Influence of Process Parameters on the Mechanical Properties of the Reformer Tube

Jiahe Zhang,Peng Jiang,Wenjia Yin,F Gunzer

doi:10.1051/e3sconf/202124302004

Abstract

Considering the non-linear characteristics of the reformer tube material with temperature changes and the influence of the fluid inside and outside the tube, we suggest to establish a thermal-fluid-solid coupling model and calculation method for the reformer tube of the hydrogen production reformer. The multi field coupling theory is used to analyze and study the stress distribution of the fluid in the reformer tube under different process conditions, different inlet temperature and different inlet flow rate.We found that under hot operating conditions, as the fluid inlet temperature in the tube increasing, the maximum equivalent stress of the overall reformer tube structure gradually decreased. As the flow rate gradually increasing, the maximum equivalent stress of the reformer tube decreased gradually and then increased. In this paper, all the technological parameters come from the actual production conditions, so the research results provide a certain reference for safe production.

Highlights

Hydrogen production by natural gas steam reforming has been used in the industrial field since 1926 and has a history of nearly 100 years
The influence of different inlet temperatures on the mechanical properties of reformer tube multi-field coupling under hot operating conditions is studied
It is concluded that the maximum total displacement of the overall structure of the reformer tube is located at the upper pigtail tube with the increase of the inlet temperature and shows a slightly increasing trend

Summary

Introduction

Hydrogen production by natural gas steam reforming has been used in the industrial field since 1926 and has a history of nearly 100 years. It has the advantages of low cost and convenient operation. Many scholars at home and abroad have studied the reaction of methane steam reforming and multi-field coupling mechanical analysis. Murphy DM[4] studied the heat transfer, flow and reaction kinetics of methane steam reforming in a ceramic microchannel reactor, Liu Jubao et al[5] used a domain coupling method to analyze the double-layer tube and the fluid inside and outside the tube. It is expected to provide a certain reference for safe production

Physical model

Establishment of fluid-solid coupling numerical model

Fluid-solid coupling Fluid-solid coupling calculation method

Calculation results and analysis

Findings

Conclusions