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Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology

Solid Suspension using OFM: Experiments involving the suspension of solid particles with OFM have shown the possibility of achieving better homogeneity of solids suspension in a tube operated with OFM. Figures 1-3 show the suspension of ion-exchange resin particles in a small-scale oscillatory flow reactor, 5 mm i.d.

 

Suspended particles with OF mesoreactor tube

Figure 1. Complete suspension of 40 % v/v of ion exchange resin particles at varying angles and similar oscillation conditions: (a) vertical position, f = 12.1 Hz, x0 = 4 mm; (b) 45 degrees, f = 12.1 Hz, x0 = 4 mm; (c) 10 degrees, f = 12.1 Hz, x0 = 3 mm; (d) horizontal position, f = 12.1 Hz, x0 = 3 mm. In b), c) and d), the right hand side corresponds to the bottom of the reactor.

The variation of concentration with oscillation frequency

Figure 2. a) maximum concentration of ion exchange resin particles completely suspended at different fluid oscillations frequencies and amplitudes in the vertical position; b) minimum u(t)max (maximum oscillation velocities) for complete suspension of particles, at different fluid oscillation frequencies.

PIV vestor map of particles within a mesoreactor tube

Figure 3. Suspension of catalyst particles in the vertical position: instantaneous velocity vector maps of fluid phase at Reo = 625, xo = 2 mm, f = 10 Hz in the presence of 3% (v/v) amount of ion-exchange particles.

 

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