CFD analysis and experimental measurements of the liquid aluminum spray formation for an Al–H2O based hydrogen production system

Abstract

Abstract The paper proposes a combined approach between numerical modeling and experimental measurements for the analysis of a cogeneration system based on the reaction of liquid aluminum and water steam. Scrap aluminum is used for hydrogen production and the primary one is employed as an energy carrier to transport the energy from the alumina reduction system to the site of the suggested plant. The analysis focuses on the liquid aluminum injection phase immediately downstream the nozzle. High frequency thermo-cameras are employed to qualitatively assess the thermal behaviour the liquid aluminum jet. Fast imaging techniques are used to capture the multiphase flow pattern of the liquid metal jet during the injection phase. The experimental results are used to validate a 2D multi-phase CFD approach. The computational fluid dynamics model of the injection phase is created and used to extend the measurements and deepen the understanding of the thermo-fluid dynamics behaviour of the system. In particular, the influence of different nozzles diameters and different injection pressures on the liquid aluminum jet is investigated. A modular approach is adopted for the domain subdivision in order to represent accurately all the geometrical features, while the volume of fluid approach is used to model the multi-phase flow distribution in the real geometry under actual operating conditions. Finally, a good agreement between the measurements and the calculations is found.