Microwave heating presents a potentially green alternative for energy supply to chemical and catalytic reactors as it can be based on the electricity from renewable sources. The Reverse Traveling Microwave Reactor (RTMR) is a novel heterogeneous catalytic reactor concept, based on the coaxial waveguide structure. The reactor has two microwave ports on both ends, and microwave irradiation is periodically switched between those ports to minimize the temperature gradients along the catalyst bed. In the current paper, COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS® simulation environment has been used to develop a 3D multiphysics model of the RTMR. Based on the model, operational characteristics of the reactor including electric field distribution and transient temperature profiles have been studied. Simulation results show that periodically reversed microwave irradiation improves the homogeneity of the temperature distribution inside the catalyst bed. The study provides new insights into the design and scale-up of microwave-assisted catalytic flow processes.

Microwave irradiation can intensify catalytic chemistry by selective and controlled microwave-catalytic packed-bed interaction. However, turning it to reality from laboratory to practical applications is hindered by challenges in the reactor design and scale-up. Here, we present a novel, rectangular traveling-wave microwave reactor (RTMR) and provide an easy-to-handle, 3-step design procedure of such reactor. The multiphysics model couples the electromagnetic field, heat transfer, and fluid dynamics in order to optimize the geometrical parameters and operational conditions for the microwave-assisted heterogeneous catalysis. The results show that the microwave energy input/output ports should be well-positioned and matched; otherwise, it would significantly decrease energy efficiency. In terms of microwave transmission, the RTMR presents a mix between the standing wave and the traveling-wave systems. Gas space velocity and input temperature significantly affect the temperature profile, and gas–solid temperature can present no significant difference under certain gas–solid contact.

Microwave chemistry applications have been investigated for more than three decades. Contrary to common cavity-based microwave applicators, the traveling-wave microwave reactor has the potential to enable the process scale-up, a better coupling of microwave energy with microwave-susceptible catalysts, and consequently highly uniform microwave heating. In this work, the engineering challenges entailed with the design of a traveling-wave microwave waveguide are explained and appropriate solutions developed. A new traveling-wave microwave reactor with a coaxial waveguide structure is presented. Simulation results show that there is no standing wave generated along the structure. Furthermore, in order to keep the impedance matching and minimize the microwave reflections while the reactor is loaded with catalyst samples, new reactor's loading patterns are introduced. Simulation results showed that for the proposed method, microwave-susceptible catalytic fixed-bed could interact more efficiently with microwave energy and produce a uniform heating profile.

Following the global trend towards increased energy demand together with requirements for low greenhouse gas emissions, Adaptable Reactors for Resource- and Energy-Efficient Methane Valorisation (ADREM) focused on the development of modular reactors that can upgrade methane-rich sources to chemicals. Herein we summarise the main findings of the project, excluding in-depth technical analysis. The ADREM reactors include microwave technology for conversion of methane to benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX) and ethylene; plasma for methane to ethylene; plasma dry methane reforming to syngas; and the gas solid vortex reactor (GSVR) for methane to ethylene. Two of the reactors (microwave to BTX and plasma to ethylene) have been tested at technology readiness level 5 (TRL 5). Compared to flaring, all the concepts have a clear environmental benefit, reducing significantly the direct carbon dioxide emissions. Their energy efficiency is still relatively low compared to conventional processes, and the costly and energy-demanding downstream processing should be replaced by scalable energy efficient alternatives. However, considering the changing market conditions with electrification becoming more relevant and the growing need to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, the ADREM technologies, utilising mostly electricity to achieve methane conversion, are promising candidates in the field of gas monetisation.

The paper discusses the currents status and future perspectives of the utilization of microwaves, as a selective and locally controlled heating method, in heterogeneous catalytic flow reactors. Various factors related to the microwave-catalyst interaction and the design of microwave-assisted catalytic reactor systems are analyzed. The analysis clearly shows the superiority of the traveling-wave systems over the mono-mode and multi-mode cavity-based systems when it comes to the design and application of microwave flow reactors at relevant production scales.

Three-dimensional mathematical model was developed for a rectangular TE _10n microwave heating cavity system, working at 2.45 GHz. Energy/heat, momentum equations were solved together with Maxwell's electromagnetic field equations using COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS® simulation environment. The dielectric properties, ε' and ε'', of NaY zeolite (Si/Al = 2.5) were evaluated as a function of temperature. Considering these values, the microwave heating of a porous fixed-bed made of dry NaY zeolite was simulated. Electric field distribution, axial and radial temperature profiles and temperature evolution with time were obtained. The zeolite fixed bed was heated up to 180 °C in 5 min, with 30 W power. The fixed-bed temperature evolution under non-steady state conditions showed the same trend as the one observed experimentally with only an average deviation of 10.3%. The model was used to predict microwave heating of other materials improving energy efficiency of the microwave cavity. Furthermore, the developed model was able to predict thermal runaway for zeolites.