• Energy Research

In the chemical industry, hydrogen (H2) production through steam-methane reforming is a well-established process. With the growing demand for H-fueled vehicles and charging stations, there is a need for compact reformers with efficient heat transfer capabilities. In this study, computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed to evaluate the methane (CH4) conversion and heat transfer efficiency of various reformer designs. These designs include single, double, and triple tubes, each with parallel- and counter-flow configurations between the reformate feed and heat source. The findings revealed substantial disparities in methane conversion between the tube designs and flow configurations. Notably, the triple-tube design outperforms single and double tubes, exhibiting higher methane conversion and improved heat transfer efficiency. This superior performance is attributed to the larger wall area facing the heat source and additional heat recovery from the reformate flowing in the inner annulus. This led to the highest temperature at the catalyst exit among the cases, increasing methane conversion, and the lowest reformate temperature at the reformer tube exit, which is also beneficial for the subsequent water–gas shift reaction process. Installing external fins on the reformer tube provided a more effective enhancement of heat transfer than using internal fins in the catalyst section. Regardless of the tube design employed, the counter-flow configuration consistently enhanced the heat transfer efficiency, resulting in 4.6–11.9% higher methane conversion than the parallel-flow configuration. Consequently, the triple-tube design with the counter-flow configuration achieved the highest methane conversion, offering flexibility in the reformer design, including the potential for lower heat input and a reduced catalyst volume.

In the chemical industry, hydrogen (H2) production through steam-methane reforming is a well-established process. With the growing demand for H-fueled vehicles and charging stations, there is a need for compact reformers with efficient heat transfer capabilities. In this study, computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed to evaluate the methane (CH4) conversion and heat transfer efficiency of various reformer designs. These designs include single, double, and triple tubes, each with parallel- and counter-flow configurations between the reformate feed and heat source. The findings revealed substantial disparities in methane conversion between the tube designs and flow configurations. Notably, the triple-tube design outperforms single and double tubes, exhibiting higher methane conversion and improved heat transfer efficiency. This superior performance is attributed to the larger wall area facing the heat source and additional heat recovery from the reformate flowing in the inner annulus. This led to the highest temperature at the catalyst exit among the cases, increasing methane conversion, and the lowest reformate temperature at the reformer tube exit, which is also beneficial for the subsequent water–gas shift reaction process. Installing external fins on the reformer tube provided a more effective enhancement of heat transfer than using internal fins in the catalyst section. Regardless of the tube design employed, the counter-flow configuration consistently enhanced the heat transfer efficiency, resulting in 4.6–11.9% higher methane conversion than the parallel-flow configuration. Consequently, the triple-tube design with the counter-flow configuration achieved the highest methane conversion, offering flexibility in the reformer design, including the potential for lower heat input and a reduced catalyst volume.

Tangential-firing boilers develop large swirling fireballs by using pulverized coal and air from the corners of the burner zone. During operation, however, the boiler may experience an uneven air supply between corners; this deforms the fireball, raising various issues concerning performance and structural safety. This study investigated the characteristic boiler performance and the role of burner tilting in a 500 MWe boiler with secondary air (SA) in two corners that are up to 1.9 times larger than those in the other corners. Computational fluid dynamics simulations with advanced coal combustion sub-models were employed with the following two sets of cases: (i) six cases of actual operation to validate the modeling and (ii) sixteen cases for the parametric study of SA flow ratio and burner tilt between −15° and +26°. The results showed that the uneven SA supply deteriorated the boiler performance in various aspects and the burner tilt can be used to alleviate its impact. With a larger SA supply from the left wind box, the mass flow, heat absorption, and O2 concentration were larger in the right half of the heat exchanger sections owing to the rotating flow. The corresponding imbalance in the reaction stoichiometry increased the peak temperature entering the tube bundles by up to 60 °C and NO emissions by 6.7% as compared with normal operations. The wall heat absorption was up to 19% larger on the right and front walls. The high burner tilt of +26° helped alleviate the impact of uneven SA supply on the heat distribution and uniformity of the flow pattern and temperature, whereas a +15° burner tilt was the least favorable.

