala MS: Chemical Engineering & Petroleum Engineering Program, Texas A&M University at Qatar, Education City, Doha 23874, Qatar; Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840, USA; Gas and Fuels Research Center,
Wilhite BA: Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840, USA
Elbashir NO: Chemical Engineering & Petroleum Engineering Program, Texas A&M University at Qatar, Education City, Doha 23874, Qatar; Gas and Fuels Research Center, Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, College Station, TX 77843, USA
Journal Name
Processes
Volume
8
Issue
10
Article Number
E1213
Year
2020
Publication Date
2020-09-27
Published Version
ISSN
2227-9717
Version Comments
Original Submission
Other Meta
PII: pr8101213, Publication Type: Journal Article
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LAPSE:2021.0206
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doi:10.3390/pr8101213
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Apr 26, 2021
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CC BY 4.0
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Apr 26, 2021
 
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Apr 26, 2021
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https://psecommunity.org/LAPSE:2021.0206
 
Original Submitter
Calvin Tsay
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