Numerical investigation of pre-mixer for non-catalytic diesel autothermal reformer

Abstract

The catalytic reforming of diesel presents several challenges, including soot formation and rapid catalyst deactivation. To address this, we’ve explored non-catalytic autothermal reforming in our preliminary experiments and observed enhanced reformer efficiency when using premixed fuel-oxidizer mixture. However, there was limitations to the extent of mixing achievable in the present pre-mixer design due to the occurrence of auto-ignition. This study aims to address these challenges by employing a detailed kinetic mechanism to examine how various operating factors such as reformer pressure and initial mixture temperature, impact ignition delay. Additionally, we’ve investigated the effects of recirculating a portion of reformate gas on reformer efficiency. Results indicate that tuning the pre-mixer ignition delay can significantly enhance mixing while avoiding auto-ignition, thereby increasing reformer efficiency. We expect these findings to inform the next generation of reformer design.