Laboratory of Reaction and Fluid Process Engineering

Investigation of reactive, multiphase processes

An important focus of the LRF's work is the investigation of reactive multiphase processes, e.g:

  • Heterogeneously catalyzed gas-liquid reactions in a trickle bed
  • Syntheses of mass transfer-limited gas-liquid systems in jet loop reactors
  • Syntheses of organic-aqueous systems in stirred tank reactors
  • Reactive absorption for the purification of CO2-containing waste gas streams
  • Reactive distillation processes for the optimization of equilibrium-limited syntheses.

The aim is to determine the optimum design and operating conditions for a given process so that the following points, among others, can be achieved:

  • low energy requirements (e.g. agitator power)
  • Stable operation in a wide process window (tolerant process)
  • good selectivity to the target products

In order to achieve these goals, it is necessary to generate a comprehensive understanding of the (sub)processes taking place. In particular, the influence of the apparatus size on the processes taking place must be understood so that a reliable scale-up from laboratory to production scale can be carried out.

Examples of processes investigated at the LRF are

  • Interaction between internal flow behavior and mass and heat transport
  • Influence of the material data of the complex mixtures (e.g. gas solubility, viscosity) on the process
  • Influence of the internal concentration and temperature profiles on the conversion and selectivity

Within the research topic of heat transfer, polymer heat exchangers and highly filled polymer composite heat exchangers (PK-WÜT) are investigated at the LRF. The main areas of research here are

  • Development of highly filled PK heat exchangers based on graphite and technical thermoplastics such as PPS and PP
  • Measurement of the thermal properties of experimental heat exchangers
  • Carrying out pressure simulations and tests on plate heat exchangers
  • Analysis of fouling and evaluation of cleaning-in-place processes in plate heat exchangers

In order to answer the questions outlined above, we use a large number of different experimental methods at the Chair, many of which we develop ourselves. Another focus is the development of suitable models and simulation strategies for the investigated processes.

Research of reactive multiphase systems

An important focus of the LRF's work is the investigation of reactive multiphase processes.  For example:

  • Heterogeneously catalyzed gas-liquid reactions in trickle beds.
  • Syntheses of mass transfer limited gas-liquid systems in jet loop reactors
  • Syntheses of organic-aqueous systems in stirred tank reactors
  • Reactive absorption for the purification of waste gas streams containing CO2
  • Reactive distillation processes for the optimization of equilibrium-limited syntheses.

The objective is to determine the optimum design and operating conditions for a given process so that the following points can be achieved:

  • low energy demand (e.g. stirrer power)
  • stable operation in a wide process window (tolerant process)
  • good selectivity to the target products
  • In order to achieve these goals, it is necessary to generate a comprehensive understanding of the (sub)processes taking place. In particular, the influence of the apparatus size on the running processes has to be understood in order to perform a reliable scale-up from laboratory to production scale.

Examples of processes investigated at LRF are:

  • Interplay between internal flow behavior and mass and heat transport.
  • Influence of the material data of the complex mixtures (e.g. gas solubility, viscosity) on the process
  • Influence of the internal concentration and temperature profiles on the conversion and selectivity

In order to be able to answer the questions presented above, we use a large number of different experimental methods at the chair, many of which we develop ourselves. Another focus is the development of suitable models and simulation strategies for the investigated processes. As examples can be mentioned: