Optimization of regenerator operating parameters and thermal insulation construction for rotary regenerative thermal oxidizer (r-RTO) based on thermal-fluid coupling method and quadratic regression model

Abstract

Rotary regenerative oxidiser ( r -RTO), an effective VOCs treatment equipment, needs to be operated for a long time under actual working conditions, resulting in excessive temperatures on the outer wall of the r -RTO furnace, which causes production accidents. In order to avoid production accidents, the heat transfer process of airflow inside r -RTO regenerator should be clarified. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method is applied to analyse the temperature and pressure distribution in r -RTO regenerator. The temperature distribution of regenerator is analysed in order to find the main thermal dissipation path based on thermal-fluid coupling method. In temperature distribution, the outlet temperature T outlet is decreased with the increase of regenerator height h . However, T outlet is increased with the increase of gas flow rate v gas pore size D p , respectively. In pressure distribution, the pressure drop P drop is increased with the increase of h and v gas . However, P drop is decreased with the increase of D p . The results of the temperature distribution analysis are shown that the main pathway for thermal dissipation is along the partition dividers to insulation material where thermal dissipated through the insulation material. Quadratic regression method is used to design multivariate simulation experiments. Genetic algorithm is used to find optimal operating parameters. In addition, partition divider material and thermal insulation thickness are used as optimization parameters to optimize the thermal insulation construction. The present study reveals that thermal-fluid coupling method and quadratic regression method are satisfactory for the optimization of regenerator operating parameters and thermal insulation construction for r -RTO regenerator.