(79e) Development of Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis CFD Modeling in Microreactor

Development of Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis CFD modeling in Microreactor

Yousef Alanazi, Andrew Traverson,
Dennis Petersen, Jair Lizarazo-Adarme, Líney Árnadóttir, Alexandre Yokochi and Goran N. Jovanovic

Oregon State University: School of Chemical,
Biological and Environmental Engineering and Microproducts Breakthrough
Institute (MBI)

Fisher-Tropsch Synthesis is
the process that converts synthesis gas (syngas) such as carbon monoxide and
hydrogen, into a wide range of long chain hydrocarbons and oxygenates in the
presence of catalysts such as iron or cobalt. The products of the reaction include
jet fuel, naphtha and diesel. The goal of this study is to create an overall
model for Fisher-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) in a microreactor channel and that will be solved using COMSOL Multiphysics software. The mathematical model will include
the fundamental physics of momentum, mass and heat transport as well as
reaction kinetics for the microreactor channel. The
initial step of the mathematical model is making an isothermal two phase flow system
with diffusion to a catalyst layer on the walls. The two phases are a gas
bubble surrounded by a moving liquid. In this system the diffusion process
happen in three regimes; diffusion of gas to liquid through the caps of the bubble,
diffusion from the bulk liquid to catalyst walls, and diffusion to catalyst
walls through the liquid film. The model will cover a total number of 20
species of paraffin from C₁ To C₂₀ 19 olefins from C₂
To C₂₀ and four key components ( H₂ , CO , H₂O
and CO₂ ) are considered in the reaction which leads to 43 nonlinear
differential equations for the species mass balance and that will cover a whole
range of product distribution to investigate.