MASS-TRANSFER CHARACTERISTICS OF GASES IN NORMAL-DECANE AT ELEVATED PRESSURES AND TEMPERATURES IN AGITATED REACTORS

The gas solubilities C*, mass transfer coefficients k(L)a and volumetric mixing power input P*/V(L) were measured for hydrogen, nitrogen and methane in n-decane at various pressures (1-55 bar), temperatures (328-428 K) and mixing speeds (13.3-20.0 Hz) in a four-liter gas-inducing agitated autoclave. The effects of mixing speed, pressure, temperature and nature of the gas on C* and k(L)a were investigated. With all the gases used, C* values were found to increase when the gas partial pressure was increased. The effect of temperature on C* was dependent on the system studied, and in the range of operating conditions used, (C*)CH4 > (C*)N2 > (C*)H2. k(L)a values for all the systems tested increased dramatically with mixing speed. The effects of pressure and temperature on k(L)a were dependent on the system and experimental conditions employed. In the range of operating conditions used, (k(L)a)H2 > (k(L)a)N2 > (k(L)a)CH4. k(L)a values increased with P*/V(L) at constant pressure and temperature. An empirical correlation for predicting k(L)a as a function of various dimensionless numbers was proposed.