Numerical Modelling of Gas Partial Oxidation Process in Modular Type Reactors

Abstract

Methanol production units are key objects in combating atmosphere poisoning, as they can be used, for example, to successfully reuse the associated petroleum gas which forms during the separation of oil. However, the process of natural gas partial oxidation that takes place within such units is currently understudied. Experimentation for such a problem is very costly, and numerical models are an ideal candidate for studying the relevant physics and coming up with engineering solutions. In this study, various approaches are taken for numerically treating the problem, taking results from literature as benchmarking cases. Numerical models taking turbulent hydrodynamics, energy transport and chemical reactions in account are constructed in ANSYS Fluent and OpenFOAM, and various approaches and simplifications are tested to verify the models and to find the most efficient approach for solving such a system. As a result, recommendations for an optimal model setup for obtaining sufficiently accurate results are formulated so that the model can be used for further study of the natural gas partial oxidation process.