Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer Analysis of Vortex Formation in a Solar Reactor

A hydrogen-producing solar reactor was experimentally tested to study the cyclone flow dynamics of the gas–particle two-phase phenomenon. Two-dimensional particle image velocimetry (PIV) was used to observe the flow and to quantify the vortex formation inside the solar reactor. The vortex flow structure in the reactor was reconstructed by capturing images from orientations perpendicular and parallel to the geometrical axis of the reactor, respectively. The experimental results showed that the tangential components of the fluid velocity formed a Rankine-vortex profile. The free vortex portions of the Rankine profile were synchronized and independent of the axial position. The axial components showed a vortex funnel of higher speed fluid supplied by a reversing secondary flow. According to the inlet channel design, the geometry dominates the flow dynamics. A stable processing vortex line was observed. As the vortex flow evolves toward the exit, the vortex funnel expands radially with decreasing tangential velocity magnitude peak as a result of the vortex stretching. An optimal residence time of the flow was found by changing the cyclone flow inlet conditions. The swirl number versus the main flow rate change was obtained. Upon completion of the experimental studies, a thorough numerical analysis was conducted to model the flow dynamics inside the solar reactor and to verify the results by comparison to the experimental results. Three turbulence models including the standard k–ϵ, k–ϵ renormalization groups (RNG), and Reynolds stress transport models were used. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were coupled with heat transfer analysis via discrete ordinate (DO) model. Particle tracing in Lagrange frame was applied to simulate the particle trajectory. A comparison between the turbulence modeling results for the room temperature and high temperature cases, as well as the experimental results for room temperature cases is presented.