Mass transfer efficiency

The pulsed-plate column is typically fitted with hori2ontal perforated plates or sieve plates which occupy the entire cross section of the column. The total free area of the plate is about 20—25%. The columns ate generally operated at frequencies of 1.5 to 4 H2 with ampHtudes 0.63 to 2.5 cm. The energy dissipated by the pulsations increases both the turbulence and the interfacial areas and greatly improves the mass-transfer efficiency compared to that of an unpulsed column. Pulsed-plate columns in diameters of up to 1.0 m or mote ate widely used in the nuclear industry (139,140). 

In order of priority, the factors that govern the selection of industrial dryers are (/) personnel and environmental safety (2) product moisture and quahty attainment (J) material handling capabiHty (4) versatiHty for accommodating process upsets (5) heat- and mass-transfer efficiency and (6) capital, labor, and energy costs. 

Selection of Equipment Packed columns usually are chosen for very corrosive materials, for liquids that foam badly, for either small-or large-diameter towers involving veiy low allowable pressure drops, and for small-scale operations requiring diameters of less than 0.6 m (2 ft). The type of packing is selected on the basis of resistance to corrosion, mechanical strength, capacity for handling the required flows, mass-transfer efficiency, and cost. Economic factors are discussed later in this sec tion. 

Computation of Tower Height The required height of a gas-absorption or stripping tower depends on (1) the phase equilibria involved, (2) the specified degree of removal of the solute from the gas, and (3) the mass-transfer efficiency of the apparatus. These same considerations apply both to plate towers and to packed towers. Items 1 and 2 dictate the required number of theoretic stages (plate tower) or transfer units (packed tower). Item 3 is derived from the tray efficiency and spacing (plate tower) or from the height of one transfer unit (packed tower). Solute-removal specifications normally are derived from economic considerations. 

For total-reflux distillations carried out in packed columns, regions of loading and flooding are identified by their effects on mass-transfer efficiency, as shown in Fig. 14-47. Gas and liquid rate increase... 

End Effects Analysis of the mass-transfer efficiency of a packed cohimn should take into account that transfer which takes place outside the bed, i.e., at the ends of the packed sections. Inlet gas may veiy weU contact exit liquid below the bottom support plate, and exit gas can contact liquid from some types of distributors (e.g., spray nozzles). The bottom of the cohimn is the more hkely place for transfer, and SU-vey and KeUer [Chem. Eng. Prog., 62(1), 68 (1966)] found that the... 

Capable of achieving relatively high mass-transfer efficiencies ... 

Example 8-42 Mass Transfer Efficiency Calculation for Baffle Tray Column (used by permission [211])... 

Figure 9-6MM. Nutter BHS structured packing with expanded metal texture, which maintains high mass transfer efficiency across all operating conditions. Nutter Engineering designs and manufactures BSH in North America under exclusive license from Julius Montz GmbH of Germany. Used by permission of Nutter Engineering, Harsco Corp.

Figures 9-63A and -63B illustrate for a specific packing the hydraulic flood and mass-transfer efficiency limitations. The differences in crimp height can influence the results. Figure 9-63B shows the effect of a higher flow parameter taken using larger columns the system apparendy was approaching its critical, but the cause of the performance is not yet known.

Speed-up of mixing is known not only for mixing of miscible liquids, but also for multi-phase systems the mass-transfer efficiency can be improved. As an example, for a gas/liquid micro reactor, a mini packed-bed, values of the mass-transfer coefficient K a were determined to be 5-15 s [2]. This is two orders of magnitude larger than for typical conventional reactors having K a of 0.01-0.08 s . Using the same reactor filled with 50 pm catalyst particles for gas/Hquid/solid reactions, a 100-fold increase in the surface-to-volume ratio compared with the dimensions of laboratory trickle-bed catalyst particles (4-8 mm) is foimd. 

The above-mentioned drivers stem from the fact that micro reactors may be constructed light-weight and so are potentially mobile [20]. This holds particularly when integration of many components into one system can be performed. In addition, micro reactors can generally have high mass transfer efficiency, especially when... 

This reaction serves as a known model reaction to characterize mass transfer efficiency in micro reactors [5]. As it is a very fast reaction, solely mass transfer can be analyzed. The analysis can be done simply by titration and the reactants are inexpensive and not toxic (although caustic). 

Mass transfer efficiency by conversion analysis - benchmarking to mixing tee... 

GL 22] [R 3] [R 9] [R 10] [P 23] The mass transfer efficiency of different gas/liquid contactors as a function of residence time was compared qualitatively (Figure 5.29), including an interdigital micro mixer, a caterpillar mini mixer, a mixing tee and three micro bubble columns using micro channels of varying diameter [5]. 

Mass transfer efficiency by conversion anaiysis for the falling film micro reactor... 

GL 22] [R 1] [P 23] The mass transfer efficiency of the falling film micro reactor as a function of the carbon dioxide volume content was compared quantitatively (Figure 5.30) [5]. The molar ratio of carbon dioxide to sodium hydroxide was constant at 0.4 for all experiments, i.e. the liquid reactant was in slight excess. 

Mass transfer efficiency - benchmarking of micro devices to literature data... 

In general, the largest size of packing that is suitable for the size of column should be used, up to 50 mm. Small sizes are appreciably more expensive than the larger sizes. Above 50 mm the lower cost per cubic metre does not normally compensate for the lower mass transfer efficiency. Use of too large a size in a small column can cause poor liquid distribution. 

The spray aeration method comprises a grid network of piping and nozzles over a pond or basin. Contaminated water is simply sprayed through the nozzles and into the air to form droplets. Mass transfer of the contaminant takes place across the air-water surface of the droplets. Mass transfer efficiency can be increased by multiple passing of the water through the nozzles. This method has three disadvantages ... 

Chemical reactions on solid surfaces can be realized in gas-solid and liquid-solid systems. In both cases the reaction takes place on the surface of the solid matrix, and therefore the molecules to be reacted need to get in contact with the reactive surface. Several transport regimes and interaction mechanisms define the mass transfer efficiency. They can be summarized as follows [6] ... 

---