TY - GEN
T1 - NUMERICAL STUDY OF METHANE PYROLYSIS INSIDE A SINGLE-CHANNEL SHOCK WAVE REFORMER
AU - Mahmoodi-Jezeh, S. V.
AU - Tüchler, Stefan
AU - Madiot, Ghislain
AU - Davidson, Mark
AU - Akbari, Pejman
AU - Copeland, Colin D.
PY - 2022/10/28
Y1 - 2022/10/28
N2 - The paper describes a numerical investigation of the thermal decomposition of methane to hydrogen and carbon within a single-channel, four-port wave rotor using a three-dimensional (3-D), Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) CFD model. This work is in support of the New Wave Hydrogen, Inc. (NWH2) proprietary technology development. A Menter’s k − ω SST turbulence is used for the closure of the mean momentum equations and is coupled to multispecies transport equations with a one-step finite-rate chemistry model. The kinetic model is validated based on a set of measurement data of a double-diaphragm shock tube case. To further examine the predictive accuracy of the numerical approach, the results of the 3-D single-channel wave rotor are compared with those of quasi-one-dimensional unsteady model that has been previously reported extensively in literature. It is observed that when the wave rotor channel is exposed to the high-pressure driven gas (HPDRVN) port, a secondary right-running shock wave is generated, which greatly energizes the flow around the HPDRVN port, resulting in large magnitudes of pressure and temperature; and consequently, the cracking of methane into hydrogen and carbon. The comparison between 1-D and 3-D simulation results indicate that the LPDRVN gas penetration is around 75% of the channel width in the case of 1-D, but is below 50% in the 3-D case. Furthermore, the conversion rate of methane in the 3-D case is one order of magnitude smaller than that in the 1-D case.
AB - The paper describes a numerical investigation of the thermal decomposition of methane to hydrogen and carbon within a single-channel, four-port wave rotor using a three-dimensional (3-D), Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) CFD model. This work is in support of the New Wave Hydrogen, Inc. (NWH2) proprietary technology development. A Menter’s k − ω SST turbulence is used for the closure of the mean momentum equations and is coupled to multispecies transport equations with a one-step finite-rate chemistry model. The kinetic model is validated based on a set of measurement data of a double-diaphragm shock tube case. To further examine the predictive accuracy of the numerical approach, the results of the 3-D single-channel wave rotor are compared with those of quasi-one-dimensional unsteady model that has been previously reported extensively in literature. It is observed that when the wave rotor channel is exposed to the high-pressure driven gas (HPDRVN) port, a secondary right-running shock wave is generated, which greatly energizes the flow around the HPDRVN port, resulting in large magnitudes of pressure and temperature; and consequently, the cracking of methane into hydrogen and carbon. The comparison between 1-D and 3-D simulation results indicate that the LPDRVN gas penetration is around 75% of the channel width in the case of 1-D, but is below 50% in the 3-D case. Furthermore, the conversion rate of methane in the 3-D case is one order of magnitude smaller than that in the 1-D case.
KW - hydrogen production
KW - methane pyrolysis
KW - turbulence simulation
KW - wave rotor
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85141438819&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1115/GT2022-82683
DO - 10.1115/GT2022-82683
M3 - Chapter in a published conference proceeding
AN - SCOPUS:85141438819
T3 - Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo
BT - Coal, Biomass, Hydrogen, and Alternative Fuels; Controls, Diagnostics, and Instrumentation; Steam Turbine
PB - The American Society of Mechanical Engineers(ASME)
T2 - ASME Turbo Expo 2022: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition, GT 2022
Y2 - 13 June 2022 through 17 June 2022
ER -
