Packed Bed Reactor Apparatus

Axial diffusion and dispersion of fluid in packed beds are important for the design and operation of separation equipment and Chemicals reactors. The tracer technique, the most widely used method for the study of axial dispersion. In stimulus-response experimentation, we perturb the system using pulse input of tracer and then see how the system reacts or responds to this stimulus. The analysis of the response gives the desired information about the system. The setup consists of a glass column packed with Rasching Rings and one feed tank. Water is fed to the reactor through a liquid distributor, fitted at the bottom of the column. Rotameter is provided to measure the flow of water. The flow rate can be adjusted by operating the needle valve provided on Rotameter. For understanding the R.T.D. characteristics, a special arrangement to inject tracer into the lower end of the reactor, using a syringe, is provided. Samples can be taken periodically from the top outlet of the reactor. The Pressure Regulator & Pressure Gauge are fitted in the compressed airline.

Experimentation/Learning Objectives
• To plot RTD curve for Packed Bed Reactor.
• To determine the Dispersion No.

Utilities Required
• Compressed Air Supply: 0.25 CFM@1 bar
• Water Supply.
• Floor Drain.
• Floor Area Required : 1.0 m x 1.0 m.
• Instruments, Laboratory Glassware, and Chemicals required for analysis as per the system adopted.