ENGR 854, 853, SEVER INSTITUTE OF THaWoLOGE Doctor of Science Degree DISSERTATION ACCEPTANCE. (fo be submitted by the graduation approval deadLice) DATE: __Seotenber 9, 1993 STUDENT'S Hues BLR.S. cove: This student's ataserte ou, entities _Eifects of § as becn exanined by the und and has received full asprov the requitenente for che Higned comittee of three faculty menbers for acceptance 4a parcial fulfillment of degree Doctor of Science” Diseribueton: 5 ~ Dissertation coptes i = candiaace, 1 = Department 1 = Dean's Office 1 - RegistrarWASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SEVER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY EFFECTS OF HIGH PRESSURE AND FINES ON THE HYDRODYNAMICS OF TRICKLE-BED REACTORS. by Muthanna H, ALDahhan Prepared under the dection of Professors M. P. Dudukovic’ and. A. Ramachandran A dissertation presented to Sever Institute of Washington University in partial flllment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF SCIENCE December, 1993, Saint Louis, MissouriWASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SEVER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ABSTRACT EFFECTS OF HIGH PRESSURE AND FINES ON THE HYDRODYNAMICS OF TRICKLE-BED REACTORS ADVISORS : Professor M.P, Dudukovic’ Professor P.A, Ramachandran December, 1993, Saint Louis, Missouri Trickle-bed reactors are widely used in industry, These reactors generally are operated at high pressure. In the literature the studies on the design and scale-up parameters have been mainly performed under atmospheric conditions. tis unknown ‘whether the findings ofthese studies can be extrapolated to much higher pressure. Iti ‘oteworthy that such reactors are usually designed and sealed-up based on data obtained in laboratory scale nits. In such small scale reactors, which use the same catalyst sizes ‘and shapes of the commercial units, wall effect, axial dispersion and. liquid ‘maldistribution and hence incomplete catalyst wetting are encountered due to low liquid velocities. Diluting the bed with fines (small, inert and nonporous particles) is Fecommended to overcome these shortcomings. No study has appeared in the literature ‘which quantifies the effect of fines on liguid-solid contacting efficiency, pressure drop and liquid holdup, In this study a high pressure trickl-ed reactor facility has been designed and developed. The effects of high pressure and gas flow rate on pressure drop, fiqud holdup and lquid-solid contacting efficiency have been investigated. It was found that at high pressure operation and high gas flow rate, pressure drop increases considerably, liquid holdup docreases significantly, and liquid-slid contacting efficiency improves noticeably. A phenomenological analysis has been developed in this study which Aescribes these effects properly. A new model based on phenomenological consideration