A catalytic reaction in the gaseous phase is performed in a packed bed of spherical catalyst particles of density 2500 k
Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 12:21 pm
A catalytic reaction in the gaseous phase is performed in a packed bed of spherical catalyst particles of density 2500 kg m-³ that occupies a depth of 100 cm in a vessel of cross-sectional area 400 cm². The mass of solids in the bed is 60 kg, and the spherical particle has a specific surface of 10000 m-¹. The gas flows downwards with a flow rate of 0.3 kg m-² s-¹; the density of the gas is 0.8 kg m-³, and the viscosity is 0.08 mN s m-². (i) Calculate the pressure drop through the packed bed and justify your answer; [10 marks] (ii) Calculate the gas flow rate and the fluid velocity if the gas flow is switched from downwards to upwards assuming the same conditions as in (i); justify your answer; [10 marks] (iii) In a following step, to improve the efficiency of the process in (ii) the value of Re'mf is raised to 20. How will the pressure drop and fluid velocity change in such condition? Justify your answer. [10 marks]