Modeling of hydrodynamics in microchannel reactor for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis

Hydrodynamics of liquid and gaseous products in microchannel reactor for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis is considered. It is supposed, that liquid and gaseous products of the synthesis move downward in annular flow regime. A microchannel with irregular internal walls is investigated in cylindrical symmetry. In proposed numerical technique the peculiarities of coating the microchannel walls by cobalt-based catalytic particles are taken into account. System of equations of two-phase hydrodynamics is based on the generalized equations for mass flowrate and momentum of liquid film and gaseous phase. Stable numerical algorithm for calculation the thermodynamic equilibrium in gas–liquid mixtures of synthesis products is proposed. Calculation results illustrate thermophysical properties of liquid and gaseous products. In the hydrodynamics model variations along a microchannel mass fractions and thermophysical properties of liquid and gaseous products were taking into account. Principal hydrodynamical difference between a smooth microchannel and a microchannel with random roughness is explained. Hydrodynamical parameters and gradient of pressure are investigated as functions of pressure, temperature, averaged diameter of a microchannel and chain growth probability.