Simulation of Convection Heat Transfer in Thermal Flow Reversal Reactor for Lean Methane Oxidation

Fast depletion of fossil fuel resources is a major challenge to the world today. While great amount of fugitive methane emits into atmosphere, most of them is of lower concentration (typically below 1% methane), as lean methane disposal is difficult. Thermal flow reversal reactor is proper for lean methane oxidation. The heat transfer in thermal flow reversal reactor is unsteady. Temperature field of flow fluid is coupled with temperature field of ceramic honeycomb. The characteristics of temperature field and velocity field under certain conditions are presented. Influence of wall thickness and inlet velocity is determined numerically. It is shown that the convection heat transfer is very strong in honeycomb ceramic. There is a high speed flow core near air-inlet; and there is large pressure gradient according to high temperature. Thick wall leads to low temperature and low pressure loss. High inlet velocity leads to high temperature and high pressure loss.