Reverse flow reactor with side feeding as a novel strategy to create dynamic oxygen coverage and heat propagations in lean ammonia oxidation

Abstract

The simulation of dynamic reverse flow operation (RFO) with reactor side feeding for selectivity issue during exothermic reaction, while incorporating mass and energy balances both solid phase and gas phase, is presented in this paper with particular aim to investigate the product distribution. The reactor model consisted of mass balances on the level of elementary steps, which led to detailed dynamic influence of flow reversal effect on kinetics. The results showed the production rate of the desired product can be kept at high level, which may exceed the level of regular RFO and even of steady state operation (SSO). Even for the quasi-steady state regime, the reverse flow reactor with side feeding shows a different product distribution in comparison to SSO. The influence of shifting the feed positions to the reactor center is most pronounced. The reverse flow operation with reactor side feeding is a prime key for improved conversion and manipulation of product distribution.