Trickle Bed Reactors

An Undergrad Approach
Erik McMillian, Andrew Osborn, Trevor Sowder
Trickle Bed Reactor
Gas and liquid stream flow over a packed bed co-currently
Counter current, jacketed, and internal cooling trickle bed
also avaliable
Liquid MUST trickle down through bed

Control of fluid phase is important to enhance the reactor

performance and heat transfer efficiency.
Bubble caps or nozzles enhance the trickling effect of the
liquid
Reactor is run at high temperatures and pressures
Use and Advantages
Trickle Bed used for:
hydrocracking
hydro treating of various high-boiling petroleum fractions
hydrodesulphurization

Advantages
Simplicity of operation
Fewer occurrences of side reactions
Varying liquid rate according to catalyst resistances

Disadvantages
Limited on the use of foaming or viscous fluids
Limited to reasonably fast reactions
Hard to scale up reactor due to reactor variables and limited
understanding of hydrodynamics that result
Trickle-Bed Fundamental
1. Transport from the bulk gas phase to
the gas-liquid interface
2. Equilibrium at gas-liquid interface
3. Transport from interface to bulk liquid
4. Transport from bulk liquid to external
catalyst surface
5. Diffusion and reaction in the catalyst
pellet
Transport Resistance
Each Fundamental Step is a Resistance
Analogous to heat transfer

= = + + +

Mechanism

+
Transport from Bulk phase
Rate of Transport from bulk gas phase to the gas-liquid interface

1
= ()
(1 ) ()

1 (1 )
= 1 =

(1 )

[ ]
= = (1 ) [Eqn. 1]


Gas-Liquid Interface
We need to Describe the relation between () to ()
()
=

Transport from Interface to Bulk

=
1 = .

1
=

=

Transport from liquid to catalyst surface
=

1 =
=

=

= 1 =
Rc

Diffusion and Reaction

=
=
= internal effectiveness factor
= =
1 Rr

Combining Resistances
Multiply out resistance in denominator
=

= rA R l

=

Plug In and Combine =

= + + = + +

= [ + + + R g ]

=
+ + +Rg
Transport of Species A

Overall Rate of Species A

1 1
= =

1 1 1 1
+ + + + + +

= Overall transfer coefficent

from gas to catalyst

Mole Balance of Species A

= r =
dW
Transport of Species B
Transport of B from bulk liquid to solid catalyst
interface

= ( )

Diffusion and reaction of B inside the catalyst pellet

=
Overall Rate Equation for Species B Mole Balance of Species B
1
= 1 1
= rB =
+
dW

= .
Limiting Situations
Mass Transfer of the Gaseous Reactant Limiting
Assume:
Concentration of species B does not vary through trickle bed
No volume change of gas or pressure drop
() 1
= ln = ln
() 1
Mass Transfer and Reaction of the Liquid Reactant Limiting
Assume:
Liquid phase is entirely saturated with gas A
Concentration of A constant

() 1
= ln = ln
() 1
Parameters Affecting Transport Coefficients
Pressure Drop
Catalyst weight
Diameter of catalyst particle

Catalyst Configuration and Type

Random vs structured packing
Porous, monolithic
Catalyst shape

Catalyst Wetting
Degree that catalyst is covered by liquid
phase
Complete vs partially wetted
External vs internal wetting
Parameters Affecting Transport Coefficients Cont.
Flow Regimes
Trickle Flow - Moderate gas and low liquid flowrates
Low pressure drop, less catalyst attrition
Heat and mass transfer rates poor

Pulse Flow - Moderate gas and liquid flow rate

Optimal wetting, catalyst utilization, heat and
mass transfer rates
Operating window is relatively small

Spray Flow - High gas flow, low liquid

Low liquid holdup
High gas-liquid transfer rates

Bubble Flow - Low gas flow, high liquid

Complete wetting and high mass/heat transfer
High liquid holdup leads to back mixing
Evaluating the Transport Coefficients
Coefficients given assume:
Complete wetting of the catalyst
Random packing
Porous Catalyst
Pressure Drop significant
Isothermal
Example
Where to start?

A(g) + B(l) C(l)

Mole Balance

In Out + Generation = Accumulation

=

Rate Law

= ()
= 0.4
1

= (1 ) (1 ) 1 1

+
+ +

Stoichiometry
Pressure Drop
1
= (1+)

=

=

-0.5 ( )

= =
(1 )

= 1

Combining

1
= (1 )
1

Integrate

1
1 + ln = ( 2)
1 2
Evaluate

Solubility
=
1
=

Internal Diffusion
1
Resistance = =


=


Where =

Evaluate

Gas absorption

(1 )
Resistance = =

2/3
= 2 + 0.91

=

Evaluate

Resistance of Bulk Liquid to Catalyst

1
Resistance = =

6
=

= 0.366 1.15 1/3

Evaluate

Total Resistance
= + + +

Catalyst Weight
1
1 + ln = 2
1 2
1

=


=
0 (1 )