BK1-11 Two-Dimensional CFD Simulations of Kettle Reboilers

K. J. Farrell

2008; rev 04/2018

To gain further insight into kettle reboiler operation and improve Xist^® models, we simulated several kettle reboilers in two dimensions using CFD. The two-phase simulation results show good agreement with pressure drop and vapor volume fraction measurements from the literature. However, recirculation ratios calculated from the CFD results are substantially greater than those predicted by one-dimensional circulation boiling models. Moreover, CFD results indicate that the current HTRI practice of assuming a linear dependence of the weight fraction vapor on the elevation inside a kettle is not realistic.