Work package 3.2 - Scale-up of phase dispersion for structured multiphase reactors

Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr.-Ing. M. Grünewald (Ruhr-Universität Bochum)

PhD student: Corinna Hecht (Ruhr-Universität Bochum)

Main Scientific Goals:

The aim of this work package is selecting and characterizing distributor devices, which promise optimal process conditions and a high catalyst performance for two given reactor-catalysts-system.

Particular tasks:

• Investigation of  the characteristic phase-distribution of different SiSiC-sponges in multiphase reactors
• Developing of distribution devices for catalytic SiSiC-Sponges in multiphase reactors
• Developing geometric conditions for periodic-open cell structures to improve the phase dispersion in multiphase reactors
• Developing distribution devices for custom-made periodic-open cell structure which are selected by geometric aspects
• Testing of compounds to substitute the hazardous compounds with compounds showing the same hydrodynamic behavior.  (First results show good results for the substitution.)

Experimental setup:

a) Sponge structure:

As suggested by the project partners the characteristic phase-distribution of sponges with 10, 20, 30 and 45 pores per inch (Fig.: 1) are tested.

To investigate the distribution characteristics and to develop a distribution device a wire mesh sensor is installed (Fig. 2).

Figure 1: SiSiC-Sponges with 10, 20, 30 and 45 pores per Inch.	Figure 2: Set-up to investigate the characteristic distribution and the optima distribution device for specific sponges.

b) Periodic-open cell structure:

In cooperation with the TU Hamburg-Harburg a method to predict the free bubble rise in periodic-open cell structures is developed. As a result two periodic-open cell structures (Fig. 3) are printed by means of a rapid prototype printing. To investigate the quality of the phase-distribution integral and radial holdups are measured by means of a wire mesh sensor device (Fig. 4).

Figure 3: Periodic-open cell structure with a cell angle of 90°.	Figure 4: Experimental set-up to measure the hydrodynamic behavior in periodic-open cell structures.

Cooperations:

WP 2.1  : Develop the optima open-cell structure for an energy-enhancing application

WP 3.1  : Cooperation in investigating the hydrodynamic behavior in sponge reactors

WP 3.3  : Information about the mass transfer enhancing in bubbly flow by means of periodic-open cell structures

WP 4.3  : Verification of the distribution characteristics in sponge reactors

Publications:

• C. Hecht, M. Grünewald, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, C.-O. Möller, D. Bezecny, M. Schlüter, Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg, New Structures for Enhancing Mass Transfer within Bubble Columns – From Mass Transfer Oberservations to Technical Implementation, International Symposium on Multiscale Multiphase Process Engineering - Hamburg, September 24-27, 2014.