Performance evaluation of a slurried bed gas reactor

The slurried bed reactor has been discussed in the context of exothermic gas reactions. The mathematical model has been developed with a view to providing a method for scale up in terms of Number of Reactor Units (N.R.U.), Number of Chemical Units (N.Ch.U.), a forward catalyst surface rate constant and an overall mass transfer coefficient Kg. Experinental work was carried out in a continuous bench scale reactor to establish the value of the theoretical models Ethylene hydrogenation on a Raney Nickel catalyst was the model reaction employed. Results were obtained using various inlet reactant flow rates and compositions. The reactor Size was also varied. Results are presented which show the performance possible with the slurried bed reactors as well as serving as data for the theoretical model. It is shown that conversion is a direct function of reactor length and an inverse function of reactor flow rate. It is also shown that the nature of the. catalyst suspending liquid is of great importance to reaction rate. A method of estimating reactor performance is presented. For the system considered it is shown that mass transfer of the reactants from bubble to catalyst surface can be made to play a major part in controlling the reaction rate. The diffusional resistances to hydrogen are shown to be greatest. Equation 1.5.57, Enables value of K1, the forward catalyst surface reaction rate constant and Kg , the mass transfer coefficient between bubble and catalyst surface, to be calculated from the experimental data. It is suggested that this equation has potential value in reactor design.