Volumetric flow rate data with different catalyst support porosity pertaining to the endothermic and exothermic chemical reactions in microchannel reactors

The volumetric flow rate data with different catalyst support porosity are presented for the endothermic and exothermic chemical reactions in in microchannel reactors. In physics and engineering, in particular fluid dynamics, the volumetric flow rate, also known as volume flow rate, or volume velocity, is the volume of fluid which passes per unit time. It contrasts with mass flow rate, which is the other main type of fluid flow rate. In most contexts a mention of rate of fluid flow is likely to refer to the volumetric rate. Volumetric flow rate should not be confused with volumetric flux, as defined by Darcy's law. The integration of a flux over an area gives the volumetric flow rate. The microchannel reactor provides for continuous and simultaneous reaction of two different process reaction streams in the channels defined between the walls, wherein a first process reaction stream undergoes a high temperature exothermic reaction in the first set of flow channels and a second process reaction stream undergoes an endothermic heat-consuming reaction in the second set of flow channels separated from the first set of flow channels by the heat transfer separating walls. More specifically, the microchannel reactor includes a set of reforming channels for steam reformation of methanol and a set of oxidation channels for heating the reactor system to operating temperature. A separating wall therefore separates two adjacent reaction zones and also functions to transfer heat from the oxidation occurring at the catalyst surface in the oxidation zone directly to the reforming catalyst coated on the opposed surface. The channels are 0.7 millimeters in height and in width and 30.0 millimeters in length. To ensure the mechanical strength at elevated pressures, the thickness of the uncoated walls and the catalyst layers is 0.7 millimeters and 0.1 millimeters, respectively. The oxidation catalyst consists essentially of oxides of copper, zinc and aluminum. The reforming catalyst consists essentially of copper and oxides of zinc and aluminum. The exothermic and endothermic processes are conducted with a methanol-air equivalence ratio of 0.8 and a steam-to-methanol molar ratio of 1.17. The inlet temperature of the mixtures is 373 degrees kelvin. The gas velocity is 2.0 meters per second at the reforming channel inlets and 0.6 meters per second at the oxidation channel inlets, thereby assuring sufficient heat in the reactor. ANSYS FLUENT is applied to the problem involving surface chemistry. ANSYS FLUENT handles thermodynamic properties, transport properties, equation-of-state, and chemical kinetics. Contributor: Junjie Chen, E-mail address: [e-mail], ORCID: 0000-0002-5022-6863, Department of Energy and Power Engineering, School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, 2000 Century Avenue, Jiaozuo, Henan, 454000, P.R. China