Advances in process intensification through multifunctional reactor engineering.

Technical Report · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1011212· OSTI ID:1011212

Cooper, Marcia A; Miller, James Edward; O'Hern, Timothy John; Gill, Walter; Evans, Lindsey R

A multifunctional reactor is a chemical engineering device that exploits enhanced heat and mass transfer to promote production of a desired chemical, combining more than one unit operation in a single system. The main component of the reactor system under study here is a vertical column containing packing material through which liquid(s) and gas flow cocurrently downward. Under certain conditions, a range of hydrodynamic regimes can be achieved within the column that can either enhance or inhibit a desired chemical reaction. To study such reactors in a controlled laboratory environment, two experimental facilities were constructed at Sandia National Laboratories. One experiment, referred to as the Two-Phase Experiment, operates with two phases (air and water). The second experiment, referred to as the Three-Phase Experiment, operates with three phases (immiscible organic liquid and aqueous liquid, and nitrogen). This report describes the motivation, design, construction, operational hazards, and operation of the both of these experiments. Data and conclusions are included.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 1011212
• Report Number(s): SAND2011-0673
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
CHEMICAL REACTORS
CONSTRUCTION
DESIGN
HYDRODYNAMICS
MULTIPHASE FLOW
OPERATION
TEST FACILITIES
TWO-PHASE FLOW