Mathematical Modeling and Numerical Simulation of a Fischer–Tropsch Packed Bed Reactor and Its Thermal Management for Liquid Hydrocarbon Fuel Production using Biomass Syngas

Abstract

A mathematical modeling and numerical simulation study has been carried out for a liquid hydrocarbon production system using syngas from biomass gasification. The system is based on a Fischer–Tropsch packed bed reactor with an external heat removal sink. To ensure the accurate prediction of exothermic heat release, the chemical reaction kinetics is modeled with a comprehensive product distribution scheme based on a novel carbon number dependent chain growth concept and stoichiometric relationship between the syngas and hydrocarbons produced. The Fischer–Tropsch synthesis involves a three-phase phenomenon: gaseous phase—syngas, water vapor and light hydrocarbons; liquid phase—heavy hydrocarbon; solid phase—catalyst. A porous medium model has been used for the two-phase flow through an isotropic packed bed of spherical catalyst pellets. An Eulerian multiphase continuum model has been applied to describe the gas–liquid flow through the porous medium. Heterogeneous catalytic chemical reactions convert syngas ...