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Title: Scaleup of a Single-Mode Microwave Reactor

Abstract

Widespread use of microwave technology requires quantitative scale-up models. Currently, microwave models are typical qualitative in nature. This work focuses on rendering models quantitative and elucidating the scale-up behavior of microwave heating using numerical simulations. A commonly used bench-scale microwave reactor from the CEM Corp. (CEM Discover SP) is used for benchmarking. To enable quantitative modeling, microwave heating experiments are conducted and compared to COMSOL calculations to develop a calibration curve for the set point vs the actually delivered microwave power. Using the validated computational model, microwave-heating of various liquids in a wide range of vial sizes is investigated. The computational study shows that during the scale-up, the volumetric power absorbed passes through a maximum, whereas the energy efficiency and heating uniformity exhibit strongly nonlinear behavior. As a result, this work introduces a method for quantitative microwave models and insights into the scale-up of commercial microwave reactors.

Authors:
 [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)
  2. KU Leuven (Belgium)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
RAPID Manufacturing Institute, New York, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Energy Efficiency Office. Advanced Manufacturing Office
OSTI Identifier:
1642399
Grant/Contract Number:  
EE0007888
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 59; Journal Issue: 6; Journal ID: ISSN 0888-5885
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING; Liquids; Electromagnetic radiation; Absorption; Insulators; Power

Citation Formats

Goyal, Himanshu, Mehdad, Ali, Lobo, Raul F., Stefanidis, Georgios D., and Vlachos, Dionisios G.. Scaleup of a Single-Mode Microwave Reactor. United States: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.1021/acs.iecr.9b04491.
Goyal, Himanshu, Mehdad, Ali, Lobo, Raul F., Stefanidis, Georgios D., & Vlachos, Dionisios G.. Scaleup of a Single-Mode Microwave Reactor. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.9b04491
Goyal, Himanshu, Mehdad, Ali, Lobo, Raul F., Stefanidis, Georgios D., and Vlachos, Dionisios G.. Mon . "Scaleup of a Single-Mode Microwave Reactor". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.9b04491. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1642399.
@article{osti_1642399,
title = {Scaleup of a Single-Mode Microwave Reactor},
author = {Goyal, Himanshu and Mehdad, Ali and Lobo, Raul F. and Stefanidis, Georgios D. and Vlachos, Dionisios G.},
abstractNote = {Widespread use of microwave technology requires quantitative scale-up models. Currently, microwave models are typical qualitative in nature. This work focuses on rendering models quantitative and elucidating the scale-up behavior of microwave heating using numerical simulations. A commonly used bench-scale microwave reactor from the CEM Corp. (CEM Discover SP) is used for benchmarking. To enable quantitative modeling, microwave heating experiments are conducted and compared to COMSOL calculations to develop a calibration curve for the set point vs the actually delivered microwave power. Using the validated computational model, microwave-heating of various liquids in a wide range of vial sizes is investigated. The computational study shows that during the scale-up, the volumetric power absorbed passes through a maximum, whereas the energy efficiency and heating uniformity exhibit strongly nonlinear behavior. As a result, this work introduces a method for quantitative microwave models and insights into the scale-up of commercial microwave reactors.},
doi = {10.1021/acs.iecr.9b04491},
journal = {Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research},
number = 6,
volume = 59,
place = {United States},
year = {2019},
month = {10}
}

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Cited by: 21 works
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Figures / Tables:

Figure 1 Figure 1: Three-dimensional microwave reactor configuration built in COMSOL.

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