ISSN 2079-6900 (Print) 
ISSN 2587-7496 (Online)

Middle Volga Mathematical Society Journal

DOI 10.15507/2079-6900.25.202304.361-374

Original article

ISSN 2079-6900 (Print)

ISSN 2587-7496 (Online)

MSC2020 76-10

Numerical model of vapor-air-diesel autothermal reformer

A. R. Yapparova, T. V. Markelova, P. V. Snytnikov

Boreskov Institute of Catalysis SB RAS (Novosibirsk, Russian Federation)

Abstract. The use of fuel cell power plants is a promising area in the generation of electricity. The path to their widespread use is hindered by their high cost and the availability of the fuel used. To solve this problem, effective energy conversion systems operating on diesel fuel are being developed. The main goal is to create a device (a fuel processor), which would convert diesel fuel into a hydrogen-containing gas. The device consists of several components: a nozzle for injecting liquid fuel having the form of drops into superheated steam, a mixing and vaporization zone for diesel fuel, an air supply area, and a reaction zone including a catalyst. The selection of temperature for the vaporization process should be made in such a way that, on the one hand, liquid droplets do not come into contact with the catalyst surface, and, on the other hand, gas-phase reactions are not initiated in the mixing zone. Developing such a device requires not only conducting laboratory experiments and studying the process catalyst, but also optimizing the basic physical parameters of the device. These parameters are its linear dimensions, operational temperature, reactant flow rates, and many others. Carrying out such a study is impossible without using methods of mathematical modeling. This significantly reduces the time and cost of work. This paper presents a digital model of an air-hydrocarbon mixture generator in an axisymmetric formulation. The dynamics of subsonic multiphase flow of water vapor carrying drops of liquid diesel fuel, the process of diesel fuel evaporation and mixing with water vapor and air are studied. The mathematical model is implemented in the ANSYS Fluent package (academic license of SSCC SBRAS). A series of calculations for various mixture feed temperatures are performed to optimize the main parameters. For the established optimal temperature, modeling of the mixture mixing process with air is carried out.

Key Words: diesel fuel, multiphase flow, fuel vaporization, formation of air-hydrocarbon mixtures, ANSYS Fluent

For citation: A. R. Yapparova, T. V. Markelova, P. V. Snytnikov. Numerical model of vapor-air-diesel autothermal reformer. Zhurnal Srednevolzhskogo matematicheskogo obshchestva. 25:4(2023), 361–374. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15507/2079-6900.25.202304.361-374

Submitted: 22.08.2023; Revised: 04.10.2023; Accepted: 24.11.2023

Information about the authors:

Aigul R. Yapparova, Engineer, Boreskov Institute of Catalysis SB RAS (5 Lavrentiev Av., Novosibirsk 630090, Russia), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8424-8104 , a.yapparova@g.nsu.ru

Tamara V. Markelova, Leading Engineer, Boreskov Institute of Catalysis SB RAS (5 Lavrentiev Av., Novosibirsk 630090, Russia), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9920-0923, matamara@gmail.com

Pavel V. Snytnikov, Head of Department Heterogeneous catalysis, Boreskov Institute of Catalysis SB RAS (5 Lavrentiev Av., Novosibirsk 630090, Russia), Dr.Sci. (Сhemical), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5057-3187, pvsnyt@catalysis.ru

All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.