Aspects of simulation for distributed parameter process : the autothermal tubular reactor with internal countercurrent heat exchange

A detail simulation of a complex nonlinear distributed parameter industrial process implemented with CSMP(Continuous System modeling Program) is presented. The ARICHE (Autothermal Reactor with Internal Countercurrent Heat Exchange) carrying out the catalyzed water-gas shift reaction is the industrial process chosen for simulation. The CSMP simulation model is an approximate lumped parameter model taken from the literature. This model was built from the reactor's PDE (Partial Differential Equation) model based on detailed discretization analysis.

Another major effort is the initiation of the application of the MWR (Method of Weighted Residuals) Finite Element Method to distributed parameter chemical process simulation. The MWR Finite Element Method is presently in the forefront of computational mechanics research. It appears attractive as a direct and rigorous technique for the simulation of chemical process PDE models. The technique is introduced and the formulation of the finite element equations and the assembly operation for the ARICHE is presented. Difficulties encountered in the initial attempts to execute the Finite Element Method solution are discussed and plans for future research are presented.

The major motivation for this work is to establish a basis to study the application of advanced multivariable control theory to distributed parameter chemical processes.