Liquid spreading in trickle-bed reactors: Experiments and numerical simulations using Eulerian-Eulerian two-fluid approach

Liquid spreading in gas-liquid co-current trickle-bed reactors is simulated using an Eulerian two-fluid CFD approach. In order to propose a model that describes exhaustively all interaction forces acting on each fluid phase with an emphasis on dispersion mechanisms, a discussion on closure laws available in the literature is proposed. Liquid dispersion is recognized to result from two main mechanisms: capillary and mechanical. The proposed model is then implemented in two trickle-bed configurations matching with two experimental setups: in the first configuration, simulations of a 2D axisymmetric geometry are considered and the model is validated upon a new set of experimental data. Overall pressure drop and liquid distribution obtained from γ-ray tomography are provided for different geometrical and operating conditions. In the second configuration, a 3D simulation is considered and the model is compared to experimental liquid flux patterns at the bed outlet. A sensitivity analysis of liquid spreading to bed geometrical characteristics (bed void-fraction and particles diameter) as well as to gas and liquid flow rates is proposed. The model is shown to achieve very good agreement with experimental data and to predict, accurately, tendencies of liquid spreading for various geometrical bed characteristics and/or phases flow rates.