406-Article Text-576-1-10-20180411
406-Article Text-576-1-10-20180411
406-Article Text-576-1-10-20180411
Abstract
The results of theoretical and experimental investigations on methane pyrolysis with infiltration through
a heated porous matrix generated from various carbon materials are presented. The features of mathematical
models, kinetic relationships of process are discussed. The mathematical model of process shares on external
problem (a flow of particles in an external stream) and internal problem (reaction in particle porous). The
heat and mass transfer for the average (over the reactor cross section) parameters, ignoring the heat transfer
in gas by thermal conductivity, is described by unsteady-state one-dimensional differential equations in
partial derivatives. For the mathematical description of process kinetics of methane decomposition the ap-
proach is used by which the soot formation is treated as a chain radical process. The porous media is re-
presented by a system of large enough particles. In its turn, every macroparticle consists of finer particles,
which are also composed of microparticles, etc. Calculating programs were used for modeling and efficiency
analysis of technological installations for technical carbon production in a regenerative heater, filled by a
ceramic nozzle and for similar purposes concerning carbon (oven soot) in autothermal torch process of
partial gas oxidation by air at a surplus factor of oxidizer in relation to stoichiometry 0.4-0.5 at pressure close
to atmospheric on Sosnogorsk Gas-Processing Plant. Experiment descriptions and techniques for experi-
mental realization are given. These results are used as fundamentals for new technologies considering
pyrocarbon materials production in the continuous operation reactor.
granulated black carbon, charcoal, etc. the equation of continuity for the solid phase
The technologies for granulated pyrocarbon pro- ∂ρ c
duction in a flowing type reactor [1,2] and carbon (1 − f ) = qT (4)
materials production by simultaneous thermal pro- ∂t
cessing of natural gas and wood waste are experi- the energy equation for the solid phase
mentally and theoretically [3] substantiated in a se- ∂ρ ccTc
c ∂ ∂Tc
ries of joint works proceeded at the Institute for High (1 − f ) = λe −
Temperatures RAS with Sosnogorsk Gas-Processing ∂t ∂x ∂x
Plant of “SEVERGAZPROM”. αleff
The results of theoretical and experimental investi- − (TC − Tg ) + QT (5)
gations of methane pyrolysis with infiltration through S
the porous carbon matrix generated from various car- In Eqs. (1)-(5), ρ g, cp, Р and Tg denote the density,
bon materials are discussed in this paper. The fea- heat capacity, pressure, and temperature of the gas
tures of mathematical models, kinetic relationships mixture, respectively; Gg is the mass flow rate of gas;
of process are discussed. Experiment descriptions and F is the effective cross-sectional area of the reactor;
techniques for experimental realization are given. S is the area of the surface of heat transfer between
Some examples of obtained theoretical and experi- gas and porous medium; α is the coefficient of heat
mental results used for optimization of black carbon transfer from porous medium to gas; λeff is the effec-
production technologies at the Sosnogorsk Gas-Pro- tive length; f is the porosity; mt denotes the mass frac-
cessing Plant are shown. tions of the i-th components of the gas mixture; ρg,
These investigations were supported by “Russian cc, T c and λeff denote the density, heat capacity, tem-
Fund of Basic Researches” and “GAZPROM” cor- perature, and effective thermal conductivity of the
poration. material of the porous structure, respectively; qi de-
notes the source terms in the continuity equations
Mathematical model for i-components of the gas mixture; and QT is the
source term in the energy equation.
The mathematical model of process of methane
The set of equations is supplemented with the
filtration through the heated up porous skeleton in a
equation of state for the gas mixture, relations for
vertical cylindrical reactor shares on external prob-
the thermophysical properties of gas and skeleton
lem (a flow of gas around particles) and internal prob-
material, and the boundary and initial conditions.
lem (reaction in particle porous).
Process kinetics
External problem
For the mathematical description of process ki-
The heat and mass transfer for the average (over
netics of methane decomposition the approach is used
the reactor cross section) parameters, ignoring the
by which the soot formation is treated as a chain radi-
heat transfer in gas by thermal conductivity, is de-
cal process. The chain process of soot formation in-
scribed by unsteady-state one-dimensional differen-
volves the formation of carbon radical nuclei (nC).
tial equations in partial derivatives [1]:
The equation for the rate of formation of radical nu-
the equation of continuity for i-th component of gas
clei W n may be written by modifying Semenov’s
∂ρ mi 1 ∂Gg mi
equation for a branched chain process with quadratic
g
f =− + qi (1) terminations.
∂t F ∂x The basic assumptions of kinetic model [4]:
the equation of motion for the gas phase 1. The porous medium is formed by chaotically lo-
cated spherical particles of the same radius.
