A numerical inverstigation of a porous matrix combustor-heater

This article is concerned with the transient behavior and thermal performance of a porous matrix combustor-heater in which combustion and heat transfer among the different phases (i.e., the solid matrix, the gas flowing in the packed bed and the coolant flowing through the tubes) are considered. The governing equations for describing combustion and heat transfer processes are nonlinear and coupled. Under the assumption that axial flow of the gas is predominant, these equations are numerically solved for a typical cell in order to obtain the transient three-dimensional distributions of temperatures and of the fuel mass fraction. The numerical algorithm developed provides the tools for analyzing the effects of operating and geometrical cell parameters on the performance of a porous matrix combustor-heater and for optimizing design and operation of such an unit. Numerical results for some examples are given.