Analysis of the Flow Field from Connection Cones to Monolith Reactors

Mingfei Mu, Jonas Sjöblom, Henrik Ström and Xinghu Li
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Mingfei Mu: School of Transportation Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100083, China
Jonas Sjöblom: Department of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41296 Göteborg, Sweden
Henrik Ström: Department of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41296 Göteborg, Sweden
Xinghu Li: School of Transportation Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100083, China

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-20

Abstract: The connection cones between an exhaust pipe and an exhaust after-treatment system (EATS) will affect the flow into the first monolith. In this study, a new streamlined connection cone using non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS) is applied to optimize the flow uniformity inside two different monoliths (a gasoline particulate filter and an un-coated monolith). NURBS and conventional cones were created using 3D printing with two different cone angles. The velocities after the monolith were collected to present the uniformity of the flows under different cones and different velocities. The test results indicate that NURBS cones exhibit better performance. Furthermore, all of the pressure drops of the bench test were measured and compared with those of the conventional cones, demonstrating that the NURBS cones can reduce the pressure drop by up to 12%. The computer fluid dynamics simulations depict detailed changes in the flow before and after entering the monolith. The results show that the NURBS cone avoids the generation of a recirculating zone associated with conventional cones and creates a more uniform flow, which causes a lower pressure drop. Meanwhile, the package structure of the NURBS cone can reduce the space requirements. Finally, the implications of the flow distributions are discussed.

Keywords: flow uniformity; connection cone; non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS); pressure drop (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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