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Modelling of binary fluidized bed reactors for the sorption‐enhanced steam methane reforming process
Author(s) -
Chao Zhongxi,
Zhang Yuanwei,
Wang Yuefa,
Jakobsen Jana P.,
Jakobsen Hugo A.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.22602
Subject(s) - sorbent , fluidized bed , steam reforming , methane , packed bed , sorption , hydrogen , chemistry , waste management , superficial velocity , trickle bed reactor , residence time (fluid dynamics) , hydrogen production , chemical engineering , materials science , catalysis , chromatography , adsorption , mechanics , engineering , organic chemistry , flow (mathematics) , physics , geotechnical engineering
A 1 m high laboratory‐scale and a 4 m high industrial‐scale sorption‐enhanced steam methane reforming (SE‐SMR) fluidized bed reactor were simulated using a three‐fluid model. The performance of the SE‐SMR process was compared with the steam methane reforming (SMR) process. The influences of the superficial gas velocities and the solid loading (packed bed heights) on the reactor performance (hydrogen purity) were studied. The simulation results show that a higher purity of the hydrogen product can be obtained in a SE‐SMR reactor. The superficial gas velocity is an important parameter. In the present study, it has been found that the binary sorbent‐catalyst particles are well mixed when the bed is operated at 0.2 m/s. The sorbent can adsorb CO2 steadily, thus the dry mole fraction of the hydrogen product can get above 0.95 in the 1 m laboratory‐scale bed, and above 0.97 in the 4 m industrial‐scale bed. However, when the laboratory scale bed is operated at a lower superficial gas velocity of 0.15 m/s, the binary sorbent‐catalyst particles are segregated. When the bed is operated at a higher superficial gas velocity of 0.3 m/s, the process work load is increased, and the gas residence time in the reactor is decreased. Therefore, the hydrogen product purity is further decreased. The simulation results also show that there is an optimal bed height limit for the 4 m industrial‐scale bed, at which further increase of the packed bed height cannot increase the hydrogen purity.