∂P ν g Gg
− + =0 (2) 2. Each particle has internal porosity.
∂x kF 3. The decomposition of methane proceeds along
the energy equation for the gas phase two channels, namely,
∂ρ c pTg 1) in the gas phase, with the formation of soot par-
g 1 ∂Gg c pTg αleff ticles from radical nuclei (nC) by the chain radi-
f =− + (TC − Tg ) (3)
∂t F ∂x S cal mechanism. The overall reaction has the
J 0D = J1D + J1K
J nD = J nD+1 + J nK+1
G CH CH4 (11)
4
J ND−1 = J NK
Fig. 1. Structure of the porous media. After appropriate substitutions we receive
k sr k sr k sr
Let the number of recursions is N, then each par- C2 = C1 1 + S 0 1 + D 0 1 − C0 D 0 1
ticle will be characterized by radius rn. We shall con- s1 D1 s1 D1 s1D1
sider heterogeneous reaction in porous of n-th par- k r s D r
ticle resulting in porosity of a particle being changed. Cn +1 = C n 1 + S n + n −1 n −1 n −
The speed of heterogeneous reaction on a reaction- Dn sn Dn rn −1
ary surface of porous n-th particle depends on its tem- sn −1 Dn −1rn
perature and concentration of a gas reagent on a sur- − Cn −1
sn Dn rn−1
face. These parameters are defined from the solving
of an outer problem. The supply of a reagent to po- k r
0 = C N 1 + S N −1 − C N −1 (12)
rous n-th particle is carried out through external dif- DN −1
fusive layer outside of the particle. The part of the
reagent enters the reaction on an external surface of The system of equations (12) may be solved by a
particles; the other part diffuses inside the particle. TDMA method.
Streams of a reagent through system of the enclosed For definition of the coefficients describing po-
particles can be presented as a chart: rous structure of a separate particle, we shall take
advantage of model of chaotically located spheres of carbon; ρn results from solution of the differential
with identical diameter [5]. Let the porosity of n-th equations of type (4).
particles is equal mn. Then the change of an internal 0
Values rn are associated with the size of internal
surface is calculated according to [4]
surface S 0 by ratio
mn m
S n = S n0 (1 − θ n0 ln n0 ) 2 / 3 (13) N N
3(1 − mn0 ) 0
S 0 = ∑ S n0 M n0 = ∑
0
mn mn Mn (18)
n =1 n =1 rn0θ n0
where Sn − the specific surface of a particle referred
The initial data for an internal problem are: po-
to volume of n-th particle, θ n0 – structural parameter rosity M 0, internal surface S0, initial density ρ0, quan-
for n-th particles. The values mn0 are set proceeding tity of recursions N, modeling porosity mn0 for n =
from the chosen model of porous structure. The asso- 1...N
0
ciation of mn with initial porosity of real particle M 0 The differential equations in partial derivatives
is determined by iterative process: were transformed to a system of the ordinary differ-
ential equations on time by the method of control
M n0 volume. The derived set of ordinary differential equa-
m =
0
n n −1
; m10 = M 10 ; tions was solved by the linear multistep method with
∏ (1 − m ) 0
j automatic step selection realized in the DIFSUB al-
j=2 gorithm [6].
n −1 Dimensionless criteria
∏ (1 − m0j )
j =1 The obtained results may be described within a
M n0 = (14) unified approach, while treating heterogeneous re-
N n −1 0
∑ ∏ (1 − m j )
i =2 j =1
actions of different types such as addition (for ex-
ample, the above-described process of methane py-
rolysis) and decomposition (gasification) [7].
The coefficient of diffusion and radius of a par-
We will use the methods of the similarity theory
ticle are defined from ratio [2]
and introduce the dimensionless variables F = s/s 0
Dn = Dn −1mn2 f
mn 1/ 3 (relative internal surface), X = 1 − f (degree of fill-
rn = rn0 (1 − θ n0ln ) (15) 0
mn0
1− f
Total speed of an expenditure of a gas reagent ing of the pores) for addition reactions or X = 1 −
1 − f0
(methane) will be written as
N N
(degree of destruction of solid skeleton) for decom-
qCH 4 = − kS ∑ Cn sn = −∑ qn (16) position reactions (in what follows, we will refer to
n =1 n =1 the parameter X as the degree of metamorphism of
The change of porosity of n-th particles equalls 3 f0
ρ1 porous skeleton); θ 0 = (dimensionless structure
r0 s0
m1 = M 10 −
ρ c0
3f
ρn parameter), θ = (current structure parameter);
mn = M n0 − n −1
rs
ρ c0 ∏ (1 − mi0 ) and r0 and r (the initial and current radius of a
i =1 microparticle, respectively).
