SULFONATION IN A FALLING FILM REACTOR: COMPARATION OF EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS WITH MATHEMATICAL MODEL PREDICTIONS

ABSTRACT

A mathematical model is developed to simulate a falling film reactor for sulfonation/sulfation. In the model, the reaction rate is considered to be controlled by the mass transfer in the gas phase or in the liquid phase. The gas phase mass and heat transfers are calculated by empiric equations; in the liquid phase, they are calculated by solving with numerical methods the partial differential equations which describe the system. In these equations, and eddy diffusion is considered, following the Levich's theories

The model results are compared with the experimental results obtained by the authors in a pilot plant, for the dodecylbenzene sulfonation.