Parameter estimations, experimental interfacial area

A survey of the mathematical models for typical chemical reactors and reactions shows that several hydrodynamic and transfer coefficients (model parameters) must be known to simulate reactor behaviour. These model parameters are listed in Table 5.4-6 (see also Table 5.4-1 in Section 5.4.1). Regions of interfacial surface area for various gas-liquid reactors are shown in Fig. 5.4-15. Many correlations for transfer coefficients have been published in the literature (see the list of books and review papers at the beginning of this section). The coefficients can be evaluated from those correlations within an average accuracy of about 25%. This is usually sufficient for modelling of chemical reactors. Mathematical models of reactors arc often more sensitive to kinetic parameters. Experimental methods and procedures for parameters estimation are discussed in the subsequent section. 

To analyze the behavior of the system with the mathematical model proposed in the previous section, three parameters are needed the chemical equilibrium parameters and of the extraction and of the stripping chemical reactions, respectively, and the product, Afci, of the interfacial area of the emulsion and the kinetic constant of the forward stripping reaction. Estimation of the parameter values needs deep experimental analysis in the literature the following set of parameter values... 

The main transport parameters to be estimated are the mass transfer coefficients (gas-liquid (liquid side) fc , gas-liquid (gas side) kg, and liquid-solid fc )). Coupled to that is the estimation of the interfacial area per unit volume a, and often it is the combination (i.e., kia or kgO) that is estimated in a certain experimental procedure. Thermodynamic parameters, such as Henry s law constant (fZ) can be estimated in a simpler manner since their estimation on the flow or on any time-dependent phenomenon. Mass transfer coefticients may be evaluated in well-defined geometries with known flow fields using classical theories like film theory, penetration theory, surface renewal... 

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