Effect of the wall Nusselt number on the simulation of catalytic fixed bed reactors

Literature correlations for the apparent wall heat transfer coefficient (h_w) in fixed bed catalytic reactors are compared. At low to moderate values of the Reynolds number (Re), different correlations can produce estimates of the dimensionless wall Nusselt number (Nu_w = h_wd_p/k_f) that differ by an order of magnitude or more. Some correlations give Nu_w as a function of Re only, others allow for the effects of tube-to-particle diameter ratio and particle and fluid thermal conductivities. The value of Nu_w that is used in a simulation of a fixed bed catalytic reactor can have a strong effect on the predicted behavior. Two examples of fixed bed reactors are simulated and show that the more general correlations for Nu_w are to be preferred.