Mass transfer in liquid—solid fluidized beds of ion exchange resins at low Reynolds numbers

Abstract

The aims of the work were twofold: (a) To obtain mass transfer data at Reynolds numbers in the range 0.1-1.0 for which the bed is nevertheless fluidized beyond the critical voidage of 0.55-0.6 suggested by Rahman and Streat (1981). These results should enable the authors to discriminate between low Reynolds numbers (put forward by Koloini) and low voidage (advanced by Rahman and streat) as causes for lowering of mass transfer rates as fluid velocity decreases in liquid fluidized-bed systems. (b) To investigate the effect of liquid velocity on the rate of mass transfer at low Reynolds numbers, and to obtain an appropriate correlating equation to be used for estimating mass transfer coefficients in the range 0.1<Re<1.0