Investigation to optimize nitrogen purge for the sodium chlorate electrolysis process through numerical modeling

通过数值模拟研究优化氯酸钠电解过程的氮气吹扫

• 批准号: 543601-2019
• 负责人: Pakzad, Leila
• 金额: $ 1.82万
• 依托单位: Lakehead University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Engage Grants Program
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=680833
• 关键词: Investigation; optimize; nitrogen; purge; sodium

ERCO Worldwide is a chemical producer and supply company that has been in business for over 100 years, with offices located throughout Canada. One of the major areas of ERCO's business is sodium chlorate manufacturing. During the sodium chlorate manufacturing process, Hydrogen gas is generated as a by-product in the electrolyser along with oxygen gas, an undesired by-product. The presence of oxygen in the hydrogen gas creates a flammable mixture and is a considerable process risk. Safety is the highest priority of ERCO: currently, an inert gas purge consisting of nitrogen is employed to reduce the flammability of the production system thereby controlling process risk. However, there is still uncertainty involved in predicting the effectiveness of the current nitrogen purge system. ERCO would therefore like to explore the opportunity of optimising the effectiveness the nitrogen purge. This research will investigate the relationship between the reactor/purge geometry and the effectiveness of the nitrogen purge. The main focus will be optimization of the purge system from a geometrical point-of-view and will involve computational fluid dynamic (CFD) numerical simulation. The result of this research will provide insight in to how process risk may be further mitigated, from an equipment design perspective. Dr. L. Pakzad, P.Eng., is an expert in fluid mechanics, fluid dynamics, multiphase flow, rheology, CFD modeling, and non-Newtonian fluids. Her work continuously uses modeling technology to simulate complex flow systems and to study the effects of operation parameters and system geometry on the effectiveness of various processes. Her expertise and hands-on experience with multiphase flow and fluid dynamics are key to the success of this project and will enable to use of modeling software as a cost-effective approach. Since any improvements to the purge process for the reactor system constitutes an improvement in an engineered safety system, Canadian industry and companies such as ERCO operating in Canada will directly benefit from this research through the potential application of these findings to similar processes involving nitrogen purges. This will result in improved performance and risk reduction for a variety of applications.

ERCO Worldwide是一家化学生产商和供应公司，已有100多年的历史，并设有整个加拿大的办事处。 ERCO业务的主要领域之一是氯酸钠制造。在氯酸钠制造过程中，氢气与氧气（不想要的副产品）一起在电解剂中作为副产品产生。 氢气中氧的存在会产生易燃混合物，并且是一种相当大的过程风险。安全是ERCO的最高优先级：当前，采用由氮组成的惰性气体清除来降低生产系统的可燃性，从而控制过程风险。但是，预测当前氮清洗系统的有效性仍然存在不确定性。因此，ERCO希望探索优化氮清洗有效性的机会。这项研究将研究反应器/吹扫几何形状与氮净化的有效性之间的关系。主要重点将是从几何学点优化清除系统，并涉及计算流体动力学（CFD）数值模拟。从设备设计的角度来看，这项研究的结果将提供有关如何进一步缓解过程风险的洞察力。 P.Eng。L. Pakzad博士是流体力学，流体动力学，多相流，流变学，CFD建模和非牛顿流体的专家。她的工作不断使用建模技术来模拟复杂的流系统，并研究操作参数和系统几何学对各种过程有效性的影响。她在多相流和流体动力学方面的专业知识和实践经验是该项目成功的关键，并且可以将建模软件用作具有成本效益的方法。由于对反应堆系统的清除过程的任何改进都构成了工程安全系统的改进，因此加拿大行业和在加拿大运营的ERCO等公司将通过这些发现的潜在应用在涉及氮气清洗的类似过程中直接受益。这将改善各种应用程序的性能和风险降低。