Modeling of annular reactors with surface reaction using computational fluid dynamics (CFD)

A CFD-based model for predicting the performance of annular reactors with surface reaction was developed. The capability of several hydrodynamic models to predict successfully the kinetic behavior of the reactor under diffusion limiting conditions was assessed against experimental data. The evaluation included five models: laminar, standard k–ε, realizable k–ε, Reynolds stress (RSM), and Abe–Kondoh–Nagano (AKN). The catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide over a Mn/Al oxide catalyst coated on the reactor surface was used as a model reaction. The reactor was tested within a range of flow rates corresponding to 530