Abstract
Three-phase catalysis, for example, hydrogenation, is a special branch of chemical
reactions involving a hydrogen reactant (gas) and a solvent (liquid) in the presence
of a metal porous catalyst (solid) to produce a liquid product. Currently, many reactors
are being used for three-phase catalysis from packed bed to slurry vessel; the uniqueness
for this type of reaction in countless processes is the requirement of transferring
gas into liquid, as yet there is not a unified system of quantifying and comparing
reactor performances. This article reviews current methodologies in carrying out such
heterogeneous catalysis in different reactors and focuses on how to enhance reactor
performance from gas transfer perspectives. This article also suggests that the mass
transfer rate over energy dissipation may represent a fairer method for comparison
of reactor performance accounting for different types/designs of reactors and catalyst
structures as well as operating conditions.
Keywords
phase catalysis - reactor performances - mass transfer coefficient - energy dissipation
rate