ρ − ρ0 After introducing the dimensionless time τ=t/Q
mN = M N0 − N
(17)
N −1 f0 ρ c
ρ 0
c ∏ (1− m )
i =1
i
0
where Q =
C0n ks0
is the characteristic time of meta-
where ρ0 – initial density of a particle; ρ c0 – density morphism of a macroparticle (the ratio of the mass of
macroparticle pores, if they were filled, to the rate of ing it’s filtering through a porous medium generated
metamorphism of the particle), the equation of chemi- from granules of commercial-grade carbon and car-
cal kinetics will be written as bonized wood, two series of experiments on labora-
tory installation were carried out.
dX F Figure 3 gives a schematic view of the experi-
= (18)
dτ kC R Fs kC n −1δ
n−1
n
mental facility. The experimental section was repre-
1 + S p 0 + S sented by a quartz tube with an inside diameter of 43
3k D Din
mm and length of 500 mm. A section of the tube 400
where C0 is the volume concentration of the gas com- mm long was heated by a heater made of Nichrome.
ponent of the reaction outside of the macroparticle; The quartz tube was insulated with chamotte brick.
CS is the mass concentration of reagent on the sur- A lock formed by two ball cocks was provided for
face; kD is the coefficient of external mass transfer; δ charging commercial-grade carbon and for sealing
is the thickness of the layer of gaseous reaction pro- the working volume of the experimental section. The
ducts; Rp is the macroparticle radius; k is the reaction receiving hopper was made as a cylinder 80 mm in
rate constant, and n is the reaction order. Solutions diameter with a moving piston which enables one to
of Eq. (18) in the coordinates of dimensionless time– shift the charge column to a preassigned distance for
degree of metamorphism of porous particle for the monitoring the mobility of the carbon layer and tak-
order of reaction n = 1 are given in Fig. 2. ing samples for weighing, those samples correspond-
One can use these nomograms, given the value of ing to the preassigned cross sections of the reactor.
the initial dimensionless structure parameter (all of The gas was delivered from underneath the layer of
the quantities entering the dimensionless complex testing material, and the gaseous reaction products
may be determined experimentally, or they are cal- were removed from the upper chamber and burnt in
culated by the selected model of porous medium), to the flame. It was at this point that a gas sample was
determine the dimensionless time during which the taken to analyze the composition of the gaseous prod-
porous skeleton reaches the preassigned degree of ucts of pyrolysis. The temperature of the heater sur-
metamorphism (in the case of methane pyrolysis, the face was monitored by two Chromel-Alumel ther-
degree of filling of the pores). The chemical reaction mocouples, and a thermocouple probe moving along
kinetics is proper defined by the quantity Q. the tube axis measured the temperature of carbon in
the experimental section.
Experimental In first experimental series grade T-900 granular
carbon sieved on sieves with meshes of 1 and 1.25
In order to study methane pyrolysis process dur-
mm was used. Process was carried out cyclically.
Portions of a carbon material, past all cycle, were
Dimensionless time
weighed on analytical weights for definition of
5 change of density for one cycle. After that the mate-
θ 0=60 rial was loaded into a reactor again another cycle
being repeated.
4
In the second series of experiments the crushed
θ 0=30
dried up wood was used as a carbon skeleton. Due to
3 high temperature of gaseous products of reaction of
θ 0=15
thermal decomposition of methane in the top part of
2 θ 0=7.5 a reactor occurred carbonization of wood and in a
high-temperature zone of a reactor samples acted as
θ 0=3
1 charcoal.
