High interaction regime Lockhart-Martinelli model for pressure drop in trickle-bed reactors

Pressure drop and liquid saturation in a cold model representative of trick le-bed reactors operating in the high interaction regime were measured usin g air and water at atmospheric pressure. Five different packings similar in shape and dimension to typical industrial catalysts (cylindrical pellets, raschig rings, extrudates) were tested, covering a wide range of geometric characteristics. The adequacy of the most recent literature correlations fo r pressure drop in trickle-bed reactors was checked. The best predictions a re provided by an empirical correlation based on the Lockhart-Martinelli pa rameters. A new model of similar accuracy, was derived, which provides a th eoretical basis for the successful application of the Lockhart-Maratinelli approach.