Computational fluid dynamics simulation to predict the effect of the equivalence ratio on the temperature distribution in a pyrolysis furnace

Abstract

Abstract This research investigated numerically the effect of the equivalence ratio on the temperature distribution in an industrial non-premixed flat flame burner with methane as the fuel. The burner configuration is a wall-fired one to produce a flat flame with a large cross-sectional area to effectively radiate heat to tubes contained in a pyrolysis furnace. The temperature distribution was predicted by using a phenomenological model consisting of mass balance, energy balance and momentum balance with computational fluid dynamics approach. Fluid flow was explained by the k-ε turbulent momentum balance, and the reaction rate was approached to eddy dissipation model. Simulation results show that the change in the equivalence ratios affects the temperature distribution so that this variable needs to be adjusted with certain considerations for pyrolysis process.