Demo reactor

Figure 12.15 is a photograph of the installed demo reactor section. The demo reactors are sufficiently large and proportioned to allow for reliable scale-up. As such, each demo reactor represents a core of a much larger reactor and provides for the necessary hydrodynamic similarity (e.g., equivalent superficial velocities) to a full commercial-scale reactor system. Equally important, these reactors use AlkyClean catalyst produced in commercial manufacturing trials, not developmental-scale catalyst with characteristics that may not be fully duplicable under commercial-scale production conditions. 

Based on this successful bench scale program, operation of the demo unit resumed in 2004, following commercial trial manufacture of the newly improved catalyst, demo reactor catalyst replacement, and the completion of required unit modifications to incorporate operational improvements. Several months after its restart, the demo unit continued to run smoothly and continuously under full cyclic operation, with periodic rotational HTR of the reactors. 

In addition to the problems of physics and engineering, the discussion of fusion programmes does seem to have some semantic difficulties which are not sufficiently appreciated. Such phrases as physical feasibility , reactor relevant parameters and demo, reactor are used as though there was common agreement on what they meant. I well remember an earlier course at Erice when we tried, without success, to get a definition of physical feasibility from every speaker who used the phrase ... 

LES/FDF-approach. An In situ Adaptive Tabulation (ISAT) technique (due to Pope) was used to greatly reduce (by a factor of 5) the CPU time needed to solve the set of stiff differential equations describing the fast LDPE kinetics. Fig. 17 shows some of the results of interest the occurrence of hot spots in the tubular LDPE reactor provided with some feed pipe through which the initiator (peroxide) is supplied. The 2004-simulations were carried out on 34 CPU s (3 GHz) with 34 GB shared memory, but still required 34 h per macroflow time scale they served as a demo of the method. The 2006-simulations then demonstrated the impact of installing mixing promoters and of varying the inlet temperature of the initiator added. 

Construction of an AlkyClean process demonstration unit at Fortum s facilities in Porvoo, Finland, was completed in 2002. Figure 12.14 shows the process flow schematic of the demo unit, which contains all of the key elements of our proposed commercial design. Three reactors are included - two under cyclic operation (i.e., alternating between alkylation and mild regeneration) allowfor continuous production... 

After mechanical completion, the demo unit went through a shakeout and start up period of about one month. During this period, procedures were refined and proven for the in situ activation of the catalyst and the reliable start up of the reactor section. 

Recommendation (Demo I) GA-1. Operation of the size-reduction and slurrying system, and long-term operation of the supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) reactor with slurry, should be conducted before proceeding with a full-scale system. 

Recommendation (Demo I) GA-2. Before construction of a full-scale supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) system, additional evaluations of constraction materials and fabrication techniques will be necessary because corrosion and plugging prevent continuous operation with the present design. If the new construction materials do not solve these problems, then alternative SCWO reactor designs should be investigated. 

Finding DII FEK-1. The proposed full-scale TW-SCWO system has design and operating conditions significantly different from those tested in Demo II. These include the temperature of the transpiration water at the inlet pH of the feed turbulence in the reactor and use of pure oxygen, not air, as the oxidant. 

Finding DII FEK-2. The proposed full-scale design for the TW-SCWO system involves a scale-up in reactor cross-sectional area by a factor of 2 from the Demo II test unit and an increase in reactor throughput by a factor of 35. Performance under these full-scale design conditions has not been demonstrated. 

Recommendation DII FEK-1. Since the hydrolysate/total feed ratio and flow velocity used in Demo II testing are so different from those of the proposed design, the TW-SCWO reactor must be tested at a hydrolysate/total feed ratio and flow velocities close to the proposed design conditions. 

Finding DII TC 1. Demo II tests were delayed and could not be completed for the Teledyne-Commodore process because of incidents in which the immaturity of the process became apparent. For example, an exothermic reaction between ammonia vapor and M28 propellant led to an ignition incident. At another time. Composition B, dissolved in liquid ammonia, leaked through flanges into valves and piping that were intended to transfer the material from the ammonia fluid jet-cutting vessel to the SET m reactor. These incidents revealed serious safety problems associated with the Teledyne-Commodore process. 

In the fnll-scale design, Foster Wheeler intends to nse a TW-SCWO reactor that is 9 inches in diameter. This is only 50 percent larger in diameter and 2.25 times larger in cross-sectional area than the Demo 11 test reactor, so there will be only a small scale-up in size. However, there will be a significant scale-np in flow. The hydrolysate flow to the reactor in Demo 11 was 60 Ib/hr, while the full-scale reactor will treat 2,100 Ib/hr, which would be inconsistent with the small increase in cross-sectional area. This suggests that the ratio... 

Reactor product gases were effectively freated in the two-stage scrubber system and product gas burner (PGB). However, process modifications may be necessary to control hydrogen sulfide and phosphine in the off-gas from the GPCRT reactor. The liner in the PGB also showed evidence of corrosion during ACW Demo 11 tests. 

Several units have been bnilt and are in operation therefore, this technology has been established. However, the Demo II tests revealed possible difficulties with the construction and operation of the TW-SCWO reactor. 

Long-term tests with a TW-SCWO reactor designed specifically for this apphcation will have to be done to demonstrate the operability of the TW-SCWO without excessive clogging and corrosion. The tests should also determine whether transient pressure surges or fluctuations could temporarily or permanently plug the transpiration holes. Demo II results show that, without the protection of transpiration water, the upper section of the platelet liner is subject to severe corrosion and salt deposition. Therefore, transpiration water flow must be maintained. 

Although effluent streams were extensively characterized during Demo II, the tests were of short duration and took place in undersized reactors. Consequently, the effluent streams were not characterized under acmal or optimized conditions and may not be representative of the effluents that would be produced in full-scale operation. 

In parallel with the operation of IFMIF, the DEMO design (Demonstration Reactor), should get to an engineering demonstration and supply all the necessary elements for an economic evaluation of the process. 

Soon Hwang KNS 2008 PAS CAR-DEMO — a small Modular reactor for PEACER demonstration... 

---