Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Jun 14;9(26):28105-28113.
doi: 10.1021/acsomega.4c01128. eCollection 2024 Jul 2.

Comprehensive Analysis of Pressure Drop Phenomena in Rotating Packed Bed Distillation: An In-Depth Investigation

Amiza Surmi  1   2 , Azmi Mohd Shariff  1   3 , Serene Sow Mun Lock  1   3
Affiliations

Comprehensive Analysis of Pressure Drop Phenomena in Rotating Packed Bed Distillation: An In-Depth Investigation

Amiza Surmi et al. ACS Omega. .

Abstract

A rotating packed bed (RPB) is an innovative intensification technology that improves its separation capabilities in high-gravity conditions. This process increases efficiency with smaller equipment size and footprint than conventional packed columns. Although significant advancements have been made regarding RPBs, most studies only focused on single or dual rotor configurations in addressing dry pressure drop. Hence, multiple rotor systems in industrial settings can enhance economic efficiency by minimizing the necessity for numerous RPBs. This study investigated the pressure drops and holdup in a three-stage rotor-based RPB under actual process conditions using natural gas as the feed. A novel pressure drop correlation was introduced based on the nitrogen removal process from the natural gas in continuous RPB distillation operations. Consequently, the correlation between centrifugal acceleration, turbulent, and momentum effects demonstrated remarkable accuracy within ±15%. This outcome also highlighted the importance of meticulous design considerations in RPB-based applications due to the complex correlation between centrifugal forces, liquid holdup, and gas flow rates. The reflux feed ratio, liquid holdup, rotating speed, and F-factor effects were examined to comprehend the RPB distillation process. Overall, the correlations between the critical parameters offered crucial insights to prevent process upsets (such as flooding), contributing to advancing RPBs in practical industrial settings.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing financial interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
RPB-related research and development categories.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Block diagram for the overall test setup of the cryogenic nitrogen removal process (Cryonru).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Cryonru process configuration for the low-temperature distillation process.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Parity plot for the experimental and calculated pressure drop.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Pressure drop from the experimental and calculated pressure drop.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Effect of the F-factor on the pressure drop at different liquid loading.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Effect of the rotational speed on the F-factor and pressure drop.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Effects of reflux feed ratio and rotational speed.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Effects of reflux feed ratio and F-factor.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Effects of gas flow, liquid holdup, and pressure drop at different speeds.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Yang Z.; Sánchez-Ramírez E.; Yang A.; et al. Process intensification from conventional to advanced distillations: Past, present and future. Chem. Eng. Res. Des. 2022, 188, 378–392. 10.1016/j.cherd.2022.09.056. - DOI
    1. Kooijman H. A.; Sorensen E. Recent advances and future perspectives on more sustainable and energy efficient distillation processes. Chem. Eng. Res. Des. 2022, 188, 473–482. 10.1016/j.cherd.2022.10.005. - DOI
    1. Blahušiak M.; Kiss A. A.; Kersten S. R. A.; Schuur B. Quick assessment of binary distillation efficiency using a heat engine perspective. Energy 2016, 116, 20–31. 10.1016/j.energy.2016.09.097. - DOI
    1. Ramshaw C.; Mallinson R. H.. Mass Transfer Process. U.S. Patent US4,283,255, 1981.
    1. Chen J.-F.; et al. Cationic polymerization in rotating packed bed reactor: Experimental and modeling. AIChE J. 2010, 56, 1053–1062. 10.1002/aic.11911. - DOI

LinkOut - more resources