Abstract
The detailed understanding of local mass transport characteristics in porous catalyst supports is essential for the evaluation of their performance in reaction engineering applications. This applies particularly for the development and assessment of novel concepts such as additively manufactured periodic open cellular structures (POCS). A major drawback of the frequently used Eulerian based mass transport simulation methods is their tendency to overestimate molecular diffusion due to artificial numerical diffusion, especially in the range of high Péclet numbers (boundary-layer dispersion and pure mechanical dispersion regime) that is often encountered in industrial applications.To overcome this problem, we present a new efficient solver implementation for the OpenFOAM® simulation toolbox based on the Lagrangian Random Walk Particle Tracking method to calculate the mass transport via a deterministic convective and a stochastic diffusion term. Besides the numerical calculation of effective diffusion as well as dispersion coefficients, the new solver is also capable of analyzing residence time behavior, flow tortuosity and contact patterns with catalytically active surfaces of catalyst support structures in detail. Following a thorough validation study, we demonstrate the evaluation options provided by the results of this new solver named disTrackFoam on the example of three POCS with distinct unit cell types.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
