Question

Partial oxidation is carried out by passing air with 1.2 mol percent hydrocarbon through a 1/2 [in] tube packed with 1/8 [in] by 1.8 [in] cylindrical catalyst pellets. The air enters at 350 degrees Celsius and 2.0 [atm] with a superficial velocity of 3 [ft/s]. The void fraction is 0.4 and the air viscosity is 30.9 [µPa*s].

Estimate:

(a) The pressure drop in the catalyst bed, in [kPa] and [psi].

(b) The new superficial velocity in [m/s] if the applied inlet pressure is now 15 [kPa].

Answer 1

(a.)

(b.)