Recent advances in the analysis and design of trickle-bed reactors

This paper summarizes some progress in our understanding of trickle-bed reactors. The particular topics discussed in this review are the basic hydrodynamics, flow regime transition, pressure drop and holdup calculations, use of tracers, modelling of partial wetting effects, reactor design of and catalyst testing in trickle beds. The rapid advances made in these areas are critically examined and some problems which need further investigation are outlined. This paper is dedicated to Dr L K Doraiswamy on his sixtieth birthday. Dr Doraiswamy initiated a significant research programme in the area of multiphase reactors at NCL, Pune, resulting in a number of new technologies, several well-cited publications and a book in this area. One of the authors of this review (P A Ramachandran) had the privilege and pleasure of associating with this group and is grateful to the constant encouragement provided by Dr Doraiswamy. This work could not have been possible without the industrial support to the Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory (CREL) at Washington University and Drs P A Ramachandran and M P Duduković would like to thank all the industrial sponsors of CREL.