Induced pulsing in trickle beds — Particle shape and size effects on pulse characteristics

Periodic liquid feeding of the ON-OFF type is investigated — at sufficiently high frequencies to be classified as “fast” mode of induced pulsing — in the range of mean gas and liquid flow rates corresponding to the steady “trickling flow” regime. Two of the most common types of catalyst-support particles, i.e. porous spherical and cylindrical extrudates, are employed to study the imposed pulse characteristics. Detailed information is obtained, on the axial propagation and attenuation of pulses, from instantaneous, cross-sectionally averaged holdup measurements. Key fluid-mechanical parameters studied include, aside from dynamic holdup and pressure drop, pulse celerity and intensity, as a function of fluid feed rates (G,L) and liquid cyclic frequency. Similar published data, for 6 mm glass spheres, are employed for comparison; it is shown that, for the particles examined, particle size has a pronounced effect, but not as significant as that of particle shape. For particles of comparable size, the cylindrical shape is associated with much greater global dynamic holdup and pressure drop, and with increased pulse attenuation. Moreover, packed extrudates exhibit a significant increase of holdup in the axial direction, recently also observed in steady trickling flow. For spherical particles, both time-average holdup and pulse celerity are practically constant along the bed for fixed L,G. Pressure drop, global holdup and pulse celerity are not affected by cyclic liquid feeding frequency, for both spherical and cylindrical extrudate particles. Based on the pulse attenuation characteristics, for the three particle types examined, recommendations are made on preferred conditions for induced pulsing (from the fluid dynamics point of view) which would maximize benefits. Overall, it appears that spherical packings hold significant advantages over cylindrical extrudates of comparable size. Finally, in view of the observed significant decay of imposed pulses along the bed, care should be exercised to properly interpret data obtained in short laboratory reactors (where pulse attenuation is limited) for scale-up of the much longer industrial beds.