Print: | ISSN 0256-1115 |
Online: | ISSN 1975-7220 |
Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering,
Vol.26, No.1, 72-78, 2009 Computational fluid dynamic analyses of catalytic combustors for 100 kW-class molten carbonate fuel cell
The asymmetric inner structure of a catalytic combustor causes wall cracking because of regional overheating. Thus, a symmetric shape is proposed in the present work and analyses of the computational fluid dynamics of the existing combustor and the proposed type have been performed. A simulation of the revised combustor without a swirl device revealed that the flow of gases is concentrated on the center of the combustor and only catalysts around the center are used. In the revised combustor with a swirl device, the overall temperatures were estimated to be uniform. However, near the swirl device, high temperature exceeding 1,700 K was measured. Therefore, a heatproof surface coating on the swirl device is necessary for protection of the material. At the initial start-up of the catalytic combustor, hydrogen and natural gas are used. When only natural gas is used, the simulation indicated that the gas does not burn in the revised combustor without a swirl device. However, in the combustor with the swirl device, methane of
34.8% volume burns in the simulation. On the other hand, when hydrogen and natural gas are burned together, methane of 91.7% volume burns in the simulation.
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