Multiscale CFD simulation of a methane steamreformer for optimization of the spatial catalystdistribution

摘要

This paper studies the coupled mass and heat transport as well as the reactionsin an Indirect Internal Reforming (IIR) unit of a Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell(MCFC). The aims are first to identify the dominating processes for a specificdesign. Because temperature is one major issue in MCFC, the second aim is topredict the spatially distributed thermal behavior of the unit. In a first stepseveral detailed models, describing only a small section of the IIR, are created.The results of these simulations, especially the temperature and gascomposition, are discussed. In a second step the whole IIR unit is modeled. Theresults of the detailed models and some simplifications of the geometry are usedto create this model.