HYDRODYNAMICS AND MASS-TRANSFER IN CROSS-FLOW ROTATING PACKED-BED

Hydrodynamics and mass transfer characteristics in a cross-flow rotati ng packed bed (RPB) were studied. Models describing the liquid film fl owing on the wire gauze packing, the liquid droplet size in the voids, the gas pressure drop, the gas pressure and velocity radial distribut ion and liquid flow direction have been established. Three different t ypes of mass transfer processes in cross-flow RPB were studied. Mass t ransfer model was established based on surface renewal model. The calc ulated results agree well with that of experiments. Experiments show t hat: The gas flow rate can be as high as 15 m/s and even higher, there fore the diameter of RPB can be greatly reduced compared to that of co unter-current RPB; For the liquid side controlling processes, the heig ht of mass transfer unit is 2.5-4 cm, which is close to that of counte rcurrent flow RPB. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.