A 3-DIMENSIONAL MODEL FOR SIMULATING THE MALDISTRIBUTION OF LIQUID FLOW IN RANDOM PACKED-BEDS

The hydrodynamic characteristics of liquid flow in a packed column are studied using model equations that are based on the volume average co ncept. The objective is to track radial variations in flow rates (or m aldistributions) on a scale smaller than the equipment scale, but larg er than the scale of the packing. Such models remain valid on a wide r ange of scales. Once a number of parameters such as voidage and permea bility are determined, the model could be used for scale up purpose. W e present the results of two and three dimensional simulation using a computational fluid dynamics solver. For several different inlet distr ibutions, the development of flow patterns and the formation of the na tural flow patterns near the wall are simulated. The simulation result s on wall flow patterns are in reasonably good agreement with publishe d experimental data.