Mass Transfer Characteristics during the Removal of Dissolved Heavy Metals from Waste Solutions in Gas Sparged Fluidized Beds of Ion Exchange Resins

The paper presents experimental results concerning the removal of cupric ions from a simulated wastewater effluent consisting of copper sulphate solution in a gas sparged fluidized bed of cation exchange resin. Variables investigated were: superficial gas velocity, particle diameter, bed height and the physical properties of the solution (adding glycerol). These variables were studied with respect to their effect on the solid-liquid mass transfer coefficient. The coefficient was found to increase with increasing superficial gas velocity. Increasing both particle diameter and bed height were found to reduce the mass transfer coefficient. The experimental data can be correlated by the equation J = 0.68 (Fr Re )^–0.143 (d_p/d)^–0.62 (d_p/L)^0.55valid for the following conditions: 1430 < Sc < 2488; 0.017 < Fr Re < 1.41; 6.33 × 10^–3 < d_p/d < 0.021 and 9.5 × 10^–3 < d_p / L < 0.125.