cfd modeling of an industrial auto-thermal reactor to investigate flow pattern and temperature distribution

The auto thermal reactor (atr) in a methanol manufacturing facility was simulated and optimized using computational fluid dynamics (cfd). in other words, after initial start-up of the reactor, it is found that flow mal-distribution might occur. informed by previous studies and experimental findings, appropriate models for kinetics, combustion, and turbulence were initially selected, and governing equations were solved by the finite volume method. simulations demonstrated that alterations in geometry and feedstock conditions significantly influence the temperature distribution, pressure, and chemical behavior within the reactor. further modifications, such as the adjustment of oxygen-to-carbon molar ratios, contributed to an enhanced performance of the reactor. the results improve reactor safety and efficiency, providing valuable insights for optimizing the design and operation of similar reactors and thus offering practical applications in the petrochemical industry. apart from that, in order to validate the model, a comparison have been conducted between operational and simulation data, leading to gaining errors for validation. it therefore is found that outlet flow had the minimum error that accounted for 0% compared to co mole fraction that comprised 16.5%.