Internship opportunity: CFD Simulation for column hydrodynamics

Subject:

Numerical study (CFD) of hydrodynamics in a simulated moving bed for paraxylene separation

Context:

Paraxylene is an aromatic compound used in the production of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a material widely employed in packaging, textiles, and various other industries. To ensure the quality of derived products, the purity of paraxylene must be extremely high. The concerned process is specifically designed to separate paraxylene from other xylene isomers, such as ortho xylene and meta xylene, through a simulated moving bed (SMB) adsorption system.

However, the performance of this process heavily depends on the efficiency of the separation achieved within the columns. Hydrodynamics, which plays a crucial role in the distribution of fluid flows through the adsorber, can directly impact the effectiveness of compound adsorption and desorption. It is therefore essential to better understand and optimize the hydrodynamic phenomena within these columns to improve paraxylene purity and process productivity.

Description:

We are looking for a motivated and passionate master’s or engineering school student interested in research in the field of numerical simulation. This internship project focuses primarily on comparing two CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulation software to study column hydrodynamics, specifically by analyzing residence time distribution (RTD).

The internship tasks will be organized as follows:

• Conduct numerical simulations (CFD) for single-phase flow in a column equipped with an adsorbent bed (represented as a porous medium) using Ansys Fluent software.
• Set up and configure the numerical model on another CFD software, such as Converge or OpenFOAM, to enable a comparison of tools.
• Compare the results obtained across the different software to identify the one most suitable for this application.
• Use the selected software to conduct an optimization study on column components to improve hydrodynamics.

The model will initially be developed on Ansys Fluent, with a planned transfer to Converge or OpenFOAM, and specific functions will be integrated using User Defined Functions (UDFs) to refine the simulations.

Additional Information

• Duration: 5-6 months
• Preferred Period: February – July 2025
• Location: IFPEN, Solaize (69360, France)
• Transport: IFP Energies Nouvelles Solaize is located 20 km south of Lyon. Public transport is available.
• Paid Internship
• Internship supervisors: Cristian Cardenas (cristian.cardenas- sarabia@ifpen.fr), Yousef Al-Maqaleh (yousef.almaqaleh@ifpen.fr)

Please send your application (CV and cover letter) to the internship supervisors.