Hydrodynamics and Mass Transfer in a Liquid-Impelled Loop Reactor

Abstract

The liquid-impelled loop reactor was studied with respect to hydrodynamics and liquid−liquid mass transfer. The system involved a continuous aqueous phase, a dispersed organic phase (n-dodecane), and sometimes a solid phase (gel beads). Indole was the transferred solute. Drop size, dispersed phase holdup, and continuous phase circulation rate were measured. Experimental overall volumetric mass transfer coefficients of indole were taken from an earlier paper. In the absence of gel phase or up to about 10% gel concentration, circulation and holdup could be reasonably well predicted from standard expressions for pressure balance and single-phase friction pressure loss. This was best achieved by a widely used correlation proposed by Richardson and Zaki. Use of the Zuber and Findlay two-phase drift-flux model was also successful, with an adjusted parameter. Experimental mass transfer coefficients were compared with calculations from existing correlations. The best agreement was obtained with correlations for c...