Reverse flow reactor at short switching periods for VOC combustion

A medium-scale reverse flow reactor for VOC combustion is investigated in t he stationary and long-term transient states. Heat loss and dilution by fre sh ail at the core of the reactor are accounted for. A simple linear dynami c model allows estimating temperature profiles at stationary state, and tem perature dynamics in the transient state when VOC concentration varies. The extinction limit is also simply estimated. Heat loss and dilution are foun d to be a crucial phenomena and their effects on the characteristic time of the temperature response are established. Conversely, these phenomena do n ot seem to affect the extinction limit. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.