From the Laptop to the Smokestack: How Computational Fluid Dynamics Boost Environmental Performance

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Upon its invention, the GSG performance was verified using the experimental fluid dynamics modeling on a 1 to 10 scale model. At first, the experimental results did not replicate the CFD results to Flow Tack’s satisfaction.

Improvements in the fabrication of the experimental models and technological advancements in CFD modeling, such as mesh refinement in areas of interest, eventually led to a set of modeling standards for both model types that provided sufficient agreement between the results. Since then, Flow Tack has gone from project to project, and with minor adjustments, found the optimized turning vane configurations for each project using this simulation process.

Figure 3: Mixer model showing the effects of increasing gas injection rate using Star-CCM+. (Picture: cd-adapco)

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In 2007, with the support of STAR-CD 3.24, Flow Tack parameterized the successful instances of the GSG and applied for its patent. This technology has been further developed and fine–tuned using STAR-CCM+ in the subsequent years.

In 2008, Flow Tack was acquired by the APC technology company, Fuel Tech, which had also been developing Selective Non–Catalytic Reduction technology (SNCR) using CFD. Both companies had many overlapping goals in promoting the development of the SCR technology. A major reason for Flow Tack’s acquisition was their significant work on applying CFD to develop new methods in mixing and optimization of APC equipment. The GSG patent was approved in 2012 and has been successfully applied to several operating power plants and industrial facilities with SCRs.

How GSG Improves SCR Performance

One of the major issues with SCR units is the frequently reported particulate and ash accumulation on the horizontal face of the catalyst. The reactive solution is to stop the unit and vacuum the ash periodically, which, accompanied by the associated downtime, is a financial burden. In previous designs, an array of large turning vanes was used to control the velocity distribution into the face of the first catalyst layer.

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