A computational fluid dynamics investigation of fluid flow in a dense medium plasma reactor

Computational fluid dynamics are applied to the study of three-dimensional fluid flow in a dense medium plasma reactor (DMPR) under different operating conditions. Reaction mechanisms and rates for the removal of methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE) in a DMPR are developed from experimental data to determine the plasma volume, the rate of interphase mass transfer and the photolysis rate of MTBE via UV emission from the plasma. The simulations utilize the plasma volume determined from the kinetic data to show that the volume of fluid in contact with the plasma in the DMPR only constitutes a maximum of approximately 10% of the fluid intended to be cycled through the plasma tubules. The simulations also predict appreciable pressure gradients on the surface of the pin electrodes, resulting in a small discharge area located away from the region in which the electric field strength is a maximum. This result has been confirmed indirectly through observation in that the pin electrodes sputter metal from an area of similar size and location to the low-pressure region predicted by the simulations. The pressure gradients are shown to be a function of operating conditions as well as pin location, indicating that the plasma discharge conditions are not uniform throughout the reactor. S Supplementary information, including additional figures, is available in the online edition at stacks.iop.org/jphysd/40/488.