Coupled simulation of heat transfer and reaction in a steam reforming furnace

Abstract

Abstract For design and simulation of chemical process furnaces in accordance with present‐day standards, the temperature distributions in the firebox and in the reactors must be generated simultaneously. This calls for coupling of the simulations of the firebox and of the reactor. For the calculation of heat transfer in the firebox, a generalized furnace simulations program, based on the zone method, is applied. Monte Carlo simulation techniques are used to determine the view factors. The location of the burners is explicitly accounted for. Absorption and emission of radiation by the flue gas are calculated by considering band contributions for carbon dioxide and water. For the simulation of the steam reforming reactors, a one‐dimensional heterogeneous model, which accounts for the presence of intraparticle partial pressure gradients, is used. The simulated temperature distribution in the furnace is in excellent agreement with industrial results, as is the simulated product distribution.