OPTIMIZATION OF ETHANOL AUTOTHERMAL REFORMING PROCESS WITH CHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM CALCULATIONS

• Published in: Environmental and Climate Technologies Vol. 13; no. 3; pp. 79 - 85
• Main Authors: Markova, D, Valters, K, Bazbauers, G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-01-2009
• Subjects: Carbon; Computational efficiency; Ethanol; Ethyl alcohol; Mathematical models; Optimization; Reactors; Reforming
• ISSN: 1691-5208

The dependence of carbon formation, hydrogen yield and efficiency of the ethanol autothermal reforming process on critical process factors is studied in the work by using chemical equilibrium calculations with a process simulation model made in the ChemCAD environment. The studied process factors are carbon-to-steam ratio S/C, air-to-fuel ratio lambda and temperature in the reactor T sub(ATR). Since the goal of the reforming process is to achieve possibly higher values of H sub(2) concentration in the reforming gas, by operating reformer at the maximum efficiency at the same time, the optimization of the reforming process was done by using objective functions which include hydrogen yield and the amount of heat supplied to the process. As a result it was found that the maximum process efficiency, which is defined as the ratio of obtained hydrogen energy to the energy supplied to the process in the studied range of process factors is 0,61, and this value can be achieved at lambda value of 0,1, S/C values of 2,5-3 and temperatures in the reactor T sub(ATR) 680 - 695 degree C. Hydrogen yield under these conditions is 4,41-4,55 mol/molC sub(2)H sub(5)OH.Original Abstract: Darba, izmantojot izveidoto etanola autotermiska parveidosanas procesa imitacijas modeli ChemCAD vide, ar kimiska lidzsvara aprekinu palidzibu tiek aplukots ka svarigakie parveidosanas procesa faktori ietekme oglekla veidosanas iespejamibu, udenraza ieguves vertibu un procesa lietderibas koeficientu. Analizetie procesa faktori ir udens tvaika-oglekla attieciba S/C, gaisa paterina koeficients lambda un temperatura parveidosanas reaktora T sub(ATR). Ta ka parveidosanas procesu merkis ir sasniegt iespejami augstaku H sub(2) koncentraciju parveidotaja gaze, vienlaicigi nodrosinot maksimali lielu procesa lietderibas koeficientu, tika veikta optimizacija ar merka funkcijam, kas ieklava udenraza ieguvi un procesam pievadita siltuma daudzumu. Rezultata tika noskaidrots, ka maksimalais lietderibas koeficients, kas ir definets ka ieguta udenraza energijas un procesam pievaditas energijas attieciba, aplukotaja faktoru vertibu diapazona ir 0,61, kas tiek sasniegts pie lambda vertibas 0,1, S/C vertibas 2,5-3 un temperaturas reaktora T sub(ATR) 680 - 695 degree C. Sajos apstaklos udenraza ieguve ir 4,41-4,55 mol/mol C sub(2)H sub(5)OH.