Numerical Analysis on Flow Uniformity According to Area Ratio and Diffuser Angle in an SCR Reactor of a 500 PS-Class Ship

Because flow uniformity affects the life cycle and performance of the catalyst, it is an important design factor for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems. We examined how the diffuser angle and the area ratio of the inlet of the SCR reactor to the front of the catalyst affect flow uniformity. For the numerical analysis, we used STAR-CCM+, a common CFD software program. Analysis results showed that the larger the area ratio was, the less the flow uniformity was, and that the longer the diffuser length was, the greater the flow uniformity was. When the area ratio was greater than 1:5, the flow uniformity appeared very similar at the front of the catalyst. As a result, the spread time of the exhaust gas increased and the flow velocity decreased.