Wire mesh reactor

Wire mesh reactors allow the investigation of the devolatilization and gasification of solids fuels at conditions comparable to those in industrial facilities.

A very small solid sample lies on a fine mesh out of stainless steel or molybdenum. The mesh is electrical heated (resistance heating principle). Due to the small masses and the high heat flow density, heating rates of more than 1000 K/s are possible. The atmosphere in the reactor can be evacuated and experiments at pressures up to 5.0 MPa in varying gas atmospheres can be carried out. One reactor is equipped with optical ports for optical measurements (e.g. FTIR for the analysis of gas composition), the other reactor enables experiments at temperatures up to 2000 K. The influence of temperature, pressure, heating rate and residence time can be investigated. The temperature near the sample is measured through two fine wire thermocouples and recorded.