Distillation studies in rotating packed bed with split packing

► Distillation studies with methanol/ethanol system have been carried out in a recently developed rotating packed bed (RPB) design. ► The HETP value achieved (2.9 cm at F-factor of 0.6 and rotor speed = 1100 rpm) was in the same range obtained in conventional RPB at higher rotor speed and F-factor for the same system. ► The results at high rotor speed and F-factor pointed towards the possibility of entrainment. ► The rotor speed has a greater influence on mass transfer performance compared to RPB's in which liquid flows parallel to the packing.