Parallel hydrogenation for the quantification of wetting efficiency and liquid-solid mass transfer in a trickle-bed reactor
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Date
Authors
Van Houwelingen, Arie Jan
Nicol, Willie
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Wiley
Abstract
A novel method for the measurement of wetting efficiency in a trickle-bed reactor under reaction conditions is introduced. The method exploits reaction rate differences of two first-order liquid-limited reactions occurring in parallel, to infer wetting efficiencies without any other knowledge of the reaction kinetics or external mass transfer
characteristics. Using the hydrogenation of linear- and isooctenes, wetting efficiency is measured in a 50-mm internal diameter, high-pressure trickle-bed reactor. Liquid–solid mass transfer coefficients are also estimated from the experimental conversion data. Measurements were performed for upflow operation and two literature-defined boundaries of hydrodynamic multiplicity in trickle flow. Hydrodynamic multiplicity in trickle flow gave rise to as much as 10% variation in wetting efficiency, and 10–20% variation in the specific liquid–solid mass transfer coefficient. Conversions for upflow
operation were significantly higher in trickle-flow operation, because of complete wetting and better liquid–solid mass transfer characteristics.
Description
Keywords
Trickle-bed reactors, Liquid-solid mass transfer, Wetting efficiency, Multiphase reactors, Hydrodynamics
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Van Houwelingen, AJ & Nicol, W 2011, 'Parallel hydrogenation for the quantification of wetting efficiency and liquid-solid mass transfer in a trickle-bed reactor', AICHE Journal, vol. 57, no.5, pp. 1310-1319.