ISBN 9783843938006

978-3-8439-3800-6, Reihe Verfahrenstechnik

Kolja Neumann
Operating Characteristics of Rotating Packed Beds

241 Seiten, Dissertation Technische Universität Dortmund (2018), Softcover, A5

Zusammenfassung / Abstract

The advantages of applying rotating packed beds (RPBs) to intensify separation processes have been subject to scientific discussions for over 35 years. Although some applications of RPBs on an industrial scale are known, still no implementation of RPBs for production processes has been reported in Europe. Main drawbacks are a limited understanding of the fundamentals in RPBs and missing generally applicable design guidelines.

In this thesis the required steps to facilitate the implementation of RPBs in the chemical industry are highlighted. For this purpose hydrodynamics and the gas-liquid mass transfer (absorption and stripping) in RPBs were investigated experimentally. A correlation to calculate the pressure drop and an experimental procedure were developed. The gas flow pattern in the packed rotor was found to be similar to that in packed columns. In addition, the formation of a vortex and its contribution to the overall pressure drop must be considered when designing RPBs. Experimental results that were obtained with different RPB designs indicate the importance of the labyrinth seal in RPBs to derive reliable experimental results. The upper operating limit in RPBs was found to depend significantly on the chosen liquid distribution system.

By experimental and theoretical studies an equipment volume reduction by a factor of three to ten compared to conventional packed columns was found, depending on the chosen chemical system. This volume reduction is mainly achieved due to the relatively large effective interfacial area and the increased liquid side mass transfer coefficient. Furthermore, increasing the radial packing width leads to increased CO2 capture efficiencies. In order to facilitate the exploration of potential fields of RPB application in the chemical industry, a model was developed and successfully validated by experimental data, allowing for simulation studies of reactive CO2 absorption in RPBs.