Evaluation of Phenylnaphthalenes as Heat Transfer Fluids for High Temperature Energy Applications

Large Eddy Simulation and Thermodynamic Design of the Organic Rankine Cycle Based on Butane Working Fluid and the High-Boiling-Point Phenyl Naphthalene Liquid Heating System

Large Eddy Simulation (LES) and Thermodynamic study have been performed on Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) components (boiler, evaporator, turbine, pump, and condenser). The petroleum Coke burner provided the heat flux needed for the butane evaporator. High boiling point fluid (called phenyl-naphthalene) has been applied in the ORC. The high boiling liquid is safer (steam explosion hazard may be prevented) for heating the butane stream. It has best exergy efficiency. It is non-corrosive, highly stable, and flammable. Fire Dynamics Simulator software (FDS) has been applied in order to simulate the pet-coke combustion and calculate the Heat Release Rate (HRR). The maximal temperature of the 2-Phenylnaphthalene flowing in the boiler is much less than its boiling temperature (600 K). Enthalpy, entropy and specific volume required for evaluating the heat rates and the power have been computed by employing the THERMOPTIM thermodynamic code. The proposed design ORC is safer. This is because the flammable butane is separated from the flame produced in the petroleum coke burner. The proposed ORC obeys the two fundamental laws of thermodynamics. The calculated net power is 3260 kW. It is in good agreement with net power is reported in the literature. The thermal efficiency of the ORC is 18.0%.

Thermal Hydraulics and Thermochemical Design of Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (Biodiesel) Esterification Reactor by Heating with High Boiling Point Phenyl-Naphthalene Liquid

FAME (biodiesel) is an alternative fuel that can be produced from vegetable oils. There is growing interest in the research and development of renewable energy sources. A possible solution is a biofuel usable in compression-ignition engines (diesel engines) produced from biomass rich in fats and oils. This paper contains a new and safer design of an esterification reactor for producing FAME (biodiesel) by utilizing high boiling point fluid (called phenyl-naphthalene). CFD simulation of biodiesel production by using methyl imidazolium hydrogen sulfate ionic liquid has been carried out. Ionic liquids (ILs) are composed of anions and cations that exist as liquids at relatively low temperatures. They have many advantages, such as chemical and thermal stability, low flammability, and low vapor pressures. In this work, the ionic liquids have been applied in organic reactions as solvents and catalysts of the esterification reaction. The great qualities of high boiling temperature fluids, along with advances in the oil and gas industries, make the organic concept more suitable and safer (water coming into contact with liquid metal may cause a steam explosion hazard) for heating the esterification reactor. The COMSOL Multiphysics code has been employed and simultaneously solves the continuity, fluid flow, heat transfer, and diffusion with chemical reaction kinetics equations. It was shown that the heat flux could provide the necessary heat flux required for maintaining the esterification process. It was found that the mass fractions of methanol and oleic acid decrease along the reactor axis. The FAME mass fraction increased along the reactor axis. The maximal biodiesel yield obtained in the esterification reactor was 86%. This value is very similar to the experimental results obtained by Elsheikh et al.