Connection Between Liquid Distribution and Gas-Liquid Mass Transfer in Monolithic Bed

Abstract

Abstract: With a particular focus on the connection between liquid flow distribution and gas-liquid mass transfer in monolithic beds in the Taylor flow regime, hydrodynamic and gas-liquid mass transfer experiments were carried out in a column with a monolithic bed of cell density of 50 cpsi with two different distributors (nozzle and packed bed distributors). Liquid saturation in individual channels was measured by using self-made micro-conductivity probes. A mal-distribution factor was used to evaluate uniform degree of phase distribution in monoliths. Overall bed pressure drop and mass transfer coefficients were measured. For liquid flow distribution and gas-liquid mass transfer, it is found that the superficial liquid velocity is a crucial factor and the packed bed distributor is better than the nozzle distributor. A semi-theoretical analysis using single channel models shows that the packed bed distributor always yields shorter and uniformly distributed liquid slugs compared to the nozzle distributor, which in turn en-sures a better mass transfer performance. A bed scale mass transfer model is proposed by employing the single channel models in individual channels and incorporating effects of non-uniform liquid distribution along the bed cross-section. The model predicts the overall gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient with a relative error within ±30%.

Key words: monoliths, flow distribution, gas-liquid mass transfer, Taylor flow, single-channel

摘要： With a particular focus on the connection between liquid flow distribution and gas-liquid mass transfer in monolithic beds in the Taylor flow regime, hydrodynamic and gas-liquid mass transfer experiments were carried out in a column with a monolithic bed of cell density of 50 cpsi with two different distributors (nozzle and packed bed distributors). Liquid saturation in individual channels was measured by using self-made micro-conductivity probes. A mal-distribution factor was used to evaluate uniform degree of phase distribution in monoliths. Overall bed pressure drop and mass transfer coefficients were measured. For liquid flow distribution and gas-liquid mass transfer, it is found that the superficial liquid velocity is a crucial factor and the packed bed distributor is better than the nozzle distributor. A semi-theoretical analysis using single channel models shows that the packed bed distributor always yields shorter and uniformly distributed liquid slugs compared to the nozzle distributor, which in turn en-sures a better mass transfer performance. A bed scale mass transfer model is proposed by employing the single channel models in individual channels and incorporating effects of non-uniform liquid distribution along the bed cross-section. The model predicts the overall gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient with a relative error within ±30%.

关键词: monoliths, flow distribution, gas-liquid mass transfer, Taylor flow, single-channel

XU Min, LIU Hui, LI Chengyue, ZHOU Yuan, JI Shengfu. Connection Between Liquid Distribution and Gas-Liquid Mass Transfer in Monolithic Bed[J]. , 2011, 19(5): 738-746.

许闽, 刘辉, 李成岳, 周媛, 季生福. Connection Between Liquid Distribution and Gas-Liquid Mass Transfer in Monolithic Bed[J]. , 2011, 19(5): 738-746.

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