Local hydrodynamics investigation of industrial scaled‐down upflow moving‐bed hydrotreater reactor using a two‐tip optical probe

Abstract

Upflow moving‐bed hydrotreater (MBR) is used in refineries as a guard reactor to a fixed‐bed residual desulfurization reactor. Uniform local flow distribution in these reactors is critical to avoid issues like coking, catalyst agglomeration, and hotspots in the catalyst bed. Local maldistribution is investigated on a scaled‐down MBR at a scaled‐down industrial flow condition using an experimental technique called two‐tip optical probe (TTOP), which gives local phase saturations, phase velocities, backmixing, and maldistribution at voids of a two‐phase‐flow packed bed. TTOP implemented at local radial/axial locations indicates highly fluctuating phase saturations inside the catalyst bed, with zones having low‐to‐high gas or liquid saturations, indicating severe local maldistribution. The local phase backmixing and local maldistribution is more on the upper part of the bed.

Special issue in honour of Professor Jamal Chaouki

“…We are pleased to report that 30 papers were initially submitted to the journal and after peer review, following the standard journal procedures, 28 papers were accepted. Due to the page limitation of each issue, we have decided to publish a full special issue with 16 papers as Part 1 [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] and a special section in the coming issue (vol. 99, issue 12) with 12 papers as Part II.…”

Experimental methods in chemical engineering: Optical fibre probes in multiphase systems

“…Eng. mostly deal with hydrodynamics and method development: 'Calibration of Solids Concentration Optical Fibre Probes with Solids-Polymer Blocks', [17] 'Local Hydrodynamics Investigation of Industrial Scaled-Down Upflow Moving-Bed Hydrotreater Reactor Using a Two-Tip Optical Probe', [48] 'Flow Development and Prediction of Solids Concentration in a Large Gas-Solids Turbulent Fluidized Beds', [49] and 'Modelling and Validation of a Gas-Solid Fluidized Bed Using Advanced Measurement Techniques'. [50] Spectroscopic techniques like Raman and NIR have some advantages over visible light as a radiation source.…”

Issue Highlights

“…The data show there is non‐uniform flow distribution inside the catalyst bed of this reactor, which is not good for effective catalyst utilization. [ 3 ]…”