Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Where:
𝛿𝛿: film thickness
CAs: concentration of A next to the surface of catalyst
CAb: concentration of A in bulk fluid
Mass transfer [External diffusion effect]
Diffusion: spontaneous intermingling or mixing of molecules or atoms by random
thermal motion
External diffusion: diffusion of reactants/products from bulk fluid to external
surface or vice versa
Molar flux (W) [ Unit: ]
Molecules of a given species in a single phase always diffuse from regions of higher
concentrations to regions of lower concentrations [ other gradients: temperature, electric
potential are absence] resulting molar flux
Where: CAb
• 𝛿𝛿: film thickness δ
CAs
• CAs: concentration of A next to the surface of catalyst
• CAb: concentration of A in bulk fluid
Molar flux of A from the bulk fluid to the surface (WA) is defined through one dimensional Fick’s law
of diffusion
𝑊𝑊𝐴𝐴 =
𝐷𝐷𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
𝑘𝑘𝑐𝑐 = Sh
𝐷𝐷𝑝𝑝
Sh: Sherwood number [dimensionless]: 𝑆𝑆𝑆 = 2 + 0.6𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 1/2 𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆1/3 (Frossling correlation)
𝑈𝑈𝐷𝐷𝑝𝑝 𝜌𝜌
Re: Reynolds number [dimensionless] 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 =
𝜇𝜇
𝜇𝜇 𝑣𝑣
Sc: Schmidt number [dimensionless] : 𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 = =
𝜌𝜌𝐷𝐷𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐷𝐷𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
µ: viscosity of fluid/gas [kg/m.s]
𝜇𝜇
𝑣𝑣 = : kinetic viscosity of fluid/gas [m2/s]
𝜌𝜌
U: superficial velocity of fluid/gas (m/s)
𝜌𝜌: density of fluid/gas (kg/m3)
DAB: diffusivity (m2/s), DAB= f(T,P)
Relative rates of external diffusion and reaction
Assumption: reaction takes place only on the external catalyst surface and not in
the fluid surrounding it.
A B
Rate of diffusion (molar flux) 𝑊𝑊𝐴𝐴 = rate of reaction at the catalyst surface (r’’A)
[ the rate of arrival of molecules on the surface (rate of diffusion) equals to the rate
of reaction on the surface]
𝑊𝑊𝐴𝐴 = 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝐴𝐴 𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = 𝑘𝑘𝑐𝑐 𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴 − 𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
We known that: 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝐴𝐴 = 𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 =
Where:
𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝐴𝐴 : rate of surface reaction [mol/m2.s]
kr: overall reaction rate constant
CAs concentration of A at the surface catalyst
Rewriting the reaction rate on the surface catalyst (both diffusion and kinetic limited)
𝑘𝑘𝑐𝑐 𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴
𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝐴𝐴 = 𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = 𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟
𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 + 𝑘𝑘𝑐𝑐
𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴
𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝐴𝐴 =
1 1
+
𝑘𝑘𝑐𝑐 𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟
1 1
The denominator is the sum of two resistances &
𝑘𝑘𝑐𝑐 𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟
1 1
𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 ≫ 𝑘𝑘𝑐𝑐 → <<
𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 𝑘𝑘𝑐𝑐
The reaction is diffusion-limited
𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝐴𝐴
𝑟𝑟′′𝐴𝐴 = = 𝑘𝑘𝑐𝑐 𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴
1
𝑘𝑘𝑐𝑐
1 1
𝑘𝑘𝑐𝑐 ≫ 𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 ≫
𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 𝑘𝑘𝑐𝑐
The reaction is kinetic limited
𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴
𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝐴𝐴 = 1 = 𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴
𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟
𝑈𝑈 1/2
( )
𝐷𝐷𝑝𝑝
Steps in a catalytic reaction AB
1. Mass transfer (diffusion) of the reactant(s)
from the bulk fluid to the external surface of
the catalyst pellet
2. Diffusion of the reactant from the pore
mouth through the catalyst pores to the
immediate vicinity of the internal catalytic
surface
3. Adsorption of reactant A onto the catalytic
surface
4. Reaction on the surface of the catalyst
5. Desorption of the products from the
surface
6. Diffusion of products from the interior of
the pellet to the pore mouth at the external
surface
7. Mass transfer (diffusions) of the products
from the external pellet surface to the bulk
fluid
Heterogeneous reaction-internal diffusion
In a heterogeneous reaction sequence,
Firstly, mass transfer of reactants takes place from the bulk fluid to the external surface of the pellet (external
diffusion)
Secondly, the reactants diffuse from the external surface into and through the pores within the pellet with the
reaction taking place only on the catalytic surface of the pores
External surface
CAb CAs Internal
Each point on the interior of
diffusion
External catalyst surface may not be
CA(r)
diffusion accessible to the same
concentration
Porous catalyst pellet
The concentration in the internal
with pores
surface of the pellet is less than
that of the external surface
𝑑𝑑 𝑊𝑊𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑟𝑟 2
= 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝐴𝐴 𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐 𝑟𝑟 2 = 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝐴𝐴 𝑆𝑆𝑎𝑎 𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐 𝑟𝑟 2
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
R
Where:
𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐 density of pellet (kg/m3)
CAs Sa: surface of the catalyst per unit mass of catalyst [i.e. m2/g.cat]
rA’ reaction rate based on mass of catalyst (e.g. mol/gcat.s)
WAr: molar flux of A inside the pellet [mol/(m2.s)]
(e.g. mol/m2.s)
r r+∆r
𝑑𝑑𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴
𝑊𝑊𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = −𝐷𝐷𝑒𝑒
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
r De : effective diffusivity: average diffusion taking place at any position in the
pellet, m2/s
Thiele modulus [dimensionless]
R r=0
Concentration profile in a spherical catalyst pellet
Effectiveness factor, η
Indicate the relative importance of diffusion and reaction limitations
When particle diameter becomes large (R large),𝜙𝜙1 is large (~30) 𝜂𝜂 is small (𝜂𝜂 <<1)
…..……………………………………….. Therefore, factors affecting the rate of the external mass transport will
have negligible effect on the overall reaction rate.
3 3 3 𝐷𝐷𝑒𝑒
For 𝜙𝜙1 large, i.e. >18 , 𝜂𝜂 = = 𝑘𝑘 𝑆𝑆 𝜌𝜌 =
𝜙𝜙1 𝑅𝑅 𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 𝑆𝑆𝑎𝑎 𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐
𝑅𝑅 𝑟𝑟𝐷𝐷𝑎𝑎 𝑐𝑐
𝑒𝑒
Express the overall reaction rate, e.g. 1st order reaction AB, in terms of effectiveness factor
𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝐴𝐴 =
Overall effectiveness factor
Symbol: Ω
Use to analyse diffusion, flow and reaction in packed beds
External and internal resistances to mass transfer to and within the pellet are of the
same order of magnitude
𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟
Ω= 𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅
[𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒
𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐,𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 ,𝑇𝑇𝑏𝑏 ]
CAb CAs
Internal
resistance
External CA
resistance
The mass transfer from the bulk fluid to the external surface = the net rate of reaction on and within the pellet
Where:
aC: external surface of catalyst per volume of catalytic bed (m2/m3) [if a reactor is packed with catalysts]
