V About Three Phase Catalytic Reactor (TPCR)

V Different Types of TPCR.

(a) Trickle Bed Reactor
(b) Slurry Tank Reactor

V General Aspects Considered here are

i) Design Models
ii) Flow Regimes
iii) Fluid Holdup
iv) Gas/liquid Mass Transfer
v ) Liquid/solid Mass Transfer
vi) Heat Transfer

V Applications.

V References
V A reactor with all Three phases namely Liquid, Gas and Solid
as primary requirement is called as Three Phase Catalytic
Reactor.
V Varieties like Liquid as catalyst or gas as catalyst or solid as
catalyst can be possible.
V In most of the Industrial application solid as catalyst is used.
V Solids can be placed in a fixed bed or kept in suspension in the
fluid phase, depending on this TPCR are classified in Two
distinct category,
(1) Systems with the catalyst dispersed in the liquid phase
existing in three forms,
a) Bubble Column,
b) Mechanically Stirred Tanks,
c) Three Phase Fluidized Bed,
(2) Systems with the catalyst placed in the fixed bed through
which the fluid passes in counter or co-current flow called
Trickle Bed.
 GAS LIQUID
GAS
GAS

FLUIDIZED
LIQUID ZONE

GAS BUBBLE GAS LIQUID

GAS
DISENGAGING
CATALYST ZONE

GAS GAS
LIQUID

LIQUID
(a) Trickle Bed Co-current
Downward Operation (b) Bubble Column (c) Three Phase
Slurry Reactor Fluidized Bed

GAS
GAS

LIQUID

LIQUID (d) Mechanically Agitated

Slurry Reactor
 Design Models:
V Non-volatile Liquid phase mass balance.

V Volatile Liquid phase mass balance.

V Boundary Conditions.

V Gas phase mass balance.

V Component mass balance around the catalyst.

 —


Depending on the gas and liquid flow rates and the physical
properties of liquid, various flow regimes exist in reactors. A
knowledge of this is essential in understanding the hydrodynamics
and mass transfer characteristics.
º Õ


1. At low liquid rate: The flow pattern is trickling.

2. At higher gas and/or liquid flow rate: We observe rippling or
pulsing flow.
3. At very high liquid flow rates and low gas rates: we have dispersed
bubble flow regimeu
º   

1. Homogeneous bubble flow: this occurs at low gas velocities.

ðu Heterogeneous Bubble flow: At higher gas velocities, sufficient
Bubble coalescence occurs and large bubbles along with small
ones appear in system.
3. Churn Turbulent slug flow regime: Here the diameter of bubble
equals that of reactor, and move as slugs in the reactor.
 Model Assumptions
1. Complete radial mixing,
2. Axial back mixing is accounted for by the dispersion
parameter.
3. Gas, liquid Concentration and Temperature profiles are the
function of reactor length only.
4. Complete catalyst wetting and uniform catalyst concentration
and activity.
5. Catalytic effectiveness factor accounts for the intra-particle
diffusion resistance.
Solution Algorithm
1. Above reactions are developed for each component in
mixture.
2. Use of Newton-Raphson numerical method is made.
3. For dispersion model, the shooting method is applied.
4. Repeat the same for entire length.
V  

Pressure drop is an important parameter in designing reactors
because the throughput as well as the mass transfer coefficients
depend on the energy supplied, which is a function of Pressure drop.

V 
 —

º Õ
 Liquid ±solid mass transfer is an important parameter

in design of trickle bed. Many correlations has been determined so
far, but with a consideration that gas density has no influence on
mtc.
º 


 Many models has been given which go hand in
hand.

V O—
º Õ
 Two models have been proposed by Weekman and
Myers & Speccihia and Baldi. But agreement between these
corerations is not very satisfactory. More work usiing catalyst
particles and practically important system is necessary in this area.
º 


 [olbel  u found that an increase in the heat
transfer coefficient was observed with increase in particle
concentration, along with particle size. Here htc can easily exceed
103 W/m2
 p

1. Greater variation in operating condition and contact time is
possible.
2. Efficient long residence time enables a near complete
reactions.
3. Little wear on catalyst and equipment.
4. In slurry reactors frequent regeneration of catalyst is possible.
5. Isothermal operation and efficient temperature control is
practical.
6. Improved thermal efficiency due to high heat transfer.
7. Little loss or attrition.
8. Low cost, low maintenance.
9. These systems need involvement of multiple reactors, HE,
extensive piping to maintain continuous flow.
10. Fluid flow is complex in fluidized and slurry bubble columns-
less than ideal contacting. Product distribution is changed.
V Hydrogenation of Unsaturated Oils.
V Hydrodesulfurization of Petroleum Feed stocks.
V Hydrodenitrogenation.
V Hydrocracking.
V Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis.
V Manufacturing of Sorbital from Glucose.
V Hydrogenation of Cellulose.
V Oxidation Reactions
V Pollution Control.
V Polymer-Bound Catalyst.
£ P.A.Ramachandran and R.V.Chaudhari, ³Õ 

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