Reactors with Suspended Solid

Catalyst, Fluidized Reactors of

Various Types

(Source: O Levenspiel)
 Background
We use Fluidized reactors:
• For highly exothermic reactions
• For reactions limited by internal diffusion
• When catalyst deactivates rapidly

For example:
1. Phthalic anhydride synthesis reaction releases 460
kJ/mol:
C6H4(CH3)2 + 3 O2 → C6H4(CO)2O + 3 H2O

2. Thiele modulus:

(Source: O Levenspiel)
 Various Gas/Solid Contacting Regimes

• As u0 increases we can see the transition from Fixed bed to

BFB to TF to FF to PC reactors (Source: O Levenspiel)
Various Gas/Solid Contacting Regimes

Gas or liquid Gas or liquid liquid Gas

(Source: Kunii & Levenspiel)
Various Gas/Solid Contacting Regimes

Gas Gas Gas Gas or liquid

(Source: Kunii & Levenspiel)
 Geldart Classification of Solids

• These solids are called Geldart A, B, C or D

(Source: O Levenspiel)
Distribution of Solids in Various
Contacting Regimes
f is volume fraction of solids at
any height z.

• As gas velocity increases the

solids spread throughout
the vessel

(Source: O Levenspiel)
 G/S Contacting Regimes
Notation for a bed of suspended solids:

(Source: O Levenspiel)
 Geldart Classification of Solids

• These solids are called Geldart A, B, C or D

(Source: O Levenspiel)
 • Pressure drop due to solids (bed)

viscous flow
effect makes the
major contribution
to press drop.

The parabolic relationship of group D is

characteristic for the packed bed state

velocities lower than umf

Ergun’s equation:

viscous effect kinetic effect

 The Fluidized Bed State

when the bed reaches minimum fluidization, the pressure drop per unit length is
proportional to particles weight and can be estimated by

pressure drop across the bed is

constant at bubbling state
It is well documented that the pressure drop can increase in the slugging state and
above equation is not applicable

pressure drop for the whole fluidized

bed process be calculated by friction of the
fluid with the pipe walls

Baron et al.

friction of the
solids with the pipe walls electrostatic
forces
 • Minimum fluidization velocity, umf

𝑃  𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑑 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛❑

𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑑
  𝑏𝑒𝑑 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛❑

 𝛥 𝑃 𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑑 ¿
  𝛥𝑃 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑑

  ( 1− 𝜀 𝑚𝑓 )2 𝜇   𝑢𝑚𝑓 ( 1 − 𝜀 𝑚𝑓 ) 𝜌 𝑓 𝑢2𝑚𝑓
( 1− 𝜀 𝑚𝑓 )( 𝜌𝑠 − 𝜌 𝑔 ) . 𝑔=  150  3 2
+1.75 3
𝜙𝑠 𝑑 𝑝
𝜀 𝑚𝑓 ( 𝜙𝑠𝑑 )𝑝
𝜀 𝑚𝑓