A novel experimental method is proposed to investigate the fluid flow in rotating packed beds (RPB). Experimental results show that the novel method is simple and effective and can be used not only in the lab experimental equipment but also in the industrial grade equipment. By using this method, the hydrodynamic performances of the RPB can be easily studied, which include actual wetting and false wetting, the flow pattern of the liquid film flow, the number and width of liquid trajectories, etc., and consequently, their changing rules are obtained. The results have significant effect on the gas–liquid two phase transfer behavior and are the basis of establishing accurately hydrodynamic mathematical model for RPB.

A mathematical model for air–liquid two-phase flow in rotating packed beds (RPB) is established to describe the real condition of the fluid flow in the RPB. Results show that the model can better and reasonably predict the distribution of the air–liquid two-phase flow field, the pressure drop, the liquid film thickness, the proportion of the turbulent flow in the liquid film and some other complex hydrodynamic characteristics in the RPB. The results provide a theory basis for the gas–liquid two-phase heat transfer and mass transfer.

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in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com)To do further research on the mass-transfer mechanism in rotating packed bed (RPB), dynamics of droplets in a RPB are studied by an analytical approach combined with a series of laboratory measurements. Based on the results of the fluid dynamics, mathematical models of mass-transfer coefficient and mass-transfer process in RPB are proposed, respectively. Mass-transfer experiments in RPB are also carried out using ethanol-water solution. By comparison, the results of simulation agree well with that of the experiment, which demonstrate that both hydrodynamic model and mass-transfer models can better describe the real conditions of RPB.

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