Modeling heat transfer of the electrothermal reactor for magnesium production

• Published in: International journal of thermal sciences Vol. 102; pp. 274 - 284
• Main Authors: Mondal, Sourav, Mohanasundaram, Madan, Sau, D.C., Gupta, Rajneesh Kumar, Kumar, Manoj, Paul, K.K., De, Sirshendu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Masson SAS 01.04.2016
• Subjects: Computation fluid dynamics (CFD); Computational fluid dynamics; Conduction; Convection; Electrothermal reactor; Heat transfer; Insulation; Magnesium; Magnesium production; Mathematical models; Radiation; Reactors; Thermocouples; Three dimensional; Magnesium production; Computation fluid dynamics (CFD); Conduction; Electrothermal reactor; Convection; Radiation
• ISSN: 1290-0729; 1778-4166
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2015.11.018

Thermal analysis of high temperature electrothermal reactor for magnesium production was carried out in full 3D configuration using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). As the temperature inside the reactor reaches to 1200–1500 K, it becomes difficult to understand and control the heat transfer inside the reactor as the thermocouples were embedded in the insulating layers, much away from the core. The present analysis provides a useful tool to correlate the core temperature with experimental thermocouple readings. The transient state CFD simulation is carried out for the actual pilot scale design of the reactor, considering all the modes of heat transfer-conduction, convection and radiation and actual temperature dependent physical properties of the insulating materials. The heat flux and the spatial temperature profile of the various interfaces of insulation layers were also quantified. [Display omitted] •Heat transfer modeling of the electrothermal reactor for magnesium production.•Full 3D solution of the transport model using CFD.•Model validation with actual pilot scale experiment.•Correlation of the core temperature to outside thermocouple readings.