6 (1 − 𝜙𝜙 )
𝑎𝑎𝑐𝑐 =
𝐷𝐷𝑝𝑝
𝜌𝜌𝑏𝑏 : catalyst bed density, kg/m3
𝜌𝜌𝑏𝑏 = 𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐 (1 − 𝜙𝜙)
𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐 : density of a pellet (kg/m3)
𝜙𝜙: porosity
Dp: diameter of pellet
For most catalysts, the internal surface area >> the external surface, i.e. 𝑆𝑆𝑎𝑎 𝜌𝜌𝑏𝑏 >>ac
Therefore,
𝑊𝑊𝐴𝐴 𝑎𝑎𝑐𝑐 = 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝐴𝐴 𝑆𝑆𝑎𝑎 𝜌𝜌𝑏𝑏 (c.1)
We know
𝑊𝑊𝐴𝐴 = 𝑘𝑘𝑐𝑐 (𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 − 𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 ) (c.2)
With kc: mass transfer coefficient [external mass transfer coefficient ] (m/s)
We can also establish the reaction rate based on the overall effective factor
𝑟𝑟′′𝐴𝐴 = (c.5)
Combining (c.4) and (c.5)
𝑑𝑑𝐹𝐹𝐴𝐴
− =
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
If the length (z) of the PBR is given, V can be replaced by V=AC.Z (AC: cross sectional area)
𝐴𝐴𝐶𝐶
[𝑈𝑈 = : 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣]
𝜗𝜗
1−𝜙𝜙 𝐷𝐷𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
With 𝑘𝑘𝑐𝑐 = Sh′ [in a PBR]
𝜙𝜙 𝐷𝐷𝑝𝑝
with 𝜙𝜙: porosity
1 1
′2 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅
𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 = 𝑅𝑅𝑒𝑒 𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 3 of which 𝑅𝑅𝑒𝑒 ′ =
(1−𝜙𝜙)
mol
2. If the reaction is internal diffusion limited: 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝐴𝐴 = ,( )
𝑚𝑚2 𝑠𝑠
𝑑𝑑𝐹𝐹𝐴𝐴
− =
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
mol
3. For reactions that have external and internal resistances, 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝐴𝐴 = ,( )
𝑚𝑚2 𝑠𝑠
𝑑𝑑𝐹𝐹𝐴𝐴
− =
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
𝑑𝑑𝐹𝐹𝐴𝐴
− =
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
Example [prepare blank papers for this exercise]
The decomposition of A over a packed bed of aluminium-supported catalyst particles of
0.1cm in diameter at a gas-phase velocity of 15m/s and temperature of 750K. The kinetic
velocity of A at this temperature is 4.5x10-4 (m2/s). The decomposition of A is believed to
be externally mass transfer-limited under these conditions. If the packed bed is 2cm in
length, what conversion can be expected?
Additional information:
DAB= 0.69x10-4 m2/s at 298K
Bed porosity: 30%
𝑃𝑃1 𝑇𝑇2 1.75
It is know that 𝐷𝐷𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑇𝑇2 , 𝑃𝑃2 = 𝐷𝐷𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 (𝑇𝑇1 , 𝑃𝑃1 )
𝑃𝑃2 𝑇𝑇1
Solution
Conversion along the length?
CAo
AC
Z=0 Z=L
Material (mole) balance in a PBR reaction rate based on the external surface
area of catalyst rA’’
Mass transfer and reaction in a packed bed
Material (mole) balance of A in a tubular reactor [ PFR]: the variation of concentration in radial direction
is negligible
𝑑𝑑𝑊𝑊𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
CAo − = 𝜌𝜌𝑏𝑏 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝐴𝐴
AC 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
Z=0 Z=L
𝑑𝑑𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
𝑊𝑊𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = −𝐷𝐷𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 + 𝑈𝑈𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
Where:
𝑑𝑑𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
𝑑𝑑(−𝐷𝐷𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 )
− 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 − 𝑑𝑑 (𝑈𝑈𝐶𝐶 ) = 𝜌𝜌 𝑟𝑟𝑟
𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑏𝑏 𝐴𝐴
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
Describing r’A in terms of the overall effectiveness factor [1st order reaction]
𝑑𝑑 2 𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑑𝑑𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
𝐷𝐷𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 − 𝑈𝑈 − Ω𝜌𝜌𝑏𝑏 k′′𝑆𝑆𝑎𝑎 𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = 0
