COMPARISON OF SIMULATED PERFORMANCE OF FIXED ION-EXCHANGE BEDS IN LINEAR AND RADIAL FLOW

Simulations are performed using models developed to predict ion exchan ge performance in fixed cylindrical resin beds. One model predicts per formance in a conventional bed in which the flow is parallel to the be d's axial, while the other model predicts performance in a wedge-shape d radial bed. in this radial bed the injected solution flaws radially from the inlet located at the annular bed's axis to the outlet located at the bed's periphery. The simulated breakthrough curves for the exh austion and regeneration cycles for the Ca-H cation exchange system ar e compared to study the effects of operating conditions. It is found t hat because dispersion grows less in radial flow than in linear flow, radial ion exchange processes are more efficient than the conventional ion exchange column processes under identical operating conditions fo r the geometries simulated.