The porous medium was formed, at the first, of
θ 0=1.5 the samples cut from beechen wood in a kind of
0
0,0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 spheres with diameter about 7 mm. The zone of maxi-
Degree of metamorphism of porous skeleton mal temperature of a wall of a skilled site was about
Fig. 2. Solutions of Eq. (9) in the coordinates of dimen- 120 mm. The samples were heated preliminary up
sionless time–degree of metamorphism of porous particle to temperature 400°C with simultaneous argon pump-
for reaction order n = 1. ing through the reactor for 1 h. Thus there was a dry-
3 (a)
760
V t3
0-220V
720
4
À
t2
5
960
900
840
(b)
CH4
780
720
1100
1000
Fig. 3. Experimental section: (1) quartz tube, (2) Nichrome (c)
heater, (3) quartz cloth, (4) thermocouples, (5) refractory 900
700
ing of wood, decontamination and removal flying and
0,0 0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4
pitches. The average density of the samples obtained
h, m
was 0.38 g/cm3. Then the samples were maintained
Fig. 4. Comparison of the experimentally obtained (points)
at temperature 1000°C for 1-2 h with pumping of
and predicted (curves) distributions of the bulk density
natural gas through the reactor. Then the plant was of granular pyrocarbon over the reactor height: (a) meth-
cooled, the samples were unloaded from a zone of ane flow rate, 0.056 nm3/h; temperature in the central zone
the maximal temperature and weighed for definition of the reactor, 950°C; duration of the process of pyroly-
of density change for the period of exposure. After sis, 4 h; (b) methane flow rate, 0.06 nm3/h; temperature
measuring a cycle of heating was repeated. In total in the central zone of the reactor, 1050°C; duration of the
six cycles were performed with a total time of heat- process of pyrolysis, 6 h; (c) methane flow rate, 0.08 nm3/
ing 8.25 h. The cubic samples with the party of 4 h; temperature in the central zone of the reactor, 1070°C;
mm were located in working volume of the reactor duration of the process of pyrolysis, 8 h.
later on. The distribution of density of samples on
height of the channel was defined at various time of The density of pyrocarbon granules is defined by
exposure at temperature 900°C. the reaction rate of methane, which depends on the
coefficient of reaction gas exchange. Coefficient of
Results and Discussion reaction gas exchange is a composite function of both
the chemical reaction rate and the internal structure
Granulated pyrocarbon and particle size of the porous medium. Numerical
estimates give the value of the penetration depth of
The experimental results and prediction curves for the reaction 0.01 m at the beginning of the process.
three modes with different durations of pyrolysis pro- With a fairly large internal surface, the mode of bulk
cess are shown in Fig. 4. The maximal density of reaction predominates, when the rate of variation of
pyrocarbon granules is ranged from 1.812 to 2.0 g/ particle mass is proportional to the volume rather than
cm3. In case of regular packing of spheres with the to the external surface of a particle.
coordination number six, at which the prediction re- The results of analysis of the correlations obtained
sults describe adequately the experimental data, the demonstrate that two modes are possible at the ini-
tial stage of the process, namely, the bulk mode and 1,0
1100
the kinetic mode with reaction on the external and 1050
0,8
internal surfaces of the granule. As the process de- 1000
G(CH4 )out/G(CH4)in
velops, the internal surface decreases and the pro- 0,6
1
950
cess changes to a purely kinetic mode.
3
ρ, kg/m
900
The suggested model of chaotically arranged 0,4 850
spheres ignores the fact that a part of the pores may 2 800
700
Methane pyrolysis in carbonized wood porouses
600
Calculations were carried out for maximal num-
ber of recursions N=10. Finer splitting is not mean-
500
ingful because of rather small time of pyrolysis (up
to 10 h), since the filling of micropores will not be
practically observed. 400
0 2 4 6 8 10
The best concurrence of calculation to experiment Time, h
is observed at N=10 (Fig.6). In an initial part of a Fig. 6. The experimentally obtained (points) and predicted
reactor the satisfactory results are given with model (curves) distributions of density of samples on height of
with number of recursions N=8 as the external stream a reactor at time of endurance.
Chemical reaction depends on an internal surface Calculating programs were used for modeling and
of particles, and also from conditions in an external efficiency analysis of technological installations for
stream. Reaction in deep layers has two strongly pro- technical carbon of grade T-900 production in a re-
nounced maxima and a minimum in the central part generative heater, filled by a ceramic nozzle [8].
that is connected to active reaction in areas where a These programs were also used for similar purposes
level of an recursion is less than 8. The change in concerning carbon of grade P-701 (oven soot) in
relative internal surface on time of endurance has in autothermal torch process of partial gas oxidation by
the beginning a maximum in the field of micro- air at a surplus factor of oxidizer in relation to sto-
particles, which then is shifted in area of macroporous ichiometry 0.4-0.5 at pressure close to atmospheric
particles, and there is the inaccessible internal sur- [4] on Sosnogorsk Gas-Processing Plant.
face formed by microparticles, and its share in due
course is increased. References
Change of density of a material of samples in time
is shown on Fig. 7. 1. Director L. B., Zaichenko V. M., Maikov I. L.,
Sokol G. F., Shekhter Yu. L. and Shpil’rain E.
750 E., Investigation of Pyrolysis of Methane under
10 h
700
Conditions of Filtering through a Heated Porous
8h Medium, Teplofizika Vysokih Temperatur, 2001,
650 6h vol. 39, No. 1, p. 89 (High Temp. (Engl. transl.),
3
Density, kg/m