Business from technology

Numerical modelling of industrial processes and combustion

Competence

VTT offers a wide range of expertise in the modelling and simulation of combustion and other industrial processes and equipment. We apply different modelling levels, including Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), one-dimensional models and molecular modelling. The development and computationally efficient implementation of models describing the relevant physical and chemical phenomena is an essential part of our research work.

Challenges

Industry is facing growing demands for new and more efficient processes owing to the need to reduce emissions and to utilize raw materials more economically. In process design, detailed modelling using CFD and other techniques is necessary to achieve these goals. The challenge of modelling is increasing because the processes are complex, involving complicated geometry, chemical reactions, mass and heat transfer, multiphase flows, and sometimes complex rheology.

Solutions

• Reduction of emissions, firing different fuels, co-firing, oxyfuel combustion:
  - CFD studies of combustion, heat transfer and pollutant formation in boiler furnaces to investigate and develop combustion processes
  - One-dimensional models for studying the behaviour of fuels in different conditions
  
• Industrial process design and safety:
  - CFD studies of chemical reactors and process industry equipment
  - Applications of three-dimensional CFD in nuclear safety analysis
  - Analysis of fouling and corrosion with detailed chemical and molecular modelling
  
• Development and application of multiphase CFD models for fluidized beds, flotation and fixed catalytic bed reactors, etc.
  
• Innovative combination of different modelling approaches with CFD (e.g. FEM for fluid-structure interaction, multiblock modelling, cellular automata, molecular modelling)
  

Benefits

• Fast testing of new design concepts
  
• Detailed information of process conditions even when measurements are difficult
  
• Improved understanding of process performance and controlled process chemistry
  
• New innovative breakthroughs
  

References and merits

• Large group of modelling experts with wide experience in CFD, computational chemistry and molecular modelling
  
• Long-term partnership with major companies in the energy and process industries
  
• Active cooperation with universities and research institutes