Process Intensification Toolkit for Mass and Heat Transfer in Rotating Packed Bed

Process intensification (PI) has been widely applied to improve process efficiency on areas such as process capacity and yield, energy consumption, process safety and cost, equipment size, carbon footprint and sustainability, etc. Because of strong shear force that splits liquid into numerous droplets and thin films under a high gravity field, rotating packed beds (RPB) can dramatically increase the mass and heat transfer between gas and liquid. Many research studies [1-3] and industry installations confirm that RPB can reduce equipment volume by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude as compared to conventional packed beds.

With the aim of developing a PI toolkit to support process simulation, research, development, and design of intensified absorption and stripping processes involving RPB, we investigate the effects of gravitational force on gas-liquid interficial areas, mass transfer coefficients, and heat transfer coefficients. The improved understanding on the relationships between gravity and mass and heat transfers allows us to develop a generalied process simulation model for RPB that supports industry’s efforts to develop intensified absorption and stripping processes. Examples in the use of the simulation model will be presented.

[1] Yu, C.H., Chen, M.T., Chen, H., Tan, C.S., “Effects of Process Configurations for Combination of Rotating Packed Bed and Packed Bed on CO₂ Capture”, Applied Energy, 175, 269-276 (2016).

[2] Yu, C.H., Lin, Y.X., Tan, C.S., “Effects of Inorganic Salts on Absorption of CO₂ and O₂ for Absorbents Containing Diethylenetriamine and Piperazine”, Int. J. Greenh. Gas Cont., 30, 118-124 (2014).

[3] Yu, C.H., Cheng, H.H., Tan, C.S., “CO₂ Capture by Alkanolamine Solutions Containing Diethylenetriamine and Piperazine in a Rotating Packed Bed”, Int. J. Greenh. Gas Cont., 9, 136-147 (2012).