Trickle Bed Reactor, Process and Mechanical Design 78

CHAPTER
10
Trickle Bed
Reactor, Process
and Mechanical
Design

10.1 Significance in the overall process

Hydrotreatment of lube oil includes the removal of sulfur contents present in the waste
engine oil. This hydrotreatment stage is only a chemical treatment in the whole process
which is used to improve color and odor of oil. The basic purpose of this unit is to remove
the malodorous sulfur compounds from the process stream.

10.2 Selection of reactor

There are two types of reactor which are used as a three phase reactor.

1. Trickle bed reactor 2. Slurry bed Reactor

Fig 10.1
Trickle Bed Reactor, Process and Mechanical Design 79

The features of each reactor is given below:

Table 10.1

Characteristics Trickle Bed Reactor Slurry Bed Reactor

Liquid flow At low flow rates ChannelingNo liquid flow misdistribution is

may occur there.

Conversion High conversion can be achievedConversion is less because of axial

because of plug flow. mixing.

Heat control Relatively difficult. Heat control is easier .

Liquid/solid ratio Ratio is less. Ratio is quite higher.

Catalyst separation Not required. Separation is required.

Pressure drop It is higher. It is low or medium.

Catalyst attrition Not a problem as catalystIt may be a problem.

particles are fixed.

Application Used where Gas/liquid ratio isUsually employed for operations

very high. where high liquid/gas ratio is
required.

Maximum volume 300 m3 50 m3

Maximum working Very high pressures possible. 10 MPa

pressure

Investment costs Low. High.

Operating costs Low. High.

For the hydrodynamics of the two phases flow following graph was consulted and our flow
region is trickle flow so selected reactor is trickle bed reactor.
Trickle Bed Reactor, Process and Mechanical Design 80

Fig 10.2

There are two types of flow configuration in trickle bed reactor. One is upflow and second is
downflow. Their features are given as:

Table 10.2

Up flow Down flow

Flow Regime At low flow rates behaves Frequently used with Trickle
like Bubble column flow regime

Pressure Drop Higher Lesser

Heat Transfer More Rapid Less rapid

Catalyst Loss May be significant Not there
Catalyst Effectiveness Factor Less than 1 Approaches 1

So selected reactor is trickle bed reactor with co-current down flow configuration.

10.3 Hydro-desulfurization Chemistry

During the desulfurization process the following reactions occur;

C2H5HS + H2 à C2H6 + H2S.

C4H4S + 4H2 à C4H10 + H2S

C8H6S + 3H2 à C6H5 – C2H5 + H2S

C12H8S +2H2 à C6H5 – C6H5 + H2S

The kinetic parameter that directly affect the conversion of sulfur is the LHSV (Liquid
Hourly Space velocity) and partial pressure of hydrogen. Their expressions are given below:
Trickle Bed Reactor, Process and Mechanical Design 81

C/(1 – C) = k * 1/(LHSV) [eq 10.1]

k = (1/ LHSV) * pH2^n [eq 10.2]

Where C is the percentage conversion of sulfur.

Overall conversion of sulfur is 84% in the selected catalyst (Ni-W) and at the given
conditions

Fig 10.3

10.4 Catalyst selection

There are three catalysts used for HDS process:

1. Co-Mo

2. Ni-Mo

3. Ni-W
Trickle Bed Reactor, Process and Mechanical Design 82

One the basis of above graph, Ni-W shows the best activity at the temperature greater than
350C and Ni-Mo shows the best performance at the temperature less than 350C so selected
catalyst is Ni-W coatted over the alumina (AL2O3)

NiO = 6%

WO3 = 19%

Al2O3 = 75%

The catalyst properties are given as;

Table 10.3

Property Unit

Surface area 152m2 /g

Pour Volume .54 m3/g

Pour Size 142.2 A

Porosity .45

10.5 Reactor Internals

There are following internals of trickle bed reactor

1. Inlet distributor

2. Liquid distributor

3. Quench Distributor

4. Scale Basket

5. Collector Ring

6. Redistributors

7. Inert Balls
Trickle Bed Reactor, Process and Mechanical Design 83

Fig 10.4
Trickle Bed Reactor, Process and Mechanical Design 84

10.6 Material Balance of Reactor

10.7 Calculation of Quench Gas

Energy Balance across the reactor is given by the formula:

ΔH = HoR - ∑HR + ∑HP

HoR = Heat of reaction at the standard conditions.

ΔH = 36090.64 kJ/hr

Quench Hydrogen flow rate.

m= ΔH = 24.65 kgmole/hr

CPΔT

Supplied Hydrogen is 200% excess = 73.95 kgmole/hr

Trickle Bed Reactor, Process and Mechanical Design 85

Table 10.4

Operating and Design Conditions Units

Operating Pressure 6.99 MPa

Design Pressure 8.5 MPa

Operating temperature 427.3 o C

Design temperature 512 o C

10.8 Design of Reactor

LHSV = vol. flow rate of liquid feed

vol. of catalyst

Vol. of Bed = 3.3818 m3

Vol. of Reactor = vol. of bed

bed porosity

= 7.515 m3

20% of volume occupied by:

1. Distributor

2. Quench Gas Distributor

3. Clearance at the top and the bottom.

4. Scale basket

5. Inert Balls

Total Reactor Volume = 9.394 m3

No. of beds used = 2

Using L/D ratio = 7.5

Trickle Bed Reactor, Process and Mechanical Design 86

Length = 8.76m

Diameter = 1.168m

Pressure Drop Calculations

Pressure Drop is given by formula:

ΔP = (§LG – ρm * g)h [eq 10.3]

§ = friction loss per meter of catalyst bed

It is give by ergun equation

§ = a (1 – ε)2 * µ.U + b (1 - ε) * ρ.U2 [eq 10.4]

εm dp2 εm dp

µ = viscosity of liquid or gas in Pa.s

ρ = density of gas or liquid in kg/m3

ε = bed porosity

dp = equivalent particle diameter

a, b and m are the function of catalyst particle geometry.