𝑑𝑑𝑧𝑧 2 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
When the flow through the bed is large, the axial diffusion can be neglected
Therefore,
𝑑𝑑𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
−𝑈𝑈 − Ω𝜌𝜌𝑏𝑏 k′′𝑆𝑆𝑎𝑎 𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = 0
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
𝑑𝑑𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
−𝑈𝑈 = Ω𝜌𝜌𝑏𝑏 k′′𝑆𝑆𝑎𝑎 𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
Re-arranging
𝑑𝑑𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 Ω𝜌𝜌𝑏𝑏 k′′𝑆𝑆𝑎𝑎
=− 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑈𝑈
Integrating
𝐶𝐶 𝑑𝑑𝐶𝐶 𝑧𝑧 Ω𝜌𝜌 k′′𝑆𝑆
∫𝐶𝐶 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = ∫0 − 𝑏𝑏 𝑎𝑎 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑈𝑈
𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
𝑟𝑟𝐴𝐴 =
With
rA: mol/(volume.time), mol/m3.s
rA’: mol/(mass.time), mol/kg.s
rA’’: mol/(surface.time), mol/m2.s
𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐 : density of spherical pellet (kg/m3)
Sa: surface of the catalyst per unit mass catalyst, m2/g
𝜂𝜂 =
Replacing the known values: 𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 𝑆𝑆𝑎𝑎 𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐 =1.5 s-1, De= 10-6 m2/s and R=10-3 m into 𝜙𝜙1
𝜙𝜙1 =
The effectiveness factor
𝜂𝜂 =
𝑑𝑑𝐹𝐹𝐴𝐴
− = 𝑟𝑟𝐴𝐴
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
𝑑𝑑𝐹𝐹𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 (1 − 𝑋𝑋)
− = 𝑟𝑟𝐴𝐴
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
𝑑𝑑 𝑋𝑋
𝐹𝐹𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = (𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐 𝑆𝑆𝑎𝑎 𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 )η𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 (1 − 𝑋𝑋)
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
Re-arranging
𝑑𝑑 𝑋𝑋 1 𝐹𝐹𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
= (𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐 𝑆𝑆𝑎𝑎 𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 )η𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 [known: 𝐶𝐶𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = ]
(1−𝑋𝑋) 𝐹𝐹𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝜐𝜐𝑜𝑜
𝑑𝑑 𝑋𝑋 1 V
= 𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐 𝑆𝑆𝑎𝑎 𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 η dV = 𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐 𝑆𝑆𝑎𝑎 𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 ηd( )
(1−𝑋𝑋) 𝜐𝜐 𝜐𝜐
𝑑𝑑 𝑋𝑋
= 𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐 𝑆𝑆𝑎𝑎 𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 ηdτ
(1 − 𝑋𝑋)
Integrating both sides of the equation (effectiveness factor is independent of concentration)
𝑋𝑋 𝜏𝜏
𝑑𝑑 𝑋𝑋
� = � 𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐 𝑆𝑆𝑎𝑎 𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 ηdτ
0 (1 − 𝑋𝑋) 0
1
τ = −ln(1 − X)
𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐 𝑆𝑆𝑎𝑎 𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑟 𝜂𝜂
1
τ = −ln 1 − 0.9 = 1.67 s
1.5 ∗ 0.91
Other Reactors for
multiphase reactions
Typical reactors for multiphase reactions
Packed bed reactors: reactant(s) in gas or liquid phase flow through a
tube packed with solid catalysts [studied]
Fluidised bed: solid catalysts are suspended by gas/liquid reactants
Slurry reactors: solid catalysts are suspended in liquid phase (can be
inert medium or reactant) and gas is bubbled through the liquid
Trickle bed reactors: gas and liquid reactants flow co-currently
through a vertical tube packed with solid catalysts
Solid catalysts are suspended in the liquid
Slurry reactor phase [either inert medium or reactant]. Gas is
bubble through the fluid
Operation mode: batch or continuous
Applications:
Gas Hydrogenation of fatty acids over a
supported nickel catalyst
Hydroformation of CO over Cobalt based
catalyst
Oxidation
Ethynylation
Advantages:
Temperature control
Heat recovery
