Temperature distribution of SiC bed surface in a large-scale microwave-assisted pyrolysis reactor

Abstract

Microwave reactors equipped with microwave absorbent as high-temperature bed are effective for the pyrolysis reactions. The uniformity and stability of temperature distribution on the microwave absorbent bed surface is important to the microwave pyrolysis reactor especially in the large-scale reactor. Herein, the temperature distribution on the SiC microwave absorbent bed in a large-scale microwave pyrolysis reactor without feeding was examined by both infrared thermography and simulation. Considering the economics of using multiple low-power magnetrons in large-scale reactor, the effect of the working magnetrons location on the heating rate of bed surface and the COV of temperature distribution was investigated. The results showed that more uniform and stable temperature distribution of bed surface in the large-scale reactor was obtained when the magnetrons located at the bottom of the reactor were in use. This study provides guidance for the scale-up of microwave-assisted pyrolysis reactor with multiple low-power magnetrons.