Abstract:
A novel method to simultaneously measure liquid-solid-mass-transfer and external wetting
efficiency was employed at column to particle ratios of 10, 6 and 3. Two prewetting
procedures representing the upper (Kan) and lower (Levec) hysteresis branches were used.
For a multipoint distributor on a Kan-prewetted bed wetting efficiency and the specific masstransfer
coefficient were almost unaffected by column diameter. The multipoint distributor on
a Levec-prewetted bed exhibited a decrease in specific mass transfer with decreasing column
diameter. Pointsource experiments resulted in significantly lower wetting and mass-transfer
measurements with an increasing trend with respect to decreasing column diameter. The
results indicate that with proper distribution and prewetting, the effect of column diameter on
averaged wetting and liquid-solid mass transfer is almost negligible, a powerful result
considering the importance of these parameters on reaction experiments.
