Repository containing our HackED 2022 submission
The solver developed by our team helps simulate a plastic pyrolysis reaction which can be used to test different reaction parameters to find optimal operating conditions. The simulation can vary reactor teperatures, reactor pressure, inlet flowrate, and even the type of reactor to understand how to maximize the conversion of the reactants. For this solver, pyrolysis of polythene is tested and specifics and constants of the reaction are taken from existing literatures. These include the chemical equation, rate equation, heat capacities of the products and reactants, etc. After running the simulation a prompt will pop up to get you started and ask to choose the type of reactor that you want to test. The reactor types included are isothermal and adiabatic CSTRs (continuosly stirred reactor), isothermal and adiabatic PFRs (Plug Flow Reactors), and isothermal and adiabatic PBRs (Packed Bed Reactors). Once the reactor type is selected, the operating conditions will need to be specified. This can vary based on the type of reactor used which should be available to the engineer or the user. For example if an Adiabatic PBR is selected, the variables that need to be specified are inlet concentration of the reactants, the volume of the reactor, the volumetrice flowrate, the operating temperature, the mass of the catalyst bed, the density of the catalyst, the ergun parameter and the heat exchange coefficient of the reactor. After putting in these variables the simulation solves different ODEs to get results and displays the conversion and temperature along the reactor. The main goal is to optimize the roperating conditions to get the highest achievable conversion at reasonable operating conditions.