THE STRING OF CATALYST SPHERES AS A TOOL FOR HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER STUDY IN A THREE-PHASE SYSTEM

Abstract

A single vertical string of catalyst spheres with liquid film flowing over their surfaces was employed to model a three phase system. Simultaneous heat and mass transfer characteristics within a porous catalyst pellet and across the laminar liquid film was analyzed in terms of different values of reaction and transport parameters. It is shown that the liquid film thickness after the first three pellets reduces less than 10% even though a highly exothermic reaction is taking place within the pellets. It was also found that the mixing in pendular rings plays an important role in heat transfer from the pellets surface.

KEYWORDS:

• Catalytic reaction
• Simultaneous heat and mass transport
• Three-phase system.