The Temperature Dependence Analysis of Carbon Monoxide Conversion on CuO Bed of RDE Helium Purification System

Abstract

Abstract RDE is an experimental power reactor that designed base on HTGR technology. This reactor has an indirect cycle power conversion system with primary coolant is helium and it secondary is water. RDE uses pebble fuel and multi-pass refuelling scheme. Helium coolant was predicted to be contaminated with various of gas impurities such as CO2, H2O, O2, CH4, N2, and H2 and CO. Those impurities must be maintained at certain limits by using Helium Purification System (HPS). Carbon monoxide (CO) is difficult to separate from the helium due to its small molecular size. Firstly, in HPS CO must be converted to CO2 by using cupric oxide (CuO) in the CuO Column bed and then CO2 will be adsorbed by molecular sieve. The CuO column bed operation temperature has a significant contribution to CO oxidation results. The purpose of this research was to determine the influence of temperature to oxidation process on CuO bed. The ChemCAD computer code modelling and simulation was used as a method. CuO bed is simulated by kinetic reactor and activation energy of each reaction is set up. The inlet mass flow rate of helium to CuO bed is 10.5 kg/h, 30 bar of pressure and the temperature has been varied to get the optimum result of CO2. The simulation has shown that CuO bed optimum temperature for producing CO2 is 250°C. In the HPS, this temperature can be maintained by using heater that has been installed before CuO bed.