Overall catalytic activity [ by adding small
amounts of catalyst with each re-use for
Online catalyst batch mode or with constant feeding for
addition or continuous mode
withdrawal Reasonable interphase mass transfer with
Gas low energy input
Good heat transfer
Reaction steps in a heterogeneous catalysed
reaction in a slurry reactor
Assumptions:
1. Catalyst particles are uniformly suspended in the liquid phase
2. Liquid phase is well-mixed
Reactant(s) in the gas phase participates in five reaction steps:
1. Adsorption from the gas phase into the liquid phase at the bubble surface
2. Diffusion in the liquid phase from the bubble surface to the bulk liquid
3. Diffusion from the bulk liquid to the external surface of the solid catalyst
4. Internal diffusion of the reactant in the porous catalyst
5. Reaction within the porous catalyst
Trickle bed reactor
𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐
Reaction: A(g) + B(l) C(l) Reactant concentration profile
Gas
Liquid
CAb
CAi(g) Solid
CA CAi CAs
Distance
Gas
Vertical tube packed with catalyst pellets Liquid Solid
CA CAi CAb CAs
Gas and liquid flow co-currently through the
catalytic bed
Applications: hydro-desulfurization, hydro-
treating processes of crude oils
Fluidised bed reactor
Pressurised gas (liquid) flows upward through the bed
containing catalyst particles from the bottom of the reactor
via a perforated distributor plate, causing particles to be
suspended
The conditions to operate the fluidised bed reactor, the gas velocity (uo) has to be
𝑢𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 < 𝑢𝑢𝑜𝑜 < 𝑢𝑢𝑡𝑡 umf: minimum fluidisation velocity: the velocity at which the solid bed
becomes to fluidise (part 2)
ut: free fall terminal velocity of solid particles (part 5)
Mass transport in fluidised bed operations
• 1st type: transport between gas and solid: similar to gas-solid mass transfer in other
types of operations.
• 2nd type of mass transfer is unique to fluidized-bed operations: the transfer of material
between the bubbles and the clouds and between the clouds and the emulsion
Advantages
Uniform Mixing: Due to the intrinsic fluid-like behavior of the solid material,
fluidized beds provide good mixing.
Uniform Temperature Gradients: high heat transfer coefficients, FBRs are suited to
exothermic reactions.
Ability to Operate Reactor in Continuous mode
Disadvantages
Increased Reactor Vessel Size: Because of the expansion of the bed materials in the
reactor, a larger vessel is often required than that for a packed bed reactor.
Pumping Requirements and Pressure Drop: The requirement for the fluid to
suspend the solid material necessitates that a higher fluid velocity is attained in the
reactor. In addition, the pressure drop associated with deep beds also requires
additional pumping power.
Particle Entrainment: The high gas velocities often result in fine particles becoming
entrained in the fluid. These captured particles can then carried out of the reactor
with the fluid, where they must be separated.
Erosion of Internal Components: The fluid-like behavior of the fine solid particles
within the bed eventually results in the wear of the reactor vessel.
Behaviour of a Fluidised bed- the Kunii- Levenspiel Model
• Fluidised bed can be treated as a two-phase system: emulsion phase
and bubble phase
• All bubbles are of one size
• The bubbles contain a very small amount of particles
• Each bubble has a wake that contains a significant amount of
particles.
• The concentration of solids in the wake= that in the emulsion
• The gas within a particular bubble remains largely within that bubble,
only penetrating a short distance into the surrounding emulsion
phase.
• The region penetrated by gas from a rising bubble is called the cloud.
• In the wake, velocity of solid = velocity of gas= velocity of upward
bubbles
• The void fraction in the wake= the void fraction at the minimum
fluidization point