Analysis of Chemically Reacting Gas Flow and Heat Transfer in Methane Reforming Processes

Abstract

This paper presents simulation and analysis of gas flow and heat transfer affected by chemical reactions relating to steam reforming of methane in a compact reformer. The reformer conditions such as the combined thermal boundary conditions on solid walls, mass balances associated with the reforming reactions and gas permeation to/from the porous catalyst layer are applied. Momentum and heat transport together with fuel gas species equations have been solved by coupled source terms and variable thermo-physical properties of the fuel gas mixture. The predicted results are presented and discussed for a composite duct consisting of a porous catalyst reaction area, the flow duct and solid layers.