Tangential-firing boilers develop large swirling fireballs by using pulverized coal and air from the corners of the burner zone. During operation, however, the boiler may experience an uneven air supply between corners; this deforms the fireball, raising various issues concerning performance and structural safety. This study investigated the characteristic boiler performance and the role of burner tilting in a 500 MWe boiler with secondary air (SA) in two corners that are up to 1.9 times larger than those in the other corners. Computational fluid dynamics simulations with advanced coal combustion sub-models were employed with the following two sets of cases: (i) six cases of actual operation to validate the modeling and (ii) sixteen cases for the parametric study of SA flow ratio and burner tilt between −15° and +26°. The results showed that the uneven SA supply deteriorated the boiler performance in various aspects and the burner tilt can be used to alleviate its impact. With a larger SA supply from the left wind box, the mass flow, heat absorption, and O2 concentration were larger in the right half of the heat exchanger sections owing to the rotating flow. The corresponding imbalance in the reaction stoichiometry increased the peak temperature entering the tube bundles by up to 60 °C and NO emissions by 6.7% as compared with normal operations. The wall heat absorption was up to 19% larger on the right and front walls. The high burner tilt of +26° helped alleviate the impact of uneven SA supply on the heat distribution and uniformity of the flow pattern and temperature, whereas a +15° burner tilt was the least favorable.

Abstract Oxy-combustion with a circulating fluidized bed (Oxy-CFBC) can facilitate the separation of high CO2 concentration and reduce emissions by biomass co-firing. This study investigated Oxy-CFBC characteristics such as temperature, solid hold-up, flue gas concentrations including CO2, pollutant emissions (SO2, NO, and CO), combustion efficiency and ash properties (slagging, fouling index) with increasing input oxygen levels (21–29 vol%), and biomass co-firing ratios (50, 70, and 100 wt% with domestic wood pellet). The possibility of bio-energy carbon capture and storage for negative CO2 emission was also evaluated using a 0.1 MWth Oxy-CFBC test-rig. The results show that combustion stably achieved with at least 90 vol% CO2 in the flue gas. Compared to air-firing, oxy-firing (with 24 vol% oxygen) reduced pollutant emissions to 29.4% NO, 31.9% SO2 and 18.5% CO. Increasing the biomass co-firing from 50 to 100 wt% decreased the NO, SO2 and CO content from 19.2 mg/MJ to 16.1 mg/MJ, 92.8 mg/MJ to 25.0 mg/MJ, and 7.5 mg/MJ to 5.5 mg/MJ, respectively. In contrast to blends of sub-bituminous coal and lignite, negative CO2 emission (approximately −647 g/kWth) was predicted for oxy-combustion only biomass.

Abstract Oxy-combustion with a circulating fluidized bed (Oxy-CFBC) can facilitate the separation of high CO2 concentration and reduce emissions by biomass co-firing. This study investigated Oxy-CFBC characteristics such as temperature, solid hold-up, flue gas concentrations including CO2, pollutant emissions (SO2, NO, and CO), combustion efficiency and ash properties (slagging, fouling index) with increasing input oxygen levels (21–29 vol%), and biomass co-firing ratios (50, 70, and 100 wt% with domestic wood pellet). The possibility of bio-energy carbon capture and storage for negative CO2 emission was also evaluated using a 0.1 MWth Oxy-CFBC test-rig. The results show that combustion stably achieved with at least 90 vol% CO2 in the flue gas. Compared to air-firing, oxy-firing (with 24 vol% oxygen) reduced pollutant emissions to 29.4% NO, 31.9% SO2 and 18.5% CO. Increasing the biomass co-firing from 50 to 100 wt% decreased the NO, SO2 and CO content from 19.2 mg/MJ to 16.1 mg/MJ, 92.8 mg/MJ to 25.0 mg/MJ, and 7.5 mg/MJ to 5.5 mg/MJ, respectively. In contrast to blends of sub-bituminous coal and lignite, negative CO2 emission (approximately −647 g/kWth) was predicted for oxy-combustion only biomass.