Pressure Drop in Packed Bed Reactors: Summary
The answers to the ConcepTests are given below and will open in a separate window.
Key points from this module:
- For the same flow rate, the pressure drop increases as the particle size in a packed bed decreases.
- As the inlet volumetric flow rate increases, the pressure drop increases.
- As the pressure drops in a packed bed, the volumetric flow rate increases for a gas-phase reaction.
- The Ergun equation can be used to calculate pressure drop in a packed bed for either laminar or turbulent flow.
- For a gas-phase reaction with positive order, pressure drop decreases conversion because it decreases the time reactants spend in the reactor.
From studying this module, you should now be able to:
- Calculate the pressure drop in a packed bed reactor.
- Explain how pressure drop affects the rate of reaction in a packed bed.
- Explain how volumetric flow rate and particle size in a packed bed affects pressure drop.