Pressure correction for automotive catalytic converters: A multi-zone permeability approach

A Model for the Flow Distribution in Dual Cell Density Monoliths

Monoliths are promising as catalytic structured supports due to their many operational advantages. Compared to pellets, monoliths offer low backpressure and good heat distribution, even at high flow rates. There is interest in the industry for improving temperature control in highly exothermic systems, such as the catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 for e-fuels synthesis. In this context, novel substrate shapes, such as non-homogeneous cell density monoliths, show good potential; however, to date, they have only been sparsely described. This work focuses on a dual cell density substrate and uses a computational model of a straight-channel monolith with two concentric regions to analyze its flow distribution. The central (core) and peripheral (ring) regions of the substrate differ in cell density in order to obtain a non-homogeneous cross-section. The model is validated against classical data in the literature and theoretical equations. Then, the flow fraction passing through each region of the substrate is registered. Several flow rates, core sizes and combinations of apparent permeabilities are tested. According to the results, the flow distribution depends only on the monolith geometrical features and not on the flow rate. A model for this phenomenon is proposed. The model accurately predicted the flow fraction passing through each region of the monolith for all the cases analyzed.

A Model for Correcting the Pressure Drop between Two Monoliths

This paper is concerned with the modeling of the pressure drop through monolith honeycombs. Monolith substrates are promising for the intensification of catalytic processes, especially because of their low back-pressure. There have been several improvements in the modeling of monolith reactors during the last decade, most of them focused on a single substrate configuration, while research in multiple substrates in a single reactor is still sparse. One example is the so-called "minor losses", such as those because of the flow entering and leaving a substrate. Both phenomena interact when two monoliths are placed close in series, and the extra losses produced by them may become relevant when relatively short monoliths are used. In this paper, a spatially resolved computational model of monolith channels arranged in series is used to compute the extra pressure drop because of the flow leaving one substrate and entering the next one downstream. Several Reynolds numbers and spacing lengths for the channels between substrates are investigated. According to the results, for close-coupled monoliths, the inlet and outlet effects produce a negligible pressure drop compared to that in a single monolith configuration. This phenomenon can be accounted for by introducing a correction factor. The magnitude of the correction factor depends on the channel’s Reynolds number, diameter, and spacing length. A model for such a factor is proposed. The model accurately predicts the trend and magnitude of the correction factor.

On the Use of Dual Cell Density Monoliths

Monolith-type substrates are extensively used in automotive catalytic converters and have gained popularity in several other industrial processes. Despite their advantages over traditional unstructured catalysts, such as large surface area and low pressure drop, novel monolith configurations have not been investigated in depth. In this paper, we use a detailed computational model at the reactor scale, which considers entrance length, turbulence dissipation and internal diffusion limitations, to investigate the impact of using a dual cell substrate on conversion efficiency, pressure drop, and flow distribution. The substrate is divided into two concentric regions, one at its core and one at its periphery, and a different cell density is given to each part. According to the results, a difference of 40% in apparent permeability is sufficient to lead to a large flow maldistribution, which impacts conversion efficiency and pressure drop. The two mentioned variables show a positive or negative correlation depending on what part of the substrate—core or ring—has the highest permeability. This and other results contribute relevant evidence for further monolith optimization.

A Review of the Critical Aspects in the Multi-Scale Modelling of Structured Catalytic Reactors

Structured catalytic reactors are enjoying an increasingly important role in the reaction engineering world. At the same time, there are large and growing efforts to use advanced computational models to describe such reactors. The structured reactor represents a multi-scale problem that is typically modelled at the largest scale only, with sub-models being used to improve the model granularity. Rather than a literature review, this paper provides an overview of the key factors that must be considered when choosing these sub-models (or scale bridges). The example structured reactor selected for illustration purposes is the washcoated honeycomb monolith design. The sub-models reviewed include those for pressure drop, inter- and intra-phase mass and heat transfer, and effective thermal conductivity.

Quasi-Periodic Oscillating Flows in a Channel with a Suddenly Expanded Section

In this study, two-dimensional numerical simulation was carried out for an oscillatory flow between parallel flat plates having a suddenly expanded section. Governing equations were discretized with the second-order accuracy by a finite volume method on an unequal interval mesh system resolving finer near walls and corners to obtain the characteristics of the oscillatory flow accurately. Amplitude spectrums of a velocity component were obtained to investigate the periodic characteristics of the oscillatory flow. At low Reynolds numbers, the flow is periodic because the spectrum mostly consists of harmonic components, and then at high Reynolds numbers, it transits to a quasi-periodic flow mixed with non-harmonic components. In conjunction with the periodic oscillation of a main flow, separation vortices that are not uniform in size are generated from the corner of a sudden contraction part and pass through a downstream region coming into contact with the wall. The number of the vortices decreases rapidly after they are generated, but the vortices are generated again in the downstream region. In order to specify where aperiodicity is generated, the turbulent kinetic energy is introduced, and it is decomposed into the harmonic and non-harmonic components. The peaks of the non-harmonic component are generated in the region of the expanded section.