Lockart-Martinelli,s parameter

1/2

ð = §L [eq 10.5]

§G

Modified Larkin,s eq:

log §LG = 0.416 + 0.08 [eq 10.6]

§L + §G 0.666+(log ð)2

for the holdup using Larkin,s eqn:

log(HT) = -0.774 + 0.525 (log ð) – 0.109 (log ð)2 [eq 10.7]

ρm = mean density

ρL * HT + ρG * (1 - HT) [eq 10.8]

Trickle Bed Reactor, Process and Mechanical Design 87

Pressure drop calculated from the above equation is 29.5 kPa.

Pressure drop across each liquid distributor and quench gas distributor is 25 kPa.

Total pressure drop is 104.55 kPa

10.9 Mechanical Design

10.9.1 Material of Construction

Selection criteria:

• Tensile strength and stiffness.

• Effect of temperature rise.

• Resistance to corrosion.

• Cost.

Material Selected is SS-316 Austentic type.

Reasons for selection are:

 Better tensile strength and stiffness.

 Not much affected by temperature rise.

 Resistant to corrosion.

 Relatively cheaper.

 Can withstand at extremely high pressure.

10.9.2 Wall Thickness

The wall thickness required is calculated by the formula;

T = P i ri + C [eq 10.9]

SEj – 0.6 Pi

Where Pi = operating pressure, N/mm2

ri = reactor radius,mm

S = Design stress,N/mm2

Ej = joint efficiency

C = corrosion allowance,mm
Trickle Bed Reactor, Process and Mechanical Design 88

Wall thichness = 88 mm.

(Reference; Plant Desigh by Peter and timmerhaus)

10.9.3 Catalyst Support Plate Fig 10.5

Support plate selected is Multi-beam

Support Plate

Reasons for selection

 Lower Pressure drop.

 Better load withstanding ability.
 Invulnerable to sagging.

10.9.4 Liquid Distributor

Selected distributor is Orifice Deck Distributor. Because very high gas holdup is there.

Fig10.6

10.9.5 Liquid Collector

To prevent the catalyst from

flowing out of reactor with oil,
it must be installed at the
bottom of the reactor.

The width of the slots in the

collector is 6.5% of the reactor
diameter.

Figure 10.7
Trickle Bed Reactor, Process and Mechanical Design 89

10.9.6 Type of Head

There are three types of head available

 Ellipsoidal.
 Hemispherical.
 Torispherical.

The head selected is Hemispherical head. Because it can withstand very high pressure.

10.9.7 Support Fig 10.8

Supports available for vertical columns:

 Conical skirt.
 Straight skirt.

The support selected is Conical Skirt support.

Reason for selection;

High L/D ratio of the reactor.

10.9.8 Scale Basket

These are installed at the top of the catalyst bed to remove the scale from the reaction liquid.

The inside diameter of scale basket will be 150mm and length 550mm.

The number of baskets depend upon the reactor diameter.

10.9.9 Inert balls

These are loaded at the top and bottom of each catalyst bed. The inert balls on the top are
intended to retain the catalyst particle and absorb shocks due to gas and liquid flowing
downwards, and inert balls at the bottom are intended to support the catalyst. The selected
inert balls are of ceramic type.
Trickle Bed Reactor, Process and Mechanical Design 90

Specification Sheet

Equipment Trickle-Bed Reactor

Equipment Code CRV-100

Function Hydrodesufurzation of waste oil

Height (m)  8.76m

Inside Diameter (m)  1.168

Wall Thickness (m) 88mm

No. of Gas Quenches  1

No. of Catalyst Beds  2

Design Temperature (°C)  512

Operating Temperature (°C)  427.3

Design Pressure (MPa)  8.5

Operating Pressure (MPa)  6.99

Catalyst  Ni-W

Catalyst pore Size 142.2oA

Material of Construction SS-316

Head  Hemispherical

Support Conical skirt

References:
1. Y.T Shah,Gas-Liquid-Solid Reactor Design,McGraw Hill Publishers,1979
Trickle Bed Reactor, Process and Mechanical Design 91

2. Dr.AAH Drinken Berg,Dr.G Wild,Non steady operation on trickle bed

reactor,Elsevier Publishing
3. R.S.Mann,I.S Samble,Kailash C. Khulbe,Catalytic hydro refining of Gas
Oil,Industrial Engineering Chemistry Research Paper,1987
4. James G Speight, Desulfurization of heavy gas oil and residue, Marcal Dekkik
Publisher
5. Design manual of Reactor, JGC Descon Corp. ,2002 Revised Edition
6. U.S.Patent 4394249 ,Catalytic dewaxing process,Mobile Oil Corp. ,New
York,July 1983
7. M.H.Al-Dahhan,FaicalLarachi,M.P.Dudukovic,High pressure trickle bed
reactor ,Idustrail Engineering Chemistry Research Paper,1997
8. Coulson,Richardson,Vol.6,Ed.3rd ,Chemical Engineering Design,Butterworth
Heinemann Publishing,1999