Simultaneous local determination of mass transfer and residence time distributions in organic multiphase systems

•Simultaneous local determination of mass transfer and residence time.•Significant differences in mass transfer over height of column.•Determination of residence time distribution using ATR FTIR.

A new method for simultaneous local determination of mass transfer coefficients and residence time distributions in continuously operated bubble columns has been developed. Since for organic liquids not many experimental data sets are available in respect to mass transfer, measurements were carried out with the organic gas/liquid multiphase system consisting of cumene (1-methylethylbenzene) and carbon dioxide. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the gas phase was adjusted by mixing with nitrogen. To measure concentrations of compounds in the liquid phase, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FTIR) was applied: five ATR probes integrating silver-halide optical fibers with a length of 1.5 m were integrated in a bubble column of 128.5 cm height and a diameter of 10 cm. The probes were distributed over the height of the reactor and could be shifted within the reactor to measure radial profiles of the mass transfer coefficients in steady state operation mode at different positions. The superficial liquid velocity of the system was adjusted in the range of 0.7-1.4 cm s−1. The used superficial gas velocities were between 1.5 cm s−1 and 2.1 cm s−1 to ensure a homogeneous flow regime. Furthermore, tracer experiments with benzaldehyde for the investigation of the residence time distributions were performed. From the FTIR spectral data, CO2 and benzaldehyde tracer concentration data were determined simultaneously by conducting multivariate chemometric models. The corresponding mass transfer coefficients were calculated using a compartmental method for stationary flow. The residence time distributions were calculated from the benzoic aldehyde concentration data. Both parameters could be determined successfully. For the mass transfer coefficient of carbon dioxide into cumene, an interesting profile could be observed, which arose from several influences like areas of different bubble densities, caused by bubble breakage and coalescence, superficial velocities of gas and liquid as well as the applied type of sparger.