The
volumetric liquid–solid (L-S) mass transfer coefficient
under gas–liquid (G-L) two-phase flow in a silicon-chip-based
micropacked bed reactor (MPBR) was studied using the copper dissolution
method and was related to the reactor hydrodynamic behavior. Using
a high-speed camera and a robust computational image analysis method
that selectively analyzed the bed voidage around the copper particles,
the observed hydrodynamics were directly related to the L-S mass transfer
rates in the MPBR. This hydrodynamic study revealed different pulsing
structures inside the packed copper bed depending on the flow patterns
established preceding the packed bed upon increasing gas velocity.
A “liquid-dominated slug” flow regime was associated
with an upstream slug flow feed. A “sparse slug” flow
regime developed with an upstream slug-annular flow feed. At higher
gas velocity, a “gas continuous with pulsing” regime
developed with an annular flow feed, which had similar features to
the pulsing flow in macroscale packed beds, but it was sensitive and
easily destabilized by disturbances from upstream or downstream pressure
fluctuations. The volumetric L-S mass transfer coefficient decreased
with increasing gas velocity under the liquid-dominated slug flow
regime and became rather less affected under the sparse slug flow
regime. By resolving the transition from the liquid-dominated slug
flow to the sparse slug flow and capturing the onset of the gas-continuous
with pulsing regime, we gained new insights into the hydrodynamic
effects of G-L flows on the L-S mass transfer rates in a MPBR.