Optimized CFD modelling and validation of radiation section of an industrial top-fired steam methane reforming furnace

The present study proposes an optimized computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling framework to provide a complete and accurate representation of combustion heat transfer phenomena in the radiation section industrial top-fired steam methane reforming (SMR) furnace containing 64 tubes, 30 burners 3 flue-gas tunnels. combines fully-coupled appropriate furnace-side models with 1-D process-side model. Experimental measurements are conducted terms outlet temperatures at tunnels, point-wise temperature distributions panel walls, inside tube collectors which placed refinery plant Petronor. final results compared experimental data for validation purpose. proposed fully coupled 3-D CFD modeling framework, utilizes detailed chemical-kinetic mechanism, reproduces well basic flow features including pre-mixed process, downward movement association large recirculation zones, radiative composition profiles along reaction core non-uniformities, fluctuating characteristics flux. reported non-uniform might be by means operating parameters order avoid negative impact on balancing performance.