CFD-DEM analysis of the influence of heat storage materials on propane dehydrogenation process.

[Display omitted] • Heat transfer in propane dehydrogenation is analyzed using CFD-DEM. • HSM particles provide heat by particle–fluid–particle conduction. • Heat from convection and radiation can balance the heat of reaction. • Specific heat capacity of HSM can influence the transient heat transfer. The heat transfer process can significantly affect the propane dehydrogenation (PDH) reaction due to its strongly endothermic nature. This paper describes the influence of heat storage materials (HSM) on the heat transfer and reaction process of PDH, using computational fluid dynamics coupled with discrete element method in combination with reaction kinetics and heat transfer models at the particle scale. During the dehydrogenation, the particle temperature and propane conversion gradually decrease due to the endothermic nature until they become relatively stable. It is found that, initially, HSM particles can provide heat to the reaction through particle–fluid–particle conduction and maintain higher temperature and propane conversion. Gradually, HSM particles can take part in the gas–solid convection and then transfer the heat to the catalyst particles by particle–fluid–particle conduction for the endothermic reaction. Eventually, the heat of reaction and the heat from the hot feed by convection and radiation reach a balance. Furthermore, HSM particles with higher specific heat capacity can provide more heat to the reaction, while the thermal conductivity of HSM particles has insignificant effect on the heat transfer process, since the particle–fluid–particle conduction plays a major role in the heat transfer between particles. This study presents comprehensive understandings of the heat transfer process and the function of HSM particles for endothermic reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]