Supercritical water oxidation of Ion Exchange Resins in a stirred reactor: Numerical modelling

Supercritical water oxidation offers a viable alternative treatment to destroy the organic structure of Ion Exchange Resins. In order to design and define appropriate dimensions for the supercritical oxidation reactor, a 2D simulation of the fluid dynamics and heat transfer during the oxidation process has been investigated. The solver used is a commercial code, Fluent® 6.3. The turbulent flow field in the reactor, created by the stirrer is taken into account with a k−ω model and a swirl imposed to the fluid. Particle trajectories are modelled with the Discrete Random Walk Particle Model. For the solubilization of the particles in supercritical water, a mechanism has been proposed and implemented into Fluent® software through the Eddy Dissipation Concept approach, taking into account the identified rate determining species. Simulation results provide results on the flow, temperature fields and oxidation localization inside the reactor. For the reactive particles-supercritical water flow model, the effect of parameters, such as feed flow rates or stirring velocity, can be focussed. Reaction temperature is predicted with deviation lower than 15%. Degradation conversions are in good agreement with experimental ones.

► A reactive diphasic supercritical water-particles flow was modellized using CFD simulation. Effects of operating parameters, such as stirring speed, flow rates can be discussed using this model.
► Calculated degradation rates and temperatures are in agreement with measured values.
► CFD simulation allows to calculate optimized reactor geometry while limiting number of experiments.