Hydrodynamic aspects are crucial in liquid fuel desulfurization, impacting mass transfer rates, reaction kinetics, and overall efficiency. Understanding the process’s hydrodynamics can improve performance and reduce energy consumption. Computational fluid dynamics and experimental techniques study complex flow behaviors in desulfurization reactors. In our study, the reference paper entitled “ Hydrodynamic Investigation on Deep Desulfurization of Liquid Fuel at the Microscale” is chosen as guidance.

Simulation Process

Figure 1 shows a T-junction with the length and diameter of each side. Both the inlet and the main channels had an internal diameter of 1 mm. The inlet channel was 8 mm, and both inlet channels were the same length. The main channel was 30 mm long to ensure proper flow development. Design Modeler is our handy tool to draw the T-junction zone. Similar to the reference paper, a structured grid is performed using ICEM software, leading to 380296 cells. Adding fuel and PEG materials needs the utilization of a multiphase model, which is the Volume Of Fluid (VOF) in our study. Due to the importance of surface tension, the wall adhesion and contact angle effects are studied.

Figure 1: T-junction channel schematic

Post-processing

The CFD simulation of liquid fuel desulfurization shows important hydrodynamic aspects of the process. The contour of fuel volume fraction displays a high-concentration fuel stream entering a low-concentration channel, where it breaks up into distinct droplets. These droplets, visible as red and orange circular shapes in the blue channel, are crucial to the desulfurization process. Their formation increases the surface area for mass transfer and chemical reactions, improving efficiency. The simulation captures the initial breakup of the fuel stream and the subsequent movement of droplets along the channel. This visualization allows engineers to analyze complex flow behaviors that are difficult to observe experimentally.