EMPIRICAL-APPROACH TO SOLID-LIQUID MASS-TRANSFER IN A 3-PHASE SPARGEDREACTOR

Solid-liquid mass transfer coefficients were determined in three-phase sparged reactors (TPSRs) using benzoic acid dissolution. Experiments were performed in three acrylic column reactors of internal diameter 0 .1, 0.2 and 0.3 m respectively, The superficial gas velocities were va ried up to 0.35 m s(-1). Using experimental data generated in this wor k and data reported in the literature for a 0.4-m diameter reactor, th e effect of the reactor diameter on the solid-liquid mass transfer coe fficient, k(SL), was investigated, It is demonstrated that an empirica l approach can be used to determine k(SL) from an appropriate mass tra nsfer correlation useful for the design of TPSRs.