Numerical study of external heat loss effects on propane ignition characteristics in a catalytic microreactor
Year: 2025
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: The performance of catalytic microreactors is critically governed by external heat loss. This work presents a systematic numerical investigation into the effect of external heat loss on the performance of a catalytic microchannel reactor fed with a propane/air premixture. The findings reveal a strong dependence of the ignition characteristics on the convective heat transfer coefficient ( h s ) at the outer wall, which controls the rate of energetic accumulation within the microreactor. Intense heat loss delays ignition by suppressing pre-heating and reducing the maximum combustion temperature. Near-adiabatic conditions (low h s ) facilitate rapid ignition and high combustion efficiency, leading to high temperatures (∼2010 K). The analysis of the wall centerline temperature profile further identifies a more pronounced temperature gradient with an increase in h s . This work provides critical insights and design guidelines for optimizing thermal management in micro-combustion systems.
Authors: Lili Ma, Minghua Wang, Baocheng Lu, Wenyan Li, Wei Zhai, Bing Zhou, Zunmin Li, Zhen Wang
Language: English
Subfield: Computational Mechanics
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4417194875