Numerical Simulation of Airflow and Iron Particle Behavior in the MC2 Reactor

This research presents a comprehensive numerical simulation of air flow and iron powder injection in a Metal Cyclonic Combustor (MC²) using ANSYS Fluent 2024 R1. The main objective is to analyze the flow pattern and particle dynamics in a two-phase system subjected to swirling conditions. The geometry of MC² is designed with two tangential air inlets and a central iron powder injector, aiming to enhance efficient mixing and stable combustion. Air is introduced at a velocity of 2.5 m/s and preheated to 1073 K, while iron particles with a diameter of 10 microns are injected at a mass flow rate of 0.76 g/s. To accurately capture the turbulent air flow, the k-ω SST turbulence model is used, while the Discrete Phase Model (DPM) is used to track the motion of iron particles in the flow field. The simulation results reveal the formation of strong swirling eddies that effectively distribute iron particles throughout the combustor, enhancing the possibility of uniform combustion. The maximum velocity recorded reaches approximately 61,970 m/s, predominantly concentrated near the inlet and upper regions of the chamber, which indicates a high-speed entry and the influence of turbulent mixing in these zones. The time range is around 0 to 0.06345 seconds, but most of the relatively short particle times range between 0 and 0.03 seconds. Therefore, the interaction between swirling air and particle dispersion is found to be critical in achieving efficient energy release from the